The day the children sang.

[epigramophone]

On this day in 1929, a choir of 250 children from the elementary schools of Manchester recorded Purcell's "Nymphs and Shepherds" coupled with the Dance Duet from Humperdincks "Hansel and Gretel".

The Manchester Education Committee had decided to give children with no previous musical training a chance to perform, and after rehearsing once a week for a year the recordings were made with the Halle Orchestra conducted by Sir Hamilton Harty.

The children, a third of whose parents were unemployed, were from poor backgrounds and the event gave them a sense of pride which remained with them for the rest of their lives.

The record caught the public mood and sold over a million copies. On it's 60th anniversary EMI awarded it a Gold Disc inscribed with the names of every child who took part.

In response to public demand the recording was re-released as part of a compilation CD entitled "Hello Children Everywhere".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vkpqHECZtE