Christmas 2025

A service of carols, hymns and readings live from the candlelit Chapel of King's College, Cambridge.

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)

Revd. Dr. Stephen Cherry (Dean)
Daniel Hyde (Director of Music)
Revd. Dr. Jonathan Kimber (Chaplain)
Harrison Cole (Assisting Organist)

For millions listening around the world, A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, live from the candlelit Chapel of King's College, Cambridge, marks the beginning of Christmas. The service 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.

A new work has been commissioned for the Christmas Eve service every year since 1983, and this year Rachel Portman has written The Darkling Thrush.

A number of pieces by twentieth century composers such as Elizabeth Maconchy, John Tavener and Benjamin Britten sit alongside traditional carols. The service includes two pieces by Sir John Rutter who celebrated his 80th birthday earlier this year.

Producer: Katharine Longworth