Charles (Kensington) Salaman (born March 3, 1811, London – died June 23, 1901, London) was an English pianist, composer, and musicologist.

Family Background

His ancestors had German and Dutch blood. His great-grandfather, Salaman Salaman, was born in Dessau and was acquainted with Moses Mendelssohn (Felix Mendelssohn's grandfather) in Prussia. His grandfather, born in Berlin, settled in England, and his father, Simeon, was born in Kensington. His maternal grandfather, Henry Cohen, was born in The Hague, Netherlands, and was a cultivated man who moved to England and associated with figures such as Edmund Burke. His son, Isaac Cohen (Salaman's uncle), was a literary enthusiast who introduced Charles to the art world, and Isaac's daughter (Salaman's mother) was an excellent pianist who taught Salaman the piano.

Education and Early Career

Salaman studied at the Royal Academy of Music from 1824 to 1826, then under Charles Neate (1784-1877), who was a friend of Beethoven. From 1828 to 1829, he studied with Henri Herz in Paris. He first appeared in public concerts as a pianist and composer in 1828, performing his own songs, and eventually also gave performances as a soloist.

Concerts and Performances

Beginning with a concert he organized at Hanover Square Rooms on May 30, 1833, Salaman held annual vocal and instrumental concerts in London until 1837, performing his own works as well as piano concertos by Mendelssohn, Mozart, and Weber. In 1844, he hosted classical chamber music concerts at his home. In 1835, he performed with the Concerti da Camera, the first chamber orchestra formed in London's West End, and in 1836, he gave the British premiere of Mendelssohn's String Octet, Op. 20.

In 1830, he composed an ode for the Shakespeare Jubilee held in Stratford-upon-Avon, which was performed under his direction. His first collections of songs were published in the late 1830s. From 1838 to 1840, Salaman performed in Salzburg, Vienna, Munich, and other European cities. From 1846 to 1848, he resided and worked in Rome. During his stay, he became an honorary member of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia and the Roman Philharmonic Church in 1846. Two years later, as a conductor, he led the Roman premiere of Beethoven's Symphony No. 2. Through his European travels, he became acquainted with prominent musicians such as Mozart's former wife Constanze and her son, Schumann, Czerny, and Thalberg.

Return to England and Academic Pursuits

Upon his return to England, he performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1. From this period, Salaman developed an academic interest in music history, becoming a fellow of the Musical Institute of London, which existed from 1851 to 1853. In 1855, he began giving lectures on the history of the piano and other musical topics in London and the provinces. These lectures were highly acclaimed, and he was privately invited by Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and their children to lecture and perform on historical instruments. He was also one of the founders of the Musical Society of London, established in 1858, serving as its secretary from 1858 to 1865. In 1874, he contributed to the founding of the Musical Association (serving as secretary until 1877, and vice-president from 1877 to 1887).

Works and Writings

In addition to his piano works (none of which appear to have been published in Paris), Salaman produced edited scores of Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn, and other composers. However, it was his songs that ensured his success during his lifetime. He composed over 200 songs based on poems by Horace, Catullus, Metastasio, Byron, and others. In addition, he wrote psalm settings, anthems, and Jewish liturgical music. Born into a Jewish family, he counted Rothschild among his schoolmates. His book Jews as they are (1882, dedicated to Moses Mendelssohn, Felix Mendelssohn's grandfather) was an essay attempting to counter anti-Jewish prejudice in England and defended the Mendelssohn family, who had abandoned Judaism.

References

• New Grove Online
• Devonshire, “Charles Salaman”, The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular, vol. 42, No 702, Aug. 1, 1901, pp. 530-533.