Since 1918, "A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols" has offered listeners an opportunity to share in a live, worldwide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of biblical readings, carols and seasonal classical music.
Classical IPR will share the broadcast Wednesday, Dec. 24 at 10 a.m. with a encore broadcast on Thursday, Dec. 25 at 8 p.m.
This special event is presented by the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, one of the world’s foremost choirs of men and boys, and performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the college’s 500-year-old chapel.
More information about this year's service.
Hymn: Once in royal David's City (Irby, descant Willcocks)
Bidding Prayer (read by the Dean)
Carol: The blessed son of God (Ralph Vaughan Williams)
First lesson: Genesis 3 vv. 8-19 (read by a Chorister)
Carol: Adam lay ybounden (Boris Ord)
Second lesson: Genesis 22 vv. 15-19 (read by a College student)
Carol: Nowell, nowell, nowell (Elizabeth Maconchy)
Third lesson: Isaiah 9 vv. 2, 6-7 (read by a member of College staff)
Carol: On Christmas night (trad. arr. Philip Ledger)
Hymn: It came upon the midnight clear (Noel, descant Scott)
Fourth lesson: Isaiah 11 vv. 1-9 (read by a representative of Eton College)
Carol: The Darkling Thrush (Rachel Portman) – 2025 commission
Carol: The Lamb (John Tavener)
Fifth lesson: Luke 1 vv. 26-38 (read by a Fellow)
Carol: Ave Maria (Anton Bruckner)
Carol: There is no rose (anon. transc. Stevens)
Sixth lesson: Luke 2 vv. 1-7 (read by the Mayor of Cambridge)
Carol: A boy was born (Benjamin Britten)
Hymn: Unto us is born a Son (Piae Cantiones arr. Willcocks)
Seventh lesson: Luke 2 vv. 8-20 (read by the Director of Music)
Carol: Nativity Carol (John Rutter)
Carol: The shepherds’ farewell (Hector Berlioz)
Eighth lesson: Matthew 2 vv. 1-12 (read by the Vice-Provost)
Carol: Dormi Jesu (John Rutter)
Carol: I saw three ships (Stuart Nicholson)
Ninth lesson: John 1 vv. 1-14 (read by the Provost)
Hymn: O come, all ye faithful (Adeste Fideles, arr. Willcocks, Daniel Hyde)
Collect and Blessing Hymn: Hark, the herald angels sing (Mendelssohn, arr. Willcocks)
Organ voluntaries: In dulci jubilo, BWV 729 (Bach)
Dieu parmi nous (Messiaen)
Daniel Hyde, Director of Music
Harrison Cole, Assisting Organist
The Revd Dr Stephen Cherry, Dean
The Revd Dr Jonathan Kimber, Chaplain
Katharine Longworth, Producer
