This is a list of carols performed at the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's College Chapel, Cambridge. The Festival is an annual church service held on Christmas Eve (24 December) at King's College Chapel in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The Nine Lessons, which are the same every year, are read by representatives of the college and of the City of Cambridge from the 1611 Authorized King James Version of the Bible.
The service is broadcast live in the United Kingdom on BBC Radio 4, and abroad on the BBC's overseas programmes as well; it is estimated that each year there are millions of listeners worldwide who listen to it live on the BBC World Service. In the UK, a recorded broadcast is also made on Christmas Day on BBC Radio 3. [1] A television programme entitled Carols from King's which is pre-recorded in early or mid-December is shown on Christmas Eve in the UK on BBC Two and BBC Four.
In the table below, carols specially commissioned for the Choir of King's College Chapel are highlighted in green. To rearrange the table alphabetically or numerically by a particular column, click on the arrow symbol in the column heading.
Title | Year of first performance | Lyricist | Composer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Adam Lay Ybounden [2] | 1955 | 15th century | Ord, Boris | |
Adam Lay Ybounden [3] | 2023 | 15th century | Martin, Matthew | |
Alleluia! A New Work is Come on Hand [2] | 1966 | 15th century | Wishart, Peter Charles Arthur | |
The Angel Gabriel [4] | 2019 | From a Basque original | Moore, Philip | |
The Angel Gabriel Descended to a Virgin [5] | 2002 | 15th–17th century | Holloway, Robin | |
The Angels [4] (Should you hear them singing among stars) | 1994 | Taylor, John V. | Harvey, Jonathan | |
Angels from the Realms of Glory [6] | 1978 | Montgomery, James | Old French tune, arranged by Philip Ledger | |
Angelus ad Virginem | 2022 | 13th century | Martin, Matthew | |
Away in a Manger [7] | 2005 | 19th century | Tavener, John | |
The Birthday of thy King [4] (Awake, glad heart, get up, and sing!) | 1988 | Vaughan, Henry (adapted) | Sculthorpe, Peter | |
Carol of St. Steven [4] | 1989 | W. Sandys' Christmas Carols (adapted) | Goehr, Alexander | |
A Child is Born in Bethlehem [2] | 1966 | 14th century Benedictine processional, translated by G.R. Woodward and others | Scheidt, Samuel | |
Christo Paremus Cantica [4] | 1993 | 15th century | Burrell, Diana | |
The Cradle [8] | 2023 | Anonymous, 17th century Austrian, translated by Robert Graves | Frances-Hoad, Cheryl | |
The Fayrfax Carol [2] | 1997 | Early Tudor | Adès, Thomas | |
Frohlocket, ihr Völker auf Erden [2] (Rejoice, O Ye Peoples of the Earth) | [Unknown] | Anonymous | Mendelssohn, Felix | |
A Gathering [4] | 1991 | Andrewes, Lancelot | Casken, John | |
The Gleam [9] (Not yet shepherds the gilded kings) | 2003 | Plaice, Stephen | Birtwistle, Harrison | |
Glory, Alleluia to the Christ Child! [6] (Out of the Orient Crystal Skies) | [Unknown, sung 2008] | 17th century | Bullard, Alan | |
God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen [6] | 1919 | English traditional | English traditional, arranged by David V. Willcocks | |
God would be Born in Thee [10] (Lo, in the Silent Night a Child in God is Born) | 2004 | Silesius, Angelus | Bingham, Judith | |
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing [6] | 1918 and every year since | Wesley, Charles, and Whitefield, George | Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Jakob Ludwig Felix; descant by Stephen J. Cleobury | |
A Hymn to the Mother of God [2] | [Unknown] | Liturgy of Saint Basil | Tavener, John | |
I Saw Three Ships [2] | [Unknown] | Traditional English | Traditional English, arranged by Simon Preston | |
I Sing of a Maiden [6] | 1965 | 15th century | Berkeley, Lennox (also sung in a version by Patrick Hadley) | |
If Ye would Hear the Angels Sing [6] [11] | [Unknown, sung 2008] | Greenwell, Dora | Tranchell, Peter | |
Illuminare Jerusalem [12] | 1985 | Bannatyne manuscript in John MacQueen; Winifred MacQueen (1972), A Choice of Scottish Verse, 1470–1570 , London: Faber and Faber, ISBN 0-571-09532-1 (adapted). | Weir, Judith | |
In Dulci Jubilo [2] (In Sweet Rejoicing) | 1918 | 14th-century German | de Pearsall, Robert Lucas; edited by Reginald Jacques | |
In Dulci Jubilo [6] (In Sweet Rejoicing) | 1988 | 14th-century German | Praetorius, Hieronymous | |
In the Bleak Midwinter [2] | [Unknown] | Rossetti, Christina | Darke, Harold Edwin | |
In Wintertime [4] (When Thou wast born in wintertime) | 1983 | Askwith, Betty | Berkeley, Lennox | |
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly [6] | [Unknown, sung 2008] | Polish traditional, translated by Edith M.G. Reed | Polish traditional, arranged by Stephen J. Cleobury | |
King Herod and the Cock [4] (There was a star in David's land) | 1977 | [Unknown] | Walton, William | |
The Lamb [13] (Little lamb, who made thee?) | 1982 | Blake, William | Tavener, John | Although the carol was first performed at the Festival in 1982, its première performance was given by the Winchester Cathedral Choir a few days before. |
Misere' Nobis [14] (Jesu of a Maiden Thou wast Born) | 2006 | Medieval English carol (adapted) | Turnage, Mark-Anthony | |
The Night when She First Gave Birth [6] (Mary) | 2008 | Brecht, Bertolt, translated by Michael Hamburger | Muldowney, Dominic | |
Noël (Now comes the dawn) [15] (Stardust and vaporous light) | 2007 | Gilder, Richard Watson | Dean, Brett | |
Nowel, Nowel, Holly Dark [4] | 1986 | de la Mare, Walter | Bennett, Richard Rodney | |
Nowell Sing We Now All and Some [2] | 1984 | Medieval | Medieval, edited by John Stevens | |
O Come, All Ye Faithful [6] | 1918 and every year since | 18th-century Latin, translated by Frederick Oakeley | Wade, John Francis | Traditionally the arrangement by David Willcocks is used. |
O Mercy Divine [16] | 2018 | Wesley, Charles [17] | Weir, Judith | Written to mark the centennial service in 2018. |
On Christmas Day to My Heart [18] | 1999 | Paman, Clement | Bennett, Richard Rodney | |
Once in Royal David's City [19] | 1918 and every year since | Alexander, Mrs. Cecil Frances | Gauntlett, Henry J.; arr. A. H. Mann, David Willcocks, Stephen Cleobury, et al. | Since 1919 this carol has always been the processional carol, with verse 1 sung unaccompanied by a boy soloist. |
One Star, at Last [4] (Fix on one star) | 1984 | Brown, George Mackay | Davies, Peter Maxwell | |
The Oxen [4] (Christmas Eve and twelve of the clock) | 1982 | Hardy, Thomas | Radcliffe, Philip | Radcliffe was a longtime Fellow in Music of King's College. |
Pilgrim Jesus [4] (Iesus! Christus! In the manger of my body) | 1996 | Crossley-Holland, Kevin | Paulus, Stephen | |
Remember, O Thou Man [6] | [Unknown, sung 2008] | 16th century | Ravenscroft, Thomas | |
Seinte Marie Moder Milde [4] | 1995 | 13th-century manuscript in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge | MacMillan, James | |
A Spotless Rose is Blowing [8] | 2002 | 14th-century German, translated by Catherine Winkworth | Ledger, Philip | |
A Spotless Rose is Blowing [6] | 1929 | 15th-century German, translated by C. Winkworth | Howells, Herbert | |
Spring in Winter [12] | 2001 | Smart, C., from Hymn &c: The Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ | Woolrich, John | |
Starry Night o'er Bethlehem [10] | 2004 | Willcocks, Anne | Willcocks, David | |
Sweet Baby, Sleep! What Ails My Dear? [6] (Wither's Rocking Hymn) | 1933 | Wither, George | Vaughan Williams, Ralph | |
Swetë Jesu [4] | 1992 | 13th century | Maw, Nicholas | |
There is No Rose [2] | [Unknown] | 15th-century English | Joubert, John | |
There is No Rose [20] | 2021 | 15th-century English | McDowall, Cecilia | |
The Three Kings [2] | 1932 | Cornelius, Carl August Peter and Nicolai, P.; translated by H.N. Bate | Cornelius, Carl August Peter; arranged by Ivor Atkins | |
The Three Kings [21] | 2000 | Sayers, Dorothy L., from The Three Kings (1916) | Dove, Jonathan | |
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day [2] | [Unknown] | Traditional English | Gardner, John | |
Unto Us is Born a Son [6] | [Unknown, sung 2008] | 15th-century Latin, translated by G.R. Woodward | Piae Cantiones (Devout Songs), arranged by David V. Willcocks | |
Up Good Christen Folk [22] | 1918 | Woodward, George Ratcliffe | Piae Cantiones (Devout Songs), arranged by G.R. Woodward | In the first service in 1918, this was the invitatory carol followed by "Once in Royal David's City" |
Verbum Caro Factum Est [2] (The Word was Made Flesh) | [Unknown] | John 1:14 | Hassler, Leo | |
Wassail Carol (Wassail sing we in worship of Christ's Nativity) | 1967 | [Unknown] | Mathias, William | |
What Sweeter Music Can We Bring [7] | 1987 | Herrick, Robert | Rutter, John | |
Winter Solstice Carol [23] | 1998 | Swayne, Giles (English words); Magnificat antiphon for Christmas Day (Latin words) | Swayne, Giles | |
Богородиџе Дево радуйся, Благодатная Марие, Господь с Тобою [15] (Bogoroditse Dyevo – Rejoice, O Virgin Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with Thee) | 1990 | Orthodox Liturgy (in Russian) | Pärt, Arvo |
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Formally The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, the college lies beside the River Cam and faces out onto King's Parade in the centre of the city.
Nine Lessons and Carols, also known as the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols and Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, is a service of Christian worship traditionally celebrated on or near Christmas Eve. The story of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus is told in nine short Bible readings or lessons from Genesis, the prophetic books and the Gospels, interspersed with the singing of Christmas carols, hymns and choir anthems.
Sir Stephen John Cleobury was an English organist and music director. He worked with the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, where he served as music director from 1982 to 2019, and with the BBC Singers.
Sir David Valentine Willcocks, was a British choral conductor, organist, composer and music administrator. He was particularly well known for his association with the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, which he directed from 1957 to 1974, making frequent broadcasts and recordings. Several of the descants and carol arrangements he wrote for the annual service of Nine Lessons and Carols were published in the series of books Carols for Choirs which he edited along with Reginald Jacques and John Rutter. He was also director of the Royal College of Music in London.
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is an English Christmas carol that first appeared in 1739 in the collection Hymns and Sacred Poems. The carol, based on Luke 2:14, tells of an angelic chorus singing praises to God. As it is known in the modern era, it features lyrical contributions from Charles Wesley and George Whitefield, two of the founding ministers of Methodism, with music adapted from "Vaterland, in deinen Gauen" of Felix Mendelssohn's cantata Festgesang.
Boris Ord, was a British organist and choirmaster of King's College, Cambridge (1929-1957). During World War II he served in the Royal Air Force. He is best known for his choral setting of Adam lay ybounden, his only published composition.
King's College Chapel is the chapel of King's College in the University of Cambridge. It is considered one of the finest examples of late Perpendicular Gothic English architecture and features the world's largest fan vault. The Chapel was built in phases by a succession of kings of England from 1446 to 1515, a period which spanned the Wars of the Roses and three subsequent decades. The Chapel's large stained glass windows were completed by 1531, and its early Renaissance rood screen was erected in 1532–36. The Chapel is an active house of worship, and home of the King's College Choir. It is a landmark and a commonly used symbol of the city of Cambridge.
Once in Royal David's City is a Christmas carol originally written as a poem by Cecil Frances Alexander. The carol was first published in 1848 in her hymnbook Hymns for Little Children. A year later, the English organist Henry Gauntlett discovered the poem and set it to music.
A bidding-prayer is the formula of prayer, or exhortation to prayer, said during worship in churches of the Anglican Communion. It occurs during the liturgy of the word, following the sermon. Such formulae are found in the oldest of Divine Liturgy forms in the Greek church, such as the liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, as well as in the Catholic liturgies of the early Gallican Rite, and pre-Reformation England.
Carols for Choirs is a collection of choral scores, predominantly of Christmas carols and hymns, first published in 1961 by Oxford University Press. It was edited by Sir David Willcocks and Reginald Jacques, and is a widely used source of carols in the British Anglican tradition and among British choral societies. A second volume was published in 1970, edited by David Willcocks and John Rutter, and the collection is now available in six volumes. A compendium edition was published later. In addition to music for Christmas, the collection also offers works that are suitable for other Christian festivals such as Advent and Epiphany.
The Choir of King's College, Cambridge is an English Anglican choir. It is considered one of today's most accomplished and renowned representatives of the great English choral tradition. It was created by King Henry VI, who founded King's College, Cambridge, in 1441, to provide daily singing in his Chapel, which remains the main task of the choir to this day.
"Adam lay ybounden", originally titled Adam lay i-bowndyn, is a 15th-century English Christian text of unknown authorship. It relates the Biblical events of Genesis, Chapter 3 on the Fall of Man.
Cheryl Frances-Hoad is a British composer.
Sir Philip Stevens Ledger, CBE, FRSE was an English classical musician, choirmaster and academic, best remembered as Director of the Choir of King's College, Cambridge in 1974–1982 and of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama from 1982 until he retired in 2001. He also composed choral music and played the organ, piano and harpsichord.
"In dulci jubilo" is a traditional Christmas carol. In its original setting, the carol is a macaronic text of German and Latin dating from the Middle Ages. Subsequent translations into English, such as J. M. Neale's arrangement "Good Christian Men, Rejoice" have increased its popularity, and Robert Pearsall's 1837 macaronic translation is a mainstay of the Christmas Nine Lessons and Carols repertoire. J. S. Bach's chorale prelude based on the tune is also a traditional postlude for Christmas services.
The Choir of St John's College, Cambridge is considered to be one of the finest collegiate choirs in the world. It is part of the English cathedral tradition, having been founded to sing the daily liturgy in the College Chapel, though it is set apart from other English choirs of this tradition by the frequent inclusion of Continental works in its repertoire and its emphasis on polyphonic interpretations. Alongside the choir of King's College, Cambridge, it is one of the two most famous collegiate choirs in Cambridge, having had over 90 recordings published.
Es ist ein Ros entsprungen is the setting of the Christmas carol Es ist ein Ros entsprungen for two choirs a cappella by Swedish composer Jan Sandström. The work of 1990, which incorporates the harmonization by Praetorius, is one of his signature compositions, along with his Trombone Concerto No. 1, the Motorbike Concerto.
The Lamb is a choral work written in 1982 by British composer John Tavener (1944–2013). It is a setting of music to the William Blake poem "The Lamb" from Blake's collection of poems Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1789). It is one of Tavener's best known works. Written for unaccompanied SATB choir, the music is minimalistic and combines chromaticism with more conventional harmony.
100 Years of Nine Lessons and Carols is a double album by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge released to mark 100 years since the first festival of nine lessons and carols service was held in King's College Chapel, Cambridge. One disc contains recordings of live performances from the BBC Radio broadcasts of the services from the period 1958 to 2017, while the second contains newly recorded versions of works previously performed at the service.
This is a list of events from British radio in 1928.