Jaume

Jaume Isern Colomer

Mataró , 13 de desembre de 1798
Mataró , 18 de juliol de 1880

Composer, Performer i Teacher

Organist, pedagogue and composer

Blind from birth, he studied music with Fèlix Font, Antoni Mitjans and Anton Díaz. He occasionally performed the organ in the parish church of Santa Maria de Mataró. He is known for being the author of Descripción de algunos instrumentos para ensenyar a ciegos las primeras letras y la escritura en notas de música (Barcelona, 1837) in which he describes a system of musical notation prior to that developed by Louis Braille. Thanks to the book, Ferdinand VII of Spain granted him a life pension.

He was a humanist who promoted a gathering in his private home with the intelligentsia of the time. He had prominent disciples (Manuel Blanch, Nicolau Guanyabens) and was member of the Acadèmia de Ciències i Arts, among other organizations.