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Once in Royal David's City is a popular Christmas Carol. It was originally a poem, written by Cecil Frances Alexander and published in 1848. It was put to music in 1849.

From 1827 to 1846, Henry John Gauntlett served as organist at a variety of London churches, including St Olave's in Tooley Street, Southwark, Christ Church Greyfriars, and Union Chapel, Islington. He edited several hymnbooks and composed over a thousand hymn tunes, the most notable of which is his setting of "Once in Royal David's City" to the tune Irby. Since 1919, the King's College Chapel in Cambridge has started its Christmas Eve service with Dr Arthur Henry Mann's arrangement of "Once in Royal David's City" as the Processional hymn. Between 1876 and 1929, Mann was the organist at King's. The first verse is sang solo by a boy chorister from the college choir in Mann's arrangement. The chorus sings the second line, and the congregation steps in on the third verse. The hymn is followed by the piano except for the first line.


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Once In Royal Davids City

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Once in Royal David's City with Lyrics - Christmas Songs & Carols

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