Albert Lister Peace

Albert Lister Peace was an English-born organist, composer, editor, and recitalist whose career was centered for many years in Scotland. Born in Huddersfield in 1844, he showed exceptional ability at an early age and was already playing the organ at Holmfirth Parish Church when he was nine. Largely self-taught in his early years, he later held major appointments in Glasgow, including Trinity Congregational Church, the University of Glasgow, and, from 1879, Glasgow Cathedral. He received the D.Mus. degree from the University of Oxford in 1875.

Peace served as musical editor for the revision of “The Scottish Hymnal.” In 1884 the hymnal committee asked him to provide music for Matheson’s text. A near-contemporary biographical account places Peace on the island of Arran when the melody came to him suddenly; the “Handbook to the Church Hymnary” more specifically locates the composition at Brodick Manse. Peace himself recalled writing the music rapidly after studying the words.

The resulting tune, ST. MARGARET, first appeared with the hymn in “The Scottish Hymnal with Tunes” in 1885. In 1897 Peace succeeded W. T. Best as organist of St. George’s Hall, Liverpool, where he continued a prominent recital career until his death.