Jan Gerard Palm

hideThis article has multiple issues. Please help or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article contains weasel words: vague phrasing that often accompanies biased or unverifiable information. Such statements should be clarified or removed. (May 2011) This article contains wording that promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. Please remove or replace such wording and instead of making proclamations about a subject's importance, use facts and attribution to demonstrate that importance. (May 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) This article possibly contains original research. Please by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (May 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (May 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Jan Gerard Palm (2 June 1831 – 13 December 1906) was a 19th-century composer. Palm is often referred to as the "father of Curaçao's classical music".

Biography[]

Born in Curaçao, Palm had directed several music ensembles by a relatively young age. In 1859, he was appointed music director of the citizen's guard orchestra in Curaçao. Palm played several musical instruments such as piano, organ, lute, clarinet, flute and mandolin. As an organist, Palm played for many years in the Jewish synagogue Emanu-El and Mikvé Israel, the Protestant Fort Church and the Lodge Igualdad in Curaçao. He was also a regular contributor to the widely read and influential periodical Notas y Letras (Notes and Letters). This periodical was issued in Curaçao in the period 1886–1888, with numerous subscribers throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

When Palm died at the age of 75, on 13 December 1906, gifted musicians and composers of the Palm family such as Rudolph Palm (1880–1950), John Palm (1885–1925), Toni Palm (1885–1963) and Jacobo Palm (1887–1982) followed in the footsteps set by their maestro and grandfather and further passed this tradition on to their own descendants such as Albert Palm (1903–1958), Edgar Palm (1905–1998) and Robert Rojer (1939).

Compositions[]

As a composer, Palm can be characterized as both original and productive. One of his well-known statements used to be that a good composition should include at least one surprising change. Palm wrote more than 180 compositions. His waltzes and mazurkas can be characterized by a rich use of harmonic variations. His polkas, marches and galop reveal his buoyant life style. Palm was also often progressive, in the sense of not being afraid of using chords that were relatively unusual for his time. The rhythms that he wrote for each of his danzas are typically complex, very creole and sensual. In the dominantly prudish 19th century, Jan Gerard Palm was the only composer who dared to write erotic tumbas.

Alongside dance music written for the piano, Palm also wrote larger works for the orchestra and for piano and violin. Examples of the latter are the fantasies and serenades. Finally he also wrote several pieces for services in the synagogue, the protestant church and the Lodge.

Media[]

• Jeroen van der Wel (violin) and Bas van Bommel (piano), play Palm's Fantasía Zaira on YouTube
• Jeroen van der Wel (violin) and Bas van Bommel (piano) play Palm's Serenada nr. 2 on YouTube

References[]

• Halman, Johannes and Robert Rojer (2008). Jan Gerard Palm: Life and Work of a Musical Patriarch in Curacao (In Dutch language). Leiden: KITLV.
• Halman, Johannes and Robert Rojer (2008). Jan Gerard Palm Music scores: Waltzes, Mazurkas, Danzas, Tumbas, Polkas, Marches, Fantasies, Serenades, a Galop and Music Composed for Services in the Synagogue and the Lodge. Amsterdam: Broekmans & Van Poppel.
• Palm, Edgar (1978). Muziek en musici van de Nederlandse Antillen. Curacao: E. Palm.
• Boskaljon, Rudolph (1958). Honderd jaar muziekleven op Curacao. Anjerpublicaties 3. Assen: Uitg. in samenwerking met het Prins Bernhard fonds Nederlandse Antillen door Van Gorcum.