Horatio Richmond Palmer

26 April 1834—15 November 1907

HORATIO RICHMOND PALMER, composer and author, was born at Sherburne, N.Y., Apr. 26, 1834, son of Anson B. and Abby Maria (Knapp) Palmer, who were both prominent in musical circles. He gained his early musical education through his own efforts, and by such aid as he could obtain through private instruction. His sister taught him to read music when he was six years old, and at the age of nine he sang in his father’s church choir. Subsequently he pursued studies in music, metaphysics, and the languages under various teachers in New York, Berlin, Germany, and Florence, Italy, and commenced professional work as chorus-master at the early age of twenty. Mr. I.B. Woodbury, who had been engaged to conduct the summer festival of the Allegany County Association, at Rushford, N.Y., then young Palmer’s home, at the last moment had failed to appear on account of illness. The chorus and audience were assembled, and it was necessary that a leader should be obtained. Mr. Palmer, although the youngest leader present, was selected conductor, and performed the duties in a manner most satisfactory.

Three years later he entered the Rushford Academy as principal of the music department, and while here met and married a student, Lucia A., daughter of Rockwell M. and Susan Chapman of Belfast, N.Y. Mrs. Palmer is a lady of large artistic and literary ability. She handles a pencil or brush exquisitely, and a pen entertainingly. Her “Night Scene on the Mississippi” is a painting worthy to hang with the best pictures in any gallery, while her Grecian Days is one of the most artistic and entertaining books written on the classic land. She has also great love and practical knowledge of art in architecture. The plans for their beautiful residence on the Hudson were drawn entirely from her dictation.

For the purpose of enlarging his field of labor, Dr. Palmer went west after the Civil War, and locating in Chicago, edited a musical monthly called The Concordia, wrote books, and made engagements to conduct associations. This work extended over all the northern states and some of the provinces of Canada. The most popular of his class books were The Song Queen, The Song King, and The Song Herald, the combined sales of which reached far beyond the million mark. Then followed a long list of class and chorus books, among them, Concert Choruses, probably the finest compilation of high-grade music for conventions and choirs yet attempted by any one. Among his theoretical works are his Theory of Music; Class Method of teaching the rudiments; Manual for Teachers in public schools; Brief Statements; Musical Catechism; Dictionary of Musical Terms; and Piano Primer, all of which are now recognized standards. His writing is characterized by clearness, accuracy, and beauty, and his music is distinguished for grace, purity and melodiousness.

In [1875], he returned to New York City, and since that time accompanied by his wife, he has visited Europe three times, once having extended his travels into the Orient. In all, he has spent nearly three years in the different capitals and musical centres of Europe, investigating the best methods of teaching, and studying the style and rendition of the most famous artists. During the period in which he had charge of the Church Choral Union in New York City, there were represented more than 200 churches, and at one of his mammoth concerts in Madison Square Garden he had nearly 4,000 singers, while the audience, consisting mostly of church people, tilled the remaining portion of that vast auditorium.

Since 1886, Dr. Palmer bas been dean of the Summer School of Music at Chautauqua, N.Y., and has conducted two to four concerts in a week in the presence of from eight to ten thousand people. It has been estimated that at least 75,000 persons, representing every section of the United States, have come under his personal instruction.

Dr. Palmer began composing at the age of eighteen, and is the author of a number of hymns that have become very popular throughout the Christian world. In many instances he has written the words as well as the music, and some of them have been translated into several languages. Among his widely known hymns are “Yield Not to Temptation,” “Shall I Let Him In,” “Beautiful Home,” “ The Rose of Sharon,” “Step by Step,” “Jesus Loves Little Children,” “Galilee, Blue Galilee,” “Peace, Be Still,” and “Come, Sinner, Come,” all of which he has set to appropriate music.

His anthem and chorus books are of the best grade and have given great satisfaction. He has issued much sheet music that has had wide circulation. He has written under the noms de plume of Florence Le Claire, Frank Forest, Oraz, and P. Rankin Hollingsworth, and in all has issued over forty volumes of music and musical subjects. He has attained his present high position through great energy in putting forth correct methods and by an enthusiasm that is contagious. The honorary degree of Mus. Doc. was conferred on him by Chicago University in 1879, and by Alfred University in 1880.

National Cyclopaedia of American Biography (1897)

Featured Hymns:

Peace Be Still

Collections of Songs & Hymns:

The Standard (1872)

The Song Queen (1872)

The Song King (1872)

Palmer’s Normal Collection of Sacred Music (1872)

Palmer’s Sabbath School Songs (1872)

Palmer’s Edition of Standard Concert Choruses (1872)

Songs of Love for the Bible School (1874)

The Leader (1874)

The Song Monarch (1874)

The Song Herald (1876)

Palmer’s Book of Anthems (1879)

Palmer’s Edition of Concert Gems for Choruses (1881–1883)

Palmer’s Concert Serial (1881)

Garnered Gems for the Sunday School (1883)

Rays of Light (1883)

Palmer’s Book of Gems (1887)

Chautauqua Choruses No. 1 (1889)

The Anthologue (1890)

The Chorus King (1891)

Garnered Gems of Sunday School Song (1892)

The Festival Choir (1893)

Songs Old and New No. 2 (1894)

Life-Time Hymns (1896)

Palmer’s Book of Classical Choruses (1898)

Additional Works:

Palmer’s System of Teaching the Rudiments of Vocal Music in Classes (1872)

The Elements of Musical Composition (1872)

Palmer’s Theory of Music (1876): Archive.org

Palmer’s Music Catechism (1881)

Palmer’s Brief Statements Concerning the Notation of Music and Music Catechism (1883)

Common Sense Music Reader (1883)

The Choral Union (1884)

Palmer’s Piano Primer (1885)

Palmer’s Book of Interludes (1888)

Palmer’s Graded Studies in the Art of Reading Music at Sight (1894): Archive.org

First Intermediate Reader (1895)

Second Intermediate Reader (1896)

Manual for Teachers of Sight Singing Schools (1896)

Palmer’s Class Method (1896)

Palmer’s New Pronouncing Pocket Dictionary of Musical Terms (1902)

Related Resources:

John Julian, “Horatio Richmond Palmer,” A Dictionary of Hymnology (London: J. Murray, 1892), p. 877: HathiTrust

“Horatio Richmond Palmer,” National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, vol. 7 (NY: James T. White & Co., 1897), p. 429: HathiTrust

A.J. Showalter, “Horatio Richmond Palmer,” The Best Gospel Songs and Their Composers (Dalton, GA: A.J. Showalter Co., 1904): Archive.org

J.H. Hall, “Dr. H.R. Palmer,” Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers (NY: Fleming H. Revell, 1914), pp. 86–95: Archive.org

Horatio Palmer, Hymnary.org: https://hymnary.org/person/Palmer_Horatio