The Daily Thistle, Friday, December 24, 2021
Description
Three years before the founding of St. Margaret’s, King’s College at Cambridge University began the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. That was in 1918, only six weeks after the end of World War I.
In 1928, this annual tradition was the first broadcast across the world. It continues today as the Daily Thistle comes to you from King’s College, Cambridge.
In 1919, Arthur Henry Mann, organist at King’s College, introduced an arrangement of “Once in Royal David’s City” as the processional hymn for the service. In his version that will soon begin, the first stanza will be sung unaccompanied by a boy chorister. The choir and then the congregation join in with the organ on succeeding stanzas. This has been the tradition for over 100 years. It is a great honor to be the boy chosen to sing the opening solo—a voice heard literally around the world by 75 million listeners.
Welcome to King’s College’s Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on this Christmas Eve.
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