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A Christmas Odyssey

The BBC Singers and actor Adrian Scarborough present an evening of the nation’s favourite Christmas carols and festive readings.

The BBC Singers and Principal Guest Conductor Owain Park are joined by musicians from Aurora Orchestra, Iain Farrington and actor Adrian Scarborough (History Boys, Gavin and Stacey) on a Christmas journey of carols & literature. This festive treat brings you the nation’s favourite Christmas carols and music, alongside readings from John Masefield’s classic The Box of Delights, Hardy’s Under the Greenwood Tree and Charles Dickens' lesser-known masterpiece, Doctor Marigold.

Introduced by Ian Skelly and recorded at Milton Court, London on 11 December 2025.

Paul Williams arr. Ryan O’Connell & Jonathan Wikeley: A Muppet Christmas Carol Medley
Sir John Rutter: The Holly and the Ivy
Iain Farrington: Nova, Nova
Adrian Peacock orch. Owain Park: Venite, Gaudete!
Mykola Leontovych arr. Peter J Wilhousky: Carol of the Bells
Iain Farrington: A Carvery of Carols
Trad. arr. Geoffrey Keating: The Twelve Days of Christmas
Trad. arr. Stuart Nicholson, arr. Jonathan Wikeley: Ding! Dong! Merrily on High

20:22 Interval

Thomas Hewitt Jones: Destination Christmas
Elizabeth Poston arr. Jonathan Wikeley: Balulalow
Rodgers / Trad. arr.Sarah Latto: Little Girl Blue / Emmanuel
Trad arr. Jonathan Miller: God rest ye merry gentlemen
Iain Farrington: We wish you a merry Christmas
Bob Chilcott: Somehow not only for Christmas
Johnny Marks arr. Bob Chilcott: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Trad./Martin/Blane arr. Bob Chilcott: Deck the Hall /Have yourself a merry little Christmas

BBC Singers
Musicians from Aurora Orchestra
Iain Farrington (piano)
Adrian Scarborough (narrator)
Owain Park (conductor)

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12 days left to listen

2 hours, 14 minutes

Last on

Christmas Eve 202519:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Paul Williams

    A Muppet Christmas Carol Medley

    Choir: BBC Singers. Performer: Iain Farrington. Performer: Iain Farrington. Orchestra: Aurora Orchestra. Orchestra: Aurora Orchestra. Conductor: Owain Park. Conductor: Owain Park.

  • Trad.

    The Holly and the Ivy

    Performer: Iain Farrington. Music Arranger: John Rutter. Choir: BBC Singers. Conductor: Owain Park.

  • Iain Farrington

    Nova, nova

    Performer: Iain Farrington. Choir: BBC Singers. Orchestra: Aurora Orchestra. Conductor: Owain Park.

  • Adrian Peacock

    Venite, Gaudete!

    Performer: Iain Farrington. Orchestrator: Owain Park. Choir: BBC Singers. Orchestra: Aurora Orchestra. Conductor: Owain Park.

  • Mykola Leontovych

    Carol of the Bells

    Music Arranger: Peter Wilhousky. Choir: BBC Singers. Conductor: Owain Park.

  • Iain Farrington

    A Carvery of Carols

    Performer: Iain Farrington.

  • Trad.

    The Twelve Days of Christmas

    Music Arranger: Geoffrey Keating. Choir: BBC Singers. Narrator: Olivia Robinson. Narrator: Adrian Scarborough. Conductor: Owain Park.

  • Traditional French

    Ding! Dong! Merrily on high

    Music Arranger: Stuart Nicholson. Orchestrator: Jonathan Wikeley.

  • Richard Bissill

    Christmas Carnival

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Anthony Inglis.
    • Here Come The Classics, Christmas Classics, Vol. 2.
    • RPO.
    • 1.

  • Thomas Hewitt Jones

    Destination Christmas

    Performer: Iain Farrington. Choir: BBC Singers. Orchestra: Aurora Orchestra. Conductor: Owain Park.

  • Elizabeth Poston

    Balulalow

    Performer: Katherine Nicholson. Music Arranger: Jonathan Wikeley. Choir: BBC Singers. Conductor: Owain Park.

  • Richard Rodgers

    Little Girl Blue/Emmanuel

    Composer: Trad.. Performer: Iain Farrington. Performer: Emma Tring. Music Arranger: Sarah Latto. Choir: BBC Singers. Conductor: Owain Park.

  • Trad.

    God rest ye merry gentlemen

    Music Arranger: Jonathan Miller. Choir: BBC Singers. Conductor: Owain Park.

  • Träd

    We wish you a merry Christmas

    Performer: Iain Farrington. Music Arranger: Iain Farrington. Orchestra: Aurora Orchestra. Conductor: Owain Park.

  • Bob Chilcott

    Somehow not only for Christmas

    Performer: Iain Farrington. Choir: BBC Singers. Conductor: Owain Park.

  • Trad.

    Deck the Hall/Have yourself a merry little Christmas

    Composer: Ralph Blane. Composer: Ralph Blane. Performer: Iain Farrington. Music Arranger: Bob Chilcott. Choir: BBC Singers. Orchestra: Aurora Orchestra. Conductor: Owain Park. Composer: Hugh Martin. Composer: Hugh Martin. Composer: Hugh Martin. Composer: Hugh Martin.

  • Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

    Christmas Eve Suite (2nd-5th mvts: excerpt)

    Orchestra: Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Kees Bakels.
    • BIS.

Broadcast

  • Christmas Eve 202519:30
    BBC Radio 3