The Service of Lessons and Carols
by Ray Robinson
years earlier, and that event replaced the former practice in which the Truro choir sang carols in the community on Christmas Eve. The West Briton, a newspaper in Cornwall, described the new carol service in the following announcement:
On Christmas Eve a service was held, commencing at ten o'clock. Pray~rswere intoned by the Vicar-Choral, the Rev. C.H.S. Walpole, lessons read by the Rev. Chancellor Whitaker, and a sermon preached by the Rev. Canon Mason. Carols
December 1990JPage 13
. . . on Christmas Eve the choir sang a series of carols, under the conductorship of Vicar-Choral (the Rev. C.H.S. Walpole) and the organist (Mr. Mitchell). There was a very full congregation, and the service was much enjoyed.7
The choir of the Cathedral will sing a number of Carols in the Cathedral to-morrow evening (Christmas Eve), the service commencing at ten o'clock. We understand that this is at the wish of many of the leading parishioners and others. A like service has been instituted in other cathedrals and large towns, and has been much appreciated. Itis the intention of the choir to no longer continue the custom of singing carols at the residences of the members of the congregation.6
One year later a similar report appeared following the Cathedral's annual Christmas Eve service: After the event, we are told by the same source that
Broadcasting Company first relayed it from King's College Chapel. On December 23, 1954, a special taping of the entire service was prepared for television. Since 1963, a shorter version has been filmed periodically by the BBC. Itis therefore not
difficult to understand why the service has become an integral part of the Christmas season.
Credit for the idea of a service of this type goes back as far as 1880 to the Cathedral of Trur02 in Cornwall. Ironically, the conception of this event, like the birth of Christ, which the service is intended to \
commemorate each year, took .place in rather humble circumstances. Itseems that the physical condition of the original parish church of St. Mary, Truro, was somewhat precarious and the vestry decided to close the building.3 So in the autumn of 1880 the old church was torn down (with the exception of the south aisle) and a temporary wooden structure, seating 400 people, was constructed to serve as the parish church and Cathedral while the new building (the
Cathedral) was under construction.4It was here inthis unpretentious setting that the Service of Lessons and Carols was born.
Extracts from historical documents of the periodS show that while this new service was introduced in 1880, it actually took the place of an ordinary carol service which had begun two
.... r
I.Once in roy-al Da- vid's_ ei - Iy Stood a low-Iy eal- lIc_ shed. Where a mo-Iher laid- her_ ha - by In a man-ger' for_ his_ bed: 2. HecamedOwnloearlh from hea-vcn Who is Godand Lord of_ all.
And his shel-ter was_3 _sla - ble, And his era-die was_ a _ stall;
The History of the Service The service of nine lessons with carols interspersed started its swift rise as a favorite Christmas devotional service as soon as it was introduced in 1918 by Dean Eric Milner-White and Organist Arthur H. Mannl at King's College Chapel. The beauty of the service itself and the splendor of the singing of the King's Choir led to its introduction, not only as a traditional service in the Church of England, but in Non-conformist chapels
everywhere-and not only in England, but in English-speaking churches the world over. Its world-wide popularity was assured when, on Christmas Eve in 1928, the British
Robinson is Distinguisbed Professor of Choral Studies at Pahn Beach Atlantic University. During the two-year period 1987-89 he lived in Cambridge, England, where he served as Visiting Fellow at Wolfson College, one of the colleges of the University of Cambridge.
O
ne of the great traditions of the Christmas season is the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, sung by church choirs large and small" in every part of the English-spealdng world. The model upon which thisnativity event is based is the service which takes place annually on Christmas Eve at 3:00pm in the Chapel at King's College, Cambridge, England. Ithas been a tradition at King's since 1918, but the history of. the service goes back to the 'late-nineteenth century. Itis the purpose of 'this article to survey this history while describing the service and its development as a musical event.
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It was Bishop Benson who actually made the two most important contributions to the service as we know it today. In the Middle Ages the greatest feast days were marked by a series of nine lessons, and Christmas day was one of these. Bishop Benson adapted this liturgical custom to form the basis for the service. The lessons, beginning with the fall of Man, were chosen to illustrate the story of redemption, from the Old and New Testaments. Further, the readers of these lessons formed another sequence, climbing upward from the rank of chorister to the Bishop himself.
The plan at Truro, while excellent in concept and undoubtedly successful there, did not transplant well to other locations. The pace of the service was continually slowed by a series of rather irrelevant benedictions between the lessons. The music contained only four carols, plus two hymns, three choruses from Messiah, and the Magnificat as a climax.
These problems were at once revealed when the service was
introduced in1918 at King's. Its form was thus revised by Dean Milner-White the following year. He prefaced the service with the now famous Christmas Bidding Prayer and the Lord's Prayer, eliminated the Magnificat and Benediction, and made the Ninth Lesson, the story of the Incarnation from St. John's gospel, the supreme climax, for which
everybody stood. The order of service, as determined by the readings, has remained virtually the same since 1919:
FIRST LESSON Reader: A Chorister13
God tells sinful Adam that he has lost the life of Paradise and that his seed willbruise the serpent's head.
- Genesisiii:8-15 SECOND LESSON Reader:A Choral Scholar
God promises to faithful Abraham that inhisseed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
- Genesisxxii:15-18 THIRD LESSON Reader:A Rep-resentative of the Cambridge Churches
The prophet foretells the coming of the Saviour.
- Isaiahix:2, 6, 7
FOURTH LESSON Reader: A Rep-resentative of the City
The peace that Christwillbring is foreshown.
- Isaiahxi:1-9 FIFTH LESSON Reader: The Director, of Music
The Angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed VirginMary
(a Vicar, Decani side),10Hymn, Sixth Lesson (a Vicar, Cantori::; side), Anthem from Messiah, Seventh Lesson (Senior Canon, Decani side), Hymn, Eighth Lesson (Senior Canon, Cantoris side), Carol, Ninth Lesson (The Bishop), Anthem-from Messiah, Magnificat, and Prayer. As
in the yet-to-come King's College service, the musical climax was reached after the Ninth Lesson; but here it was supported with the Messiah Chorus and·the Magnificat ..
The idea for this new service was conceived by C.H.S. Walpole, later a Bishop at Edinburgh,u The order of the lessons and carols, however, was developed by BishopE. W. Benson, soon to become the Archbishop of Canterbury(1883). In a biography of his father, published in1900, A.C. Benson recalled the circumstances that surrounded this first service:
My father arranged from ancient sources a little service for Christmas eve-nine carols and nine tiny lessons, which were read by various officers of the Church, beginning with a chorister, and ending, through the different grades, with the Bishop.12 .
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crowded, many Nonconformists as well as church-goers being present.8
Why
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The fact that there was a sermon in the plan for the service confirms that the lessons and carols format (as we know it today) had not yet been established. But the fact that a carol service on Christmas Eve was now a regular event in the life of the Cathedral church at Truro is significant.
As we learn from The West Briton of December27, 1880,9 the order of this new service included the nine lessons from scripture, two hymns, four carols, and three choruses from Messiah (although it does not tell us which parts of Handefs famous oratorio were sung). From the printed program of this first service, we do know that the Carol Service consisted of the following segments: Prayer, First Lesson (read by a Senior Chorister), Carol, Second Lesson (a Lay Choir-man), Carol, Third Lesson (a Lay-Reader of the Diocese), Carol, Fourth Lesson (a Deacon),
Anthem-from Messiah, Fifth Lesson
St. Lukei:26-33, 38 I
Once in royal David's city Stood a lowly cattle shed, Where a mother laid her baby In a manger for his bed: Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.
The boy chosen to sing that opening verse without accompaniment is not told until the very last moment, the point at which the choir is preparing for the procession. In this way, "he doesn't have time to get nervous," states Stephen Cleobury, the present director of music,17
The original harmonic setting for this hymn was created by A. H. Mann. Today the choir sings verses 1-4, the congregation joins in verses 5 and6, and there is a descant for choir in verse6. Descants and organ parts for the final verse have been written by Sir David Willcocks (Oxford University Press),18 Philip Ledger (Oxford), and Stephen Cleobury. In 1918, the service began with "Upl Good Christen folk, and listen" (Piae Cantiones, 1582, arr. by G. R.
Woodward, Cowley Carol Book, Mowbray); "Once in royal David's city" followed immediately as the Invitatory Carol,19
One of the many great musical traditions at King's is the Processional Hymn "Once in royal David's city"
[irby]16 which has opened the service in every year except the first with one of the alto trebles of the choir singing the initial verse as a solo:
The Processional Hymn
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immeasurably as a result of the arrangements they have written for the Service (a case in point being John Rutter). Astudy of the music that has been chosen over the years at various points in the service is a reflection of the important role each director of music has played in the evolution of the service. A survey of these selections gives us a clearer picture concerning the way the service has developed. the war, 1940-45), Sir David Willcocks (1957-73), Philip Ledger (1974-82), and Stephen Cleobury (1982- ). Providentially, each of the directors of music have proved to be successful arrangers of hymns and carols. In many cases, the carol settings for which they are best known were introduced at the King's College Festival of Lessons and Carols. There are also examples of composers whose careers have been enhanced
The lessons, beginning with
the fall of Man, were
chosen to illustrate the story
of redemption, from the Old
and New Testaments.
Further, the readers of these
lessons formed another
sequence, climbing upward
from the rank of chorister to
the Bishop himself.
The Development of the Service as a Musical Event
- St. John i:1-14
The Festival of Lessons and Carols at King's College is a surprisingly simple event from a musical
standpoint. The resources include the choir of men and boys, the organ, and the congregation. The tradition of boy choristers at King's College goes back to 1453 when King Henry VI established the guidelines which created the music program in the chapel. His plan called for 16 treble voices "of sound condition and honest conversation, being ascertainably under the age of 12 years, [and] knowing competently how to read and sing."15 Today the choir consists of 16 boy choristers and eight probationers (who do not sing in the chapel services). Until 1927 the men's voices were provided partly by the choral scholars and partly by older lay clerks, and not, as now, by 14
undergraduates who range in age from 18 to 22. There are, however, organ scholars who assist the Director of Music in various ways, including service playing.
The Festival itself consists of pre-service music on the organ, the Christmas Bidding Prayer and Lord's Prayer, the Invitatory Carol, the nine lessons from scripture, five or six Christmas hymns for choir and congregation, one or two carols by the choir after each lesson except the ninth, the Collect for Christmas Eve, the Blessing, the closing hymn, and the organ music after the service.
Over the years the selection of hymns, carols, and pre- and post- _ service music has reflected the imagination, tastes, and arranging skills of the six men who have served as organists at King's during this period: Arthur Henry Mann (1876-1929), Boris Ord (1929-57), Harold Darke (Ord's substitute during
SIXTH LESSON Reader:ARep- . resentative oj Our Sister College at Eton14
St. Luke tells of the birth of Christ. - St. Luke ii:1-7 SEVENTH LESSON Reader:AFellow
The shepherds go to the manger. - St. Luke ii:8-16 EIGHTH LESSON Reader: The Vice-Provost
The wise men are led by the star to Jesus.
- St. Matthew ii:l-ll NINTH LESSON Reader: The Provost
St. John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation.
Woodward (Cowley Carol Book, Mowbray), preceded "Awake glad heart! ," (Faber) a carol that was composed especially for the service by Peter Schulthorpe. In recent years the term "Invitatory Carol" has been dropped from the printed program; it now simply states "Carols."
First Lesson
Second Lesson
The most popular carol to follow this reading has been Boris Ord's arrangement of "Adam lay ybounden" (Oxford). It has appeared over 30 times since 1918. Next in frequency is "Ding, dong! Merrily on high," the well-known setting by Sir David Willcocks, which has been heard 24 times. Martin Shaw's popular "I saw three ships" (English Carol Book, Mowbray) follows with 11 appearances. In most years the
congregation has enjoyed two carols at this point in the service, and often "Adam lay ybounden" has been joined either with one of these or a setting like "This is the truth" (Ralph Vaughap. Williams, Stainer& Bell, 1960, 1972), "Wassail song" (William Mathias, Oxford, 1964, 1965), or "Sussex carol" (settings by Sir David Willcocks, 1971, and Philip Ledger, 1976-83, both published by Oxford University Press).
hymns at this point in the service. For example, Ledger selected two works by Benjamin Britten, "A boy was born" (Oxford) in 1974 and "A hymn to the Virgin" (Boosey and Hawkes) in 1975.-77 in place of the congregational carol. For three of his last four years at King's (1978, 1980, 1981) he chose the congregational carol "Up! Good Christen folk, and listen" and
followed it with his setting for choir of "Resonet in laudibus" (Oxford). In 1979, the Willcocks edition ofCorde natm ex parentis was used. Stephen Cleobury has been just as imaginative in his selections. In his first year (1982) he paired "Christmas eve, and twelve0clock" (The Oxen, Minster Music) by Philip Radcliffe, a Fellow of the College, with the popular setting of "Ding dongl merrily on high" by Sir David Willcocks
(Oxford). The next year he chose "Up! Good Christen folk, and listen" and Elizabeth Posten's lovely carol "Jesus Christ the apple tree" (Cambridge). In 1987, Cleobury's own setting of "The Lord at first did Adam make" occupied this place alone. The
following year "Ding-dong, ding," the traditional arrangement by G. R.
:e',
-. -
-Invitatory CarolThis carol follows the Christmas Bidding Prayer and invites the congregation to participate in the service. Prior to 1924, the
aforementioned "Upl Good Christen folk" was used at this point in the service. Since that time, various approaches have been taken. Beginning in 1924, and continuing until 1946, the congregational hymn "0 little town of Bethlehem"
[Christmas Carol], arranged by Walford Davies (Oxford) was used as the invitatory carol. In 1947 Boris Ord selected two excerpts from Bach's Christmas Oratorio: "And there were shepherds in the same country" and the chorale "Break forth, 0 beauteous
heavenly light." This was the practice until 1961 when Ord's student, David Willcocks, adapted the melody from Piae Cantiones (1582) to the text "Of the Father's heart begotten" [Corde natm ex Parentis] (Oxford) as a carol for choir and congregation.
Philip Ledger and Stephen Cleobury have taken a somewhat different approach and have tended to mix carol settings and congregational
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"The holly and the ivy" (Novello), Walford Davies' superb arrangement, has been heard following the Second Lesson more than any other carol: 18 times. "I saw three ships," in its various settings (Traditional, Simon Preston in 1971, and Philip Ledger, 1975, 1978, 1986, 1987, Oxford) has appeared 11, and "FIos de radice Jesse," translated and edited by G. R.
Woodward (Cowley Carol Book, Mowbray), nine. The year 1970 was especially noteworthy at this point in the service when David Willcocks chose carol settings· by two of the United Kingdom's prominent young musical personalities: "Out of your sleep" (Universal Edition) by Richard Rodney Bennett b. 1936), and "Sir Christemas" (Oxford) by the Welsh composer, William Mathias (b. 1934). There have been so many wonderful carol settings by Sir David Willcocks performed at this Service. The first one-"Haill Blessed Virgin
Mary"- was heard at this point in the Service in 1954, three years before he was appointed organist at King's. Customized performance tours
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Sixth Lesson
David Willcocks (Oxford), and Stephen Cleobury (Oxford). "I sing of a maiden," in arrangements by Patrick Hadley (Ascherberg, Hopwood
& Crew) and Lennox Berkeley (Cambridge) is the third most popular carol to follow this favorite text from St. Luke's gospel (7 times). "Joys seven," Stephen Cleobury's refreshing setting, has appeared here four times since 1983.
For the first 29 years (1918-47) the carol chosen to follow the reading of St. Luke's account of the birth of Jesus was the Anglican Hymnal setting of "While shepherds watched their flocks by night" (Winchester Old, Thomas Este's Psalter, London 1592,
harmonized and adapted by W. H. Monk, with descant by Alan Gray) for congregation and choir. It was
traditional for the choir to sing the descant on verses 2 and 6. In 1948 this carol was replaced by Charles Wood's popular arrangement of "A Virgin most pure" (Oxford), a practice that continued until 1958 when Sir David Willcocks added a carol for choir-"I saw a fair maiden," a setting by R. R. Terry (St. Nicholas Carol Book, RSCM). From this point forward, with one exception ("While shepherds watched" with descant was used in 1974), the carols that have followed this lesson have been
performed by choir alone. There have been some lovely moments for the congregation to cherish. For example, John Rutter's superb "Sans day carol" was introduced at this point in 1971, and repeated in 1972, 1973, 1979, and 1981. "I saw three ships" (1976, 1977, 1988) and "Stille Nacht" (1979, Fourth Lesson
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Fifth Lesson
Schulthorpe (1983), and "One star at last" (The Hogarth Press) by Peter Maxwell Davies (1984).
In recent years this lesson has guided the selection of the carols in a very obvious way. It is therefore not surprising that "Gabriefs 'message," in three different settings, has appeared here 13 times. But this was not the case in the early years (1918-1932) when both A. H. Mann and Boris Ord chose the Old Carol of Lorraine, "Shepherds in the field abiding" (words by G. R. Woodward, Cowley Carol Book, Mowbray) on 15
occasions. Notwithstanding the overall popularity of the latter carol at this point in the service, three editors have prepared settings of "Gabriefs
Message" which have been used in various years: Edgar Pettman
(University Carol Book, Freeman), Sir The two most frequently performed carols after the fourth lesson are "In dulci jubilio" (arr. by R. L. Pearsall) and "The holly and the ivy" (Walford Davies, Novello); the former 25 times and the latter 11. In the years since 1974 there has been a great deal more variety in the carols heard, and it has become common to sing two carols after this lesson. John Rutter's "Sans day carol" (Oxford) was heard in 1977 and 1985; Herbert Howells' "A spotless rose" (Stainer & Bell) was sung in 1983; and Andrew Carter's "A maiden most gentle" (Oxford) and "Angelus ad virginem" (Banks Music) appeared in 1980 and 1981,
respectively.
introduced in 1957 by Sir David Willcocks. Since 1972 these two congregational hymns have been used on an alternate year basis. Willcocks' setting of "God rest you merry, gentlemen" (Oxford) was sung for the first time in 1958.
Beginning in 1973 a carol for choir was inserted between the lesson and the congregational hymn. "In dulci jubilio," first in a setting by R. L. de Pearsall (Oxford) and since 1988 to the music of Hieronymus Praetorius (Mapa Mundi), has appeared five times. Walford Davies' "The holly and the ivy" (Novello) and Philip Ledger's "Sussex carol" (Oxford) have appeared twice. A number of new carols have been introduced at this point in the service, including "Make me joy now in this fest" (Novello) by Derek Holman (1973), "Morning-song of the Christ child" (Faber) by Peter
Ithas been a practice over the years to follow this reading with a
congregational hymn, and surprisingly only two have been sung in the entire history of the King's service.20"God
rest you merry, gentlemen" (English traditional carol) appeared every year between 1918 and 1956. "0 little town of Bethlehem" (Forest Green,
English traditional melody, arr. by Ralph Vaughan Williams and [v. 4] Thomas Armstrong, Oxford) was
The Festival itself consists of
pre-service music on the
organ, the Christmas
Bidding Prayer and Lord's
Prayer, the Invitatory
Caro~
the nine lessons from
scripture, five or six
Christmas hymns for choir
and congregation, one or
two carols by the choir after
each lesson except the ninth,
the Collect for Christmas
Eve, the Blessing, the
closing hymn, and the
organ music after the
service.
Third Lesson
From the very beginning, the Ninth Lesson has been considered the climax of the Service, and the congregational hymn"0 come all ye faithful" has followed this reading in every year except two. In 1918, the Magnificat, which had been a tradition at Truro, was sung at this pointinthe service, and, in 1965, Elizabeth Posten's lovely carol "Jesus Christ, the apple tree" was inserted after the lesson and before the hymn. Sir David Willcock's personal stamp on the service was established in 1955 when his popular arrangement of "Adeste Fidelis" was used for the first time. It has since become a familiar part of Lessons and Carols Services around the world. It is interesting to note that both Philip Ledger (beginning with the 1974 service) and Stephen Cleobury (starting in 1982) have written new organ parts and descants to this popular Christmas hymn. Ninth Lesson
Ralph Vaughan Williams
"The Blessed Son of God" (Oxford) 1958 David Willcocks
"Unto us a sonisborn" (Oxford) 1961 Richard Rodney Bennett
"A little child thereisyborn" (DE) 1967 Kenneth Leighton
"What sweeter music" (DE) 1968 Peter Hurford
"Come love my God"
(Basil Ramsey) 1976 John Rutter
"What sweeter music can be"
(Oxford) 1987
Michael Ball
"Good day, my Lord, Sir Christemasse"
(Novello) 1988
William Mathias' "A babe is born" (Oxford) has been heard here five times since it was first introduced in 1971.
nineteenth century German composer Peter Cornelius and arranged by Ivor Atkins (Oxford), has appeared 25 times, and "In dulci jubilio" (14th century carol) 21 times. Probably due to the nature of the reading-St. Matthew's account of how the wise men are led by the star to Jesus-"The Three Kings" continues to be a
popular selection. Its 25 appearances are spread over the fifty-five-year period, 1933-1988; "In dulci jubilio" was last heard after the Eighth Lesson in 1947. Despite the dominance of these two carols, a number of fresh settings have appeared at this point in the service since 1957:
Eighth Lesson
Herbert Howells
"A spotless rose" 1929 William Byrd
"Lullaby, my sweet little baby" 1930 Ralph Vaughan Williams
"Sweet baby, sleep" 1933 Peter Warlock
"I saw a fair maiden" (Oxford) 1939 Gustav Holst
"Personnet Hoelle" (Oxford) 1961 William Mathias
"A babe is born" (Oxford) 1973 Patrick Hadley
"I sing of a maiden" 1980 Lennox Berkeley
"When thou was born" (Chester) 1983
Two carols have been heard more often than any others after the Eighth Lesson: "The Three Kings," by the times, :ijarold Darke's excellent setting of "In the bleak midwinter" (Stainer &Bell) five, and Willcocks' "Quelle est cette odeur agreable" (Oxford) four. When one surveys the carols that have followed this lesson over the years, one is impressed by the fact that many of the United Kingdom's finest twentieth century composers have been represented at this point in the service:
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(exceptWA) Since 1948 it has been the generalpractice to follow this reading with the congregational hymn "While shepherds watched their flocks" (Winchester Old), with descants by Alan Gray, 1961-82 (Cambridge) and Stephen Cleobury. Formerly, this carol was sung after the Sixth Lesson. Sir David Willcocks' arrangement of "God rest you merry, gentlemen" (English Traditional Carol, Oxford) was introduced at this point in the service during the years 1963-65, and Stephen Cleobury inserted Sir David's setting of "The first Nowell" (English Traditional Carol, Oxford) in 1987.
The carols for choir that have been sung either before or after the
congregational offering have varied over the years. Interestingly enough, no one carol has dominated. "The shepherds cradle song," arranged by C. Macpherson (Curwen), has . appeared in these programs eight Seventh Lesson
1980), two arrangements by Philip Ledger (both from Oxford), and Stephen Cleobury's "Silent Night" (1987) (also Oxford) have added to the variety in recent years.
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P.O. Box 3173Princeton, NJ08543-3173The main theme [of the service] is the development of the loving purpose of God ... [seen] through the windows and words of the Bible.21
I Eric Milner-White, a liturgical pioneer in
the Anglican Church, was appointed Dean of King's College Chapel in 1918 at the age of 34. In addition to his important role in revising the Festival of Lessons and Carols, he planned the first King's College Advent Carol Service in 1934. He later served for a quarter of a century as Dean of the York Cathedral. Arthur Henry Mann, organist and choir master at King's College for 53 years (1876-1929), is generally given credit for transforming the quality of the chapel choir at King's from the "Worst of the three in Cambridge that maintained daily choral services" to "the most famous Anglican choir in the world"(The New Grove
Dictionary, Vol. 11, p. 620). He accomplished this feat, first by persuading the college to establishachoir school and then by replacing the lay clerks gradually with choral scholars.
2 Truro is the administrative and
ecclesiastical center of Cornwall. It lies in a shallow valley at the confluence of the Kenwyn
C]
Notes
King's in 1918, resides with the lessons, the biblical account of the Christmas story, not the music:
Consequently the true meaning of the service is only found by those who "go in heart and mind" andconsen~to follow where the story leads. Then they will find revealed the God who is among us-and worship Him.22 In the final analysis, the Festival of Lessons and Carols is a corporate act of the Christian community as it celebrates the anniversary of the birth of the Saviour. The carols and hymns are simply there to guide the individual members of the congregation in their response to the Word of God.
Your
Recordings?
About
Own
Producing
Thinking
While those of us who participate in the Festival of Lessons and Carols by radio, television, recording, or by a version which we adapt for our own Christmas Eve services, undoubtedly value it for its musical content, this was not its original purpose when it was established at Truro and developed at King's College. Its "pattern and strength," as Dean Milner-White points out in the printed program of the very first service at prelude upon "In dulci jubilio" by Dietrich Buxtehude(1975-1979), and "Improvisations on Christmas themes" by Stephen Layton(1987).
One work dominates the post-service music: the Chorale prelude upon "In dulci jubilio" BWV729 by
J.
S. Bach. It was usually paired with a piece from the French school. Some of the organ compositions that have appeared on the program include Chorale No.3 in a minor, Cesar Franck(1967); "Dieu parmi nous" . (from La natavite du Seigneur),Olivier Messiaen (1970, 1972, 1975, 1981, 1986); "Fantasia and Fugue upon Bach," Franz Liszt(1968, 1971, 1979); "Toccata" from Suite, op. 5, Maurice Durufle (1969, 1980); "Allegro" from Symphony NQ. 2, Louis Vierne (1982); "Finale" from Syniphonie No.1, op. 14, Louis Vierne(1974, 1985); "Finale de l'Evocation (Poeme Symphonique) , op. 37, Marcel Dupre (1983);
"Toccata" (Deuxieme Symphonie), op. 36, Marcel Dupre (1984); "Prelude and fugue in B major," Marcel Dupre (1987); and "Toccata" (Symphonie V), C. M. Widor (1988).
. The printed programs do not list the pre-service music until 1948; nor do they identify the music played after the service until 1967. For the twenty-one year period 1948 to 1968, the works played on the organ before the
The main theme [of the
service]
is
the development
of the loving purpose of
God ... [seen] through the
windows and words of the
Bible.
The Recessional Hymn
From the time of the first King's carol service, "Hark the herald angels sing" (Mendelssohn), with words by Charles Wesley and others, has served as the recessional hymn, following the Collect for Christmas Eve and the Blessing. Over the years descants and organ parts have been added to the third verse by Sir David Willcocks (Oxford), Philip Ledger (Oxford), and Stephen Cleobury.
Pre- and Post-Service Music
service were always the same: the Pastoral Symphony from the
Christmas Oratorio of
J.
S. Bach; two Chorale Preludes on "In dulci jubilio," BWV608 and 729, by Bach; and the Pastoral Symphony from Messiah by G. F. Handel. However, beginning with the year 1969, a much greater variety occurred in the music played before the service:1. The Canonic Variations upon "Von Himmel hoch da komm' ich her" BWV769 appeared in every service between1969 and 1988.
2. At least two and as many as six (in1985) of the "Meditations" from La nativite du Seigneur of Olivier Messiaen were played in every Festival of Lessons and Carols between 1969 and 1988, giving the pre-service a decidedly twentieth-century French flavor.
3. As many as seven (in the Bach year 1985) and as few as one of the Chorale Preludes (BWV 600-611, and BWV 650) of
J.
S. Bach appeared in -the pre-service music.4. A variety of organ works by other composers were played between the years 1975 and 1988, including: "Variations sur un Noel," op. 20 by Marcel Dupre (1980), Chorale
Emory University announces
the inauguration of
Three New Masters Degrees
Fall 1991
Master of Sacred Music
Master of Music in Organ
Master of Music in Choral Conducting
Timothy Albrecht,
University Organist
Alfred Calabrese,
Director of Choral Music
Don E. Saliers,
Director of Master of Sacred Music
Scholarships and Teaching Assistantships are available For information on admissions and financial aid
for the M.S.M., please contact: Don E. Saliers, Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 404/727-4157
For the M.M., please contact: Timothy Albrecht, Department of Music, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 404/727-6452
Page 20 I CHORAL JOURNAL
and Allen rivers, which together form the Truro. The cathedral church of St. Mary, which was elevated from a parish church to a cathedral in 1876, is in the Early English style with Normandy Gothic spires.
3 F. W. B. Bullock, AHistory of the Parish
Church of St. Mary Truro (Truro: A. W.
Jordan, 1948), p. 120.
4 The West Briton, 21 October 1880. 5 Minute Book of Vestry Meetings
(1865-1885) and the appropriate issues ofThe West Briton, a newspaper in Cornwall.
o The West Briton, 23 December 1878.
7 The West Briton, 30 December 1878.
o The West Briton, 27 December 1880.
o The West Briton, 27 December 1880.
10 The terms "decani" and "cantoris" refer to
the two halves of the choir (stalls) in'the English church. "Decani" is the south side, while "cantoris" is the north. The names mean "dean's" side and "cantor's" side and refer to the highest officials of the chapter of the medieval cathedral.
11 G. H. S. Walpole, Bishop of Edinburgh: A
Memoir, by W. J. Margetson (1930), p. 8.
Walpole had been ordained iIi 1878 as a Deacon at Trinity Church, Truro. He was appointed Succentor of the Cathedral at Truro the same year and subsequently served in that capacity for the next four years.AsSuccentor his responsibilities included directing the choir.
12 A. C. Benson,Life of Edward White
Benson Vol. 1 (1899), pp. 483-484.
13 This listing of readings and the assigned
readers is taken fromAFestival of Nine Lessons and Carols. Program for Christmas Eve 1988
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988), pp. 12-37.
14 Both King's and Eton are educational
foundations established by Henry VI. Therefore,
arepresentative from Eton is invited annually to participate in this service "to symbolise the loving bond" between these two venerable institutions. AFestival of Nine Lessons and Carols (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1972), p. 2.
15 The New York Times, December 24, 1988,
p.11.
10 Itis well known that many of the most
familiar hymns and carols are sung to different tunes in England than they are in this country. So that the reader will know which tune is used in the King's College Festival of Lessons and Carols, the writer has identified the name of the tune by placing it in brackets [i.e.Adeste Fidelis].
17 The New York Times, December 24, 1988,
p.11.
10 Asa convenience to the reader, the author
has identified the publisher of the carol and hymn settings mentioned in this article by placing the name of the publisher in parentheses (Oxford University Press) immediately following the listing.
10 The word "Invitatory" comes from the
Latin Invitatio and means invitation; that which invites.Itis a call to participate in the service.
20 An exception was made for the special
television taping in 1954. Charles Wood's setting of "A virgin most pure" (Cowley Carol Book, Mowbray) was inserted at this point in the service in place of the congregational hymn "God rest you merry, gentlemen."
21 AFestival of Nine Lessons and Carols.
Program for Christmas Eve 1988 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988), p. 4.
22AFestival of Nine Lessons and Carols on
Christmas Eve 1981. Program (Cambridge