Florence Margaret Spencer Palmer (July 27, 1900 – March 29, 1987) was a British composer who wrote several hymns and a piano pedagogy textbook. She published some of her works under the name Peggy Spencer Palmer.
Spencer Palmer was the youngest of seven children born in
Thornbury Thornbury may refer to:
Places
;Australia
*Thornbury, Victoria
* Thornbury railway station, Melbourne
;Canada
* Thornbury, Ontario
;England
*Thornbury, Devon
* Thornbury, Herefordshire
*Thornbury, Gloucestershire
**Thornbury Castle
**Thornbury (UK ...
, Gloucestershire, to James and Amy Spencer Palmer. She was taught at home until age 10, when she attended school for five years. She then studied at the
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the first Duke of ...
,
and earned a
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of prescr ...
degree from the
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
. Her teachers included
Sir Ivor Atkins
Sir Ivor Algernon Atkins (29 November 1869 – 26 November 1953) was the choirmaster and organist at Worcester Cathedral from 1897 to 1950, as well as a composer of songs, church music, service settings and anthems. He is best known for editi ...
,
Benjamin Dale, Vivian Longrish, Mabel G. Smith, and Norman Sprankling.
Spencer Palmer worked as an accompanist and secretary to Mrs. Catherine Booth-Clibborn (
Kate Booth
Catherine Booth-Clibborn (Katie Booth, 18 September 18589 May 1955) was an English Salvationist and evangelist who extended the Salvation Army into France and Switzerland against local opposition. She was the oldest daughter of William Booth, W ...
), the daughter of Salvation Army founder William Booth. She later taught music at the following schools:
*1929–1947:
Clarendon School
The Clarendon School is a historic school building located in the Virginia Square neighborhood of Arlington County, Virginia. The structure was built in 1910 based on a design by noted Virginia architect Charles M. Robinson.
The school was renam ...
, Malvern, Worcestershire
*1948–1958:
Redlands High School, Bristol
*1959–1961
St. Brandon's School, Clevedon.
In 1923, Spencer Palmer received the Chappell Medal music award. She later won the Horatio Albert Lumb award for hymns and anthems. She was confirmed in the Church of England,
and her compositions appeared in the ''Anglican Hymn Book''. She arranged work by other composers, including ''Wings'', a collection of songs by
Amy Carmichael
Amy Beatrice Carmichael (16 December 1867 – 18 January 1951) was an Irish Christian missionary in India who opened an orphanage and founded a mission in Dohnavur. She served in India for 55 years and wrote 35 books about her work as a miss ...
.
Her works were published by Ascherberg Hopwood & Crew and
Cramer & Co Cramer may refer to:
Businesses
* Cramer brothers, 18th century publishers
* Cramer Systems
Cramer Systems is a British telecommunications firm, founded in 1996 by Jon Craton, Mark Farmer and Don Gibson. The firm developed Operations support ...
.
Published works
Her publications included:
* Book
**''Simplified Sight Reading''
* Chamber music
**''Three Pieces'' (cello and piano)
* Piano
**''A Pianist's Book of Chimes
''
**''Burlesque
''
**''Three Festive Pieces
''
**''Variations on
Barbara Allen''
* Vocal
**"Brynland"
**"Duplock"
**"Ellasgarth"
**"Except the Lord Build the House" (motet; text based on
Psalm 127
Psalm 127 is the 127th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Except the Lord build the house". In Latin, it is known by the incipit of its first 2 words, . It is one of 15 " Songs of Ascents" and the only on ...
)
**"Gate of the Year”(text by
Minnie Louise Haskins
Minnie Louise Haskins (12 May 1875 – 3 February 1957) was a British poet and an academic in the field of sociology, best known for being quoted by King George VI in his Royal Christmas Message of 1939.
Early life
Haskins was born at 2 Kings ...
)
**"Like as a Father" (text based on
Psalm 103
Psalm 103 is the 103rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Bless the , O my soul". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In Latin ...
)
**"Nativity"
**"O Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go" (text by
George Matheson
George Matheson FRSE (27 March 1842 – 28 August 1906) was a Scottish minister and hymn writer and prolific author. He was blind from the age of 17.
Life
Born at 39 Abbotsford Place in Glasgow, to George Matheson (d.1891), a merchant and ...
)
References
{{Reflist
External links
Gate of the Year by Peggy Spencer Palmer
1900 births
1987 deaths
British women composers
Hymn tunes
Piano pedagogues
Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music
Alumni of the University of London