A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 2013

festival nine lessons 2013

Something that I’ve done on Facebook but have yet to publish to edwardjensen.net is a yearly Spotify playlist of A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. Based on the formula out of Kings College Cambridge and broadcast all around the world (including tomorrow morning at 8am on KBAQ 89.5 FM in Phoenix).

You can click on the image above to access the Spotify playlist. This year’s edition includes two pieces by the British composer Sir John Tavener, who passed away on November 12: his settings of Today the Virgin and The Lamb.

The music order is after the jump.

A Spotify Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols – 2013 Edition

Choral Procession and Introit: Once in royal David’s city (words C. Alexander, tune H.J. Gauntlett)

Bidding Prayer

Anthem: Today the Virgin (J. Tavener)

First Lesson: Genesis 3:8-19 (God tells sinful Adam that he has lost the life of Paradise and that his seed will bruise the seprent’s head.)

Carol: Adam lay ybounden (B. Ord)

Carol: O come, o come, Emmanuel (words and tune from Latin processional texts)

Second Lesson: Genesis 22:15-18 (God promises to faithful Abraham that in his seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.)

Carol: Ríu ríu chíu (Spanish villiancico)

Carol: On Christmas night all Christians sing (Sussex Carol, arr. P. Ledger)

Third Lesson: Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 (The prophet foretells the coming of the Savior.)

Carol: In dulci jubilo (traditional, arr. R.L. de Pearsall and J.S. Bach)

Carol: God rest you merry, Gentlemen ()

Fourth Lesson: Isaiah 11:1-4, 6-9 (The peace that Christ will bring is foreshown.)

Carol: A tender shoot (O. Goldschmidt)

Carol: Joys Seven (arr. S. Cleobury)

Fifth Lesson: St Luke 1:26-35, 38 (The angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary.)

Carol: The Lamb (words W. Blake, music J. Tavener)

Carol: Illuminare Jerusalem (music J. Weir)

Sixth Lesson: St Luke 2:1, 3-7 (St Luke tells of the birth of Jesus.)

Carol: Hodie Christus natus est (Christmas matins text, setting J.P. Sweelinck)

Carol: While shepherds watched their flocks by night (Este’s Psalter)

Seventh Lesson: St Luke 2:8-16 (The shepherds go to the manger.)

Anthem: O magnum mysterium (Christmas matins text, setting M. Lauridsen)

Eighth Lesson: St Matthew 2:1-11 (The wise men are led by the star to Jesus.)

Carol: In the bleak mid-winter (words C. Rossetti, music G. Holst)

Anthem: Three kings from Persian lands afar (words and setting P. Cornelius, tune P. Nicolai)

Ninth Lesson: St John 1:1-14 (St John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation.)

Carol: O come, all ye faithful (words and music attributed to J.F. Wade)

Collect and Blessing

Recessional Hymn: Hark the herald-angels sing (words C. Wesley, tune F. Mendelssohn)

Organ Postlude: In dulci jubilo in A Major, S. 729 (J.S. Bach)

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