Choral evensong marks a century on BBC airwaves

One hundred years after the BBC first broadcast choral evensong, the tradition's anniversary has prompted reflection on its place in British cultural life, according to an opinion piece in The Guardian by MP and former chorister Jonathan Davies.

In the piece, Davies describes choral evensong as a distinctive collective musical experience, placing it alongside other sounds he says are closely associated with Britain, and argues that the art form should be celebrated and protected going forward.

Choral evensong, a sung Anglican service combining psalms, canticles and choral music, has been broadcast by the BBC for a century, making it one of the longest-running strands of religious or classical programming on British radio.

Davies writes from the perspective of a former chorister himself, framing the anniversary as an opportunity to highlight both the musical tradition's cultural significance and the institutions, including cathedral and collegiate choirs, that sustain it.

The piece is presented as a personal opinion contribution rather than a news report, reflecting the author's own argument for continued support of the art form.