The service of Nine Lessons and Carols was devised by the Most Revd Edward White Benson (Archbishop of Canterbury 1882-1896) and first used in Truro Cathedral on Christmas Eve, 1880.
Ministers: Rev'd Rebecca Newland, Rev'd Myung-Hwa Park
Music directed by Colin Forbes
Selected by Pat Forbes

The Carols

Lo! He comes with clouds descending	Charles Wesley, 1707-88
There's a light upon the mountain	Henry Burton 1840-1930, tune Maurice Wostenholm 1887-1959
Long Ago, Prophets Knew	Frederick Pratt Green, melody from Piae Contiones 1582, harm. Gustav Holst, arr. John Wilson
Joy to the World	Isaac Watts 1674-1748 alt. based on Psalm 98
Behold a rose is growing	Anon. German, 15th cent., trans by HR Spaeth and JC Mattes, music Cologne 1599.
The angel Gabriel	Basque carol, tr. Sabine Baring-Gould; music: Basque traditional, arr. Edgar Pettman
Angels from the realms of glory	James Montgomery 1771-1854, French traditional, arr Martin Shaw, 1875-1958
While shepherds watched their flocks by night.
Hark! the herald angels sing	Charles Wesley 1707-88 and others
The first Nowell	Anon, English c. 17th cent
O Come all ye faithful	18th century Latin, tr. Frederick Oakeley; melody: John Francis Wade
Silent night	Joseph Mohr, trans John Freeman Young; melody: Franz Xavier Gruber

The Choir and Musicians

Sopranos: Linda Anchell, Estelle Canning, Leith Dudfield, Vicki Hodges, Alison Knight, Cath Lawrence, Denise Manley, Madeleine Rowland, Jenny Sawer, Judith Swanson
Altos: Sarah Barnes, Catriona Bryce, Mary Bush, Leila Fetter, Lou Merrington, Rachel Parsons, Patricia Whitbread
Tenors: Gerard Clifton, Alex Maroya, Alex Slater
Basses: Gerard Atkinson, Brian McKinlay, Peter Smith, Matthew Stuckings
Flute: Ellen Trevanion
Double Bass: Justin Bullock
Trumpet: Matthew Stuckings
Organ/Piano: Colin Forbes

The Lord at first did Adam make	English traditional, arr. David Willcocks.
Babe of Bethlehem	The Southern Harmony, 1854, arr. Elizabeth Poston. [Flute obbligato played by Ellen Trevanian.]
Rejoice lordings	Early English, arr Arthur Oldham.
All this time	William Walton. Words: 16th Century
No wind at the window	Music: Irish traditional, arr. John Bell
Zither Carol	Czech folk tune arr. with words by Malcolm Sargent.
Huron Carol	A tune of the Huron Indians, arr. William Llewellyn, with English words by J.E. Middleton.
A Fanfare for Christmas	Vespers for Christmas Day, by Robin Wells. Words: Antiphon for Christmas vespers (Medieval or earlier).
Noel Time	Australian Carol by William James. Words: John Wheeler.
Hallelujah chorus	from Messiah by G.F. Handel.

The Readings

Readers: Jack Adams, Rev'd Linda Anchell, Kerry-Anne Cousins, Patricia Forbes, Sarah Gowty, Brian McKinlay, Denise Manley, Alex Maroya, Rev'd Myung-Hwa Park

God says in the Garden of Eden that the seed of woman shall bruise the serpent's head	Genesis 3.8-15
God promises that Abraham's descendants will be a blessing to all	Genesis 22:15-18
Isaiah speaks of the Messiah's birth and kingdom	Isaiah 9.2-7
Isaiah tells of God's coming kingdom	Isaiah 11.1-9
The angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary	Luke 1.26-38
St Matthew tells of the birth of Jesus	Matthew 1.18-23
The shepherds go to the manger	Luke 2.8-16
The wise men are led by the star to Jesus	Matthew 2.1-11
St John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation	John 1:1-14

Minister: Rev'd Dr Ray Williamson
Music directed by Colin Forbes
Selected by Pat Forbes

The Carols

Long Ago, Prophets Knew	Frederick Pratt Green: melody from Piae Contiones 1582. harm. Gustav Holst, arr. John Wilson
Unto us a boy is born	Words: Latin anon. 15th cent. tr. Percy Dearmer: melody Piae Contiones 1582. arr Geoffrey Shaw
O Little Town of Bethlehem	Words: Phillips Brooks; Music: English traditional. arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams
The Angel Gabriel	Basque carol, tr. Sabine Baring-Gould; music: Basque traditional, arr. Edgar Pettman
O Come all ye faithful	Words: 18th century Latin, tr. Frederick Oakeley; melody: John Francis Wade
Hark the Herald Angels	Charles Wesley 1707-88 and others
As with gladness men of old	Melody: Conrad Kocher, arr. William Henry Monk; words William Chatterton Dix
Joy to the World	Isaac Watts 1674-1748 alt. based on Psalm 98
Silent Night	Words: Joseph Mohr, tr John Freeman Young; melody: Franz Xavier Gruber

The Choir

Adam lay ybounden	15th century English, music by Boris Ord, 1897-1961)
A Christmas Antiphon (ii) See to us a child is born	Timothy Dudley-Smith, tune 'Lauds' by John Wilson, arr. William Llewellyn.
O come, O come Emmanuel	18th Century, trans. TA, 15th Century melody adapted and arranged David Willcocks)
Gabriel to Mary came	English transl. from Latin, W.A.C.-Cambridge, melody 14th Century arr. David Willcocks
Mary Walked Through a Wood of Thorn	Old German words trans. E. Herborn, music Philip Radcliffe
Song of the Nuns of Chester	Words and English plainchant tune, Chester MS c.1425, harmony Elizabeth Poston
The Oxen	Thomas Hardy, music Benjamin Britten)
The Ashwell carol	Russian trad. tune, arr. Elizabeth Poston
Carol of the Epiphany	Iona Community)
Sing Gloria	John Wheeler, music William G. James, Australia, 1954

The Readings

God says in the Garden of Eden that the seed of woman shall bruise the serpent’s head; Genesis 3.8-15

Isaiah speaks of the Messiah’s birth and kingdom; Isaiah 9.2-7

Isaiah tells of God’s coming Kingdom; Isaiah 11.1-9

The prophet Micah foretells the glory of little Bethlehem; Micah 5.2-5

The angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary; Luke 1.26-38

St Matthew tells of the birth of Jesus; Matthew 1.18-23

The shepherds go to the manger; Luke 2.8-16

The wise men are led by the star to Jesus; Matthew 2.1-11

St John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation; John 1:1-14

Minister: Rev'd Jeannette McHugh
Conductors and organists: Dr. Gemma Dashwood, Alexander O'Sullivan
Singers from: All Saints' Ainslie, St. Philip's O'Connor
Organiser: Peter Laurence

The Carols

Once in Royal David's city	Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander; melody H.J. Gauntlett
Long Ago, Prophets Knew	Frederick Pratt Green: melody from Piae Contiones 1582. harm. Gustav Holst, arr. John Wilson
O Little Town of Bethlehem	Phillips Brooks; Music: English traditional, arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams
The Angel Gabriel	Basque carol, tr. Sabine Baring-Gould; music: Basque trad, arr. Edgar Pettman
Unto us a boy is born	Latin anon. 15th cent. tr. Percy Dearmer: melody from Piae Contiones 1582. arr Geoffrey Shaw
As with gladness men of old	Melody: Conrad Kocher, arr. William Henry Monk; words William Chatterton Dix
O Come all ye faithful	18th century Latin, tr. Frederick Oakeley; melody: John Francis Wade
Silent Night	Joseph Mohr, tr John Freeman Young; melody: Franz Xaver Gruber

The Choir

Intriot solo: Gemma Dashwood — A Christmas Carol	Arnold Bax, 1909
Coventry Carol	16th Century English
Audivi Vocem	Thomas Tallis, 16th century) Based on Jeremiah 40:10 and Matthew 25:6
Cristo Paremus Cantica: when Christ was born of Mary	Keren Terpstra, Australia, 1999
A Maiden Most Gentle	French traditional
In the Bleak Mid Winter	Poem by Christina Rosetti c1872, to music by Harold Darke
A Babe is Born	William Matthias, Op. 55, 1971

The Readings

God announces in the Garden of Eden that the seed of woman shall bruise the serpent's head; Genesis 3.8-15

God promises to faithful Abraham that in his seed shall the nations of the earth be blessed; Genesis 22.15-18

Isaiah foretells the Messiah's birth and kingdom; Isaiah 9.2-7

The prophet Micah foretells the glory of little Bethlehem; Micah 5.2-4

The angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary; Luke 1.26-38

St Matthew tells of the birth of Jesus; Matthew 1.18-23

The shepherds go to the manger; Luke 2.8-16

The wise men are led by the star to Jesus; Matthew 2.1-11

St John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation; John 1:1-14