A Festival Of Nine Lessons And Carols

Listen live here, starting in 5 minutes. Here's the program:

The Festival, held in the candlelit Chapel of King's College, Cambridge, marks for many people around the world the beginning of Christmas. It is based around nine Bible readings which tell the story of the loving purposes of God. They are interspersed with carols old and new, sung by the world famous Chapel Choir who also lead the congregation in traditional Christmas hymns.

Programme for 2010:

Once in royal David's city (arr. Stephen Cleobury)

* Bidding Prayer read by the Dean

This is the truth sent from above (arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams)

* First lesson: Genesis 3, vv 8-19 read by a Chorister

Adam lay ybounden (Boris Ord)

A Virgin most pure (arr. Stephen Cleobury)

* Second lesson: Genesis 22 vv 15-18 read by a Choral Scholar

In dulci jubilo (arr. Robert Lucas de Pearsall)

If ye would hear the angels sing (Peter Tranchell)

* Third lesson: Isaiah 9 vv 2, 6-7 read by a Representative of the Cambridge Churches

Sussex Carol (arr. Philip Ledger)

God rest you merry, gentlemen (arr. David Willcocks)

* Fourth lesson: Isaiah 11 vv 1-3a, 4a, 6-9 read by a Representative of the City of Cambridge A tender shoot (Otto Goldschmidt)

Det är en ros utsprungen (arr. Jan Sandström)

* Fifth lesson: Luke 1 vv 26-35, 38 read by the Master over the Choristers

Hymne à la Vierge (Pierre Villette)

Sunny Bank (arr. Peter Hurford)

* Sixth lesson: Luke 2 vv 1, 3-7 read by the Chaplain

Mariä Wiegenlied (Max Reger)

The holly and the ivy (arr. June Nixon)

* Seventh lesson: Luke 2 vv 8-16 read by the Director of Music

While shepherds watched (arr. Stephen Cleobury)

Illuminare, Jerusalem (Judith Weir)

* Eighth lesson: Matthew 2 vv 1-12 read by the Vice-Provost

Christmas Carol (Einojuhani Rautavaara - first performance, commissioned by King's College)

Ding, dong, merrily (arr. Mack Wilberg)

* Ninth lesson: John 1 vv 1-14 read by the Provost

O come, all ye faithful (arr. Stephen Cleobury)

* Collect and Blessing

Hark! the herald angels sing (arr. David Willcocks)

Organ voluntaries:

In dulci jubilo BWV 729 (JS Bach)

Prelude & Fugue in B (Marcel Dupré)