Festival of Lessons and Carols back after 2 years
The Festival of Lessons and Carols is back and has a new venue and a new organist.
The popular Christmas program will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16, in the sanctuary at First Presbyterian Church, 108 Washington St. Admission is free; the public is welcome.
The John Tyner Chorale has put on the performance for years. It’s based on a 104-year-old service in England that is now offered around the world.
“We did not perform Lessons and Carols for the last two years due to COVID,” director Tyner said.
The program features songs performed by the John Tyner Chorale, the Monroe High School Choir and the congregation as well as Bible readings.
Jonathan Chadwick Barton is the new organist this year. He is the organist at Trinity Episcopal Church.
Most of the songs are performed every time, but several new ones are added each year. Among this year’s 20 selections are: “Sing We Now of Christmas,” “The Lord at First Did Adam Make,” “In Dulci Jubilo,” “O Nata Lux,” “Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming,” “A Spotless Rose,” “O, Come Emmanuel,” “Ding Dong! Merrily on High,” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “The Holly and the Ivy,” “The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came Down” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”
Traditionally, the opening verse is sung unaccompanied by a boy soprano. In the past, those soloists were Tyner’s grandsons, Orion and Harrison Tyner.
This year, another of his grandsons, Emmett Mehki, is singing the first verse of “Once in Royal David’s City.”
“(A boy soprano) has always been tradition since the beginning of these presentations in England,” Tyner said.
Interspersed among the songs are Bible readings. The verses tell the Christmas story, from Genesis to the birth of Jesus.
“Each selection was chosen to reflect the meaning of the accompanying reading,” Tyner said.
Area pastors and community leaders read the Scriptures. This year’s readers are: the Rev. Doris Chandler from First Presbyterian Church; Matthew Tyner, chorister; John Tyner, chorus master; David Thompson, Monroe County Drain Commission; the Rev. Melodye VanOudheusden from St Paul’s United Methodist Church; Deacon Mike Stewart from Sts. Mary and John Catholic Churches; the Rev. James Bischoff from Trinity Episcopal Church; William McCloskey, retired Monroe County Community College professor; and the Rev. David Burgard from Sts. Mary and John Catholic Churches.
The Festival of Lessons and Carols has a long history.
“This Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is a recreation of a service which was first held on Christmas Eve 1918 in Cambridge Cathedral. Slight revision was made in 1919 and, from that date, the service has always begun with the hymn ‘Once in Royal David’s City.’ Hymns and carols change, but the backbone of the service — the lessons and prayers — has remained virtually unchanged,” Tyner said. “The service has been widely used and adapted around the world. However, the pattern and strength of the service, as Dean Milner-White pointed out, derive from the lessons, and not the music. This type of service has become a tradition of the Christmas season. This performance will move you and help set the mood for your holiday celebrations.”
Tyner, a retired Monroe Public Schools music instructor, started the John Tyner Chorale in 1996. He also is the director of music for St. Paul’s United Methodist Church and a past conductor of the Agora Chorale at Monroe County Community College.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Festival of Lessons and Carols back after 2 years
