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The traditional celebration of Christmas from the Chapel of King's College, Cambridge. The world-famous choir, directed by Stephen Cleobury, sings a glorious selection of carols.

A solo chorister sings Once In Royal David's City to begin the traditional celebration of Christmas from the Chapel of King's College, Cambridge.

The world-famous choir, directed by Stephen Cleobury, sings a glorious selection of carols, including Ding! Dong! Merrily on High (Wilberg), The Holly and the Ivy, The Three Kings (Cornelius) and O Come All Ye Faithful.

The Christmas story is told in the words of the King James Bible and in poems by Rowan Williams, Charles Causley and UA Fanthorpe.

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Christmas Day 201611:40

Clip

Music Played

  • Henry John Gauntlett

    Once in Royal David's City

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • Bidding Prayer: The Dean

  • Mack Wilberg

    Ding! Dong! Merrily on High

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • Reading: Isiah 11: 1-9

  • Otto Goldschmidt

    A Tender Shoot

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • John Tavener

    The Lamb

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • Reading: Advent Calendar by Rowan Williams

  • Stephen Cleobury

    Past Three a Clock

    Lyricist: George Ratcliffe Woodward. Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • Harold Edwin Darke

    In the Bleak Mid-winter

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • Stephen Cleobury

    O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • Reading: Luke 1: 26-38

  • Lennox Berkeley

    I Sing of a Maiden

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • Stephen Cleobury

    Joys Seven

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • Reading: Mary'’s Song by Charles Causley

  • Stephen Cleobury

    Suo Gân

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • Henry Walford Davies

    The Holly and the Ivy

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • Choir of King’s College, Cambridge

    It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

    Lyricist: Edmund Sears.
  • Reading: Matthew 2: 1-12

  • Peter Warlock

    Bethlehem Down

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • Simon Preston

    I Saw Three Ships

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • Reading: BC:AD by U.A. Fanthorpe

  • Peter Cornelius

    Three Kings from Persian Lands

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • William Mathias

    A Babe Is Born

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • Reading: John 1: 1-14

  • Tomás Luis de Victoria

    O Magnum Mysterium

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
  • Blessing: The Dean

  • Sir David Willcocks

    O Come, All Ye Faithful

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge.

Order of Service

CAROLS from KING’S 2016

A Celebration of Christmas

from the Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge

with the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge

Director of Music

STEPHEN CLEOBURY

Organ Scholars

RICHARD GOWERS

HENRY WEBSDALE

Dean

The Revd Dr STEPHEN CHERRY

Dean and Director of Theology, King’s College, Cambridge

SERVICE

1. ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID’S CITY by Henry John Gauntlett, descant: Stephen Cleobury

Bidding Prayer: The Dean

2. DING! DONG! MERRILY ON HIGH arr. Mack Wilberg

Reading: ISAIAH 11: 1-9 

3. A TENDER SHOOT Otto Goldschmidt

4. THE LAMB John Tavener

Reading: Advent Calendar by Rowan Williams

5. PAST THREE A CLOCK arr. Stephen Cleobury

6. IN THE BLEAK MID-WINTER Harold Darke

7. O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL arr. Stephen Cleobury

Reading: LUKE 1: 26-38

8. I SING OF A MAIDEN Lennox Berkeley

9. JOYS SEVEN arr. Stephen Cleobury

Reading: Mary’s Song by Charles Causley

10. SUO GÂN arr. Stephen Cleobury

11. THE HOLLY AND THE IVY arr. Henry Walford Davies

12. IT CAME UPON THE MIDNIGHT CLEAR desc. Stephen Cleobury

Reading: MATTHEW 2: 1-12

13. BETHLEHEM DOWN Peter Warlock

14. I SAW THREE SHIPS arr. Simon Preston

Reading: BC:AD by U.A. Fanthorpe 

15. THREE KINGS FROM PERSIAN LANDS Peter Cornelius

16. A BABE IS BORN William Mathias

Reading: JOHN 1: 1-14

17. O MAGNUM MYSTERIUM Tomás Luis de Victoria

Blessing: The Dean

18. O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL arr. David Willcocks

End of service.

Credits

RoleContributor
DirectorPamela Hossick
ProducerJames Whitbourn

Broadcasts

Featured in...

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Atmospheric coverage of the annual festival from King's College, Cambridge