Christmas Eve Festival Service of Lessons and Carols

A friend of mine asked me to sing with his choir for their Festival Service of Lessons and Carols at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Durham. It was great fun, and it was a wonderful group to work with.

Here is the line-up:

MUSIC BEFORE THE SERVICE
Pachelbel: Chorale-Prelude on Vom Himmel hoch (Trio)
Lebegue: Noël varié pour organ: "Puer nobis nascitur"
Daquin: Noël Suisse, Grand Jeu et Duo
Adam: O Holy Night, R. Benjamin Hutchens, II, baritone
Reger: The Virgin's Slumber Song, R. Benjamin Hutchens, II, baritone
Poston: Jesus Christ the Apple Tree, Gallery Choir of St. Stephen's
Brahms: Chorale-Prelude on Est ist ein Ros' entsprungen

PROCESSIONAL HYMN
Once in Royal David's City (IRBY)

CAROL
King Jesus hath a garden: Traditional Dutch, set by Charles Wood

FIRST LESSON
Genesis 3

CAROL
Adam lay y-bounden: set by Boris Ord

SECOND LESSON
Genesis 22

HYMN
Angels from the realms of glory (REGENT SQUARE)

THIRD LESSON
Isaiah 9

CAROL
Sussex Carol: arranged by David Willcocks

FOURTH LESSON
Isaiah 11

CAROL
Personent hodie: Piae Cantiones, arranged by Gustav Holst

HYMN
Lo, how a Rose e'er Blooming (ES IST EIN ROS' ENTSPRUNGEN)

FIFTH LESSON
Luke 1

CAROL
Bogoroditse Devo: Ave Maria, set by Sergei Rachmaninoff, sung in Old Church Slavonic

SIXTH LESSON
Luke 2

CAROL
How Sweet is Love: Dutch Carol, set by Michael Paget

HYMN
The First Nowell: arranged by David Willcocks

SEVENTH LESSON
Luke 2

CAROL
Shepherd's Carol: Music, Suffolk Harmony; Words by William Billings

EIGHTH LESSON
Matthew 2

CAROL
We Three Kings of Orient Are

NINTH LESSON
John 1

HYMN
O Come, all ye faithful (ADESTE FIDELIS)

HYMN IN PROCESSION
Joy to the World!

MUSIC AFTER THE SERVICE
Pachelbel: Chorale-Prelude on Vom Himmel Hoch

This took place at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church; the choir was directed by Dr. R. Benjamin Hutchens, II, and the organist was Dr. Joseph Kitchen.