A Good Pitch

Henry had his heart set on one chorister to sing the solo, and nothing would change his mind!

IT was six days until the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols and Henry had a decision to make. More accurately, he had to be seen to be deliberating, but he had made up his mind long ago.

The question was: which of his boy choristers was to take the solo part, singing the first verse of Once In Royal David’s City” to launch the event?

To do so was an honour. The congregation would be hushed, every ear listening out for the child’s voice siging the familiar words of Cecil Frances Alexander’s famous carol.

Get it wrong and you could feel the warm glow of expectation in the pews give way to disappointment.

Henry thought he’d heard one or two pained groans in previous years.

A couple of times there had been an embarrassed titter.

Get it right and an air of Christmas joy and peace would descend upon all.

As choirmaster, it was Henry’s responsibility to choose a safe incumbent. There were five or six hopefuls, he knew, but only one was up to the task.

“Lewis McTeer,” he told his wife, Abigail.

“He has perfect pitch, knows where to breathe and he doesn’t have a nerve in his body.”

Henry rubbed his hands in glee.

This year’s festival was going to get off to the ideal start.

He wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few tears among the congregation.

His star pupil was going to wow them all.

Abigail had refused to do the Christmas Eve party for the boy choristers this year.

She'd given Henry fair warning. If he insisted on the antiquated idea that only boys could sing in his choir, then she was bowing out.

"I mean it," she'd said. "If you want the music rooms decorated, you can do it yourself.

"Ditto shopping for nibbles and treats, cooking it all and clearing it away afterwards.