Blessed be that Maid Mary

Blessed be that maid Marie;
Born he was of her body;
Very God ere time began,
Born in time the Son of Man.
Eya! Ihesus hodie
Natus est de Virgine.

In a manger of an ass
Jesu lay and lullèd was;
Born to die upon the Tree
Pro pecante homine.
Eya! Ihesus hodie
Natus est de Virgine.

Seet and blissful was the song
Chanted of the angel throng;
'Peace on earth, alleluya!
In excelsis gloria.'
Eya! Ihesus hodie
Natus est de Virgine.

Fare three kings from far-off land,
Incense, gold, and myrrh in hand;
In Bethlem the Babe they see,
Stelle ducti lumine.
Eya! Ihesus hodie
Natus est de Virgine.

Make we merry on this fest,
In quo Christus natus est;
On this Child I pray you call,
To assoil and save us all.
Eya! Ihesus hodie
Natus est de Virgine.

Text: 15th century English Carol from MS. Sloan 2593, fol. 51, v0
Tune: arr. Stephen Cleobury

Alle Jahre wieder (Germany)

Alle Jahre wieder
kommt das Christuskind
auf die Erde nieder,
wo wir Menschen sind.

Kehrt mit seinem Segen
ein in jedes Haus,
geht auf allen Wegen
mit uns ein und aus.

Steht auch mir zur Seite
still und unerkannt,
daß es treu mich leite
an der lieben Hand.

Sagt den Menschen allen,
daß ein Vater ist,
dem sie wohlgefallen,
der sie nicht vergisst.

Words: Wilhelm Hey (1837)
Music: Christian Heinrich Rinck (1846)

Coventry Carol (England)

VERSION I:






VERSION II: KENNETH LEIGHTON







Lully, lullay, Thou little tiny Child,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.
Lullay, thou little tiny Child,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

O sisters too, how may we do,
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling for whom we do sing
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

Herod, the king, in his raging,
Charged he hath this day
His men of might, in his own sight,
All children young to slay.

That woe is me, poor Child for Thee!
And ever mourn and sigh,
For thy parting neither say nor sing,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

Words: Robert Croo (1534)
Music: Anonymous (16th century)

2015 Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols (Live Recording) from King's College, Cambridge

Live Sound Recording from BBC Radio of the 2015 Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols, sung by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge at 3:00pm, 24 December 2015.



Link: Program Booklet for the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 2015 (PDF)

See also: the live voice recordings of the "Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols" at 3:00 pm every Christmas Eve:

• Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 2014 (live)
• Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 2013 (live)
• Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 1954 (live)

See also: King's College, Cambridge's Carols from King's from previous years:

• Carols from King's 2015
• Carols from King's 2014
• Carols from King's 2013
• Carols from King's 2012
• Carols from King's 2011
• Carols from King's 2010
• Carols from King's 2003
• Carols from King's 2000
• Carols from King's 1996
• Carols from King's 1992

RELATED: 60 Years of Carols from King's 2014 (BBC Documentary)

The Choir of King's College, Cambridge's recent CD release: Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols

2015 Carols from King's (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)

COMPLETE VERSION (with readings and prayers):



CAROLS ONLY:




Carols from King's 2015, the pre-recorded version as televised on BBC TWO.

The Choir of King's College, Cambridge, directed by Stephen Cleobury
Organ Scholars: Tom Etheridge and Richard Gowers

See also: the live voice recordings of the "Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols" at 3:00 pm every Christmas Eve:

• Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 2015 (live)
• Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 2014 (live)
• Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 2013 (live)
• Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 1954 (live)

See also: King's College, Cambridge's Carols from King's from previous years:

• Carols from King's 2014
• Carols from King's 2013
• Carols from King's 2012
• Carols from King's 2011
• Carols from King's 2010
• Carols from King's 2007
• Carols from King's 2003
• Carols from King's 2000
• Carols from King's 1996
• Carols from King's 1992

RELATED: 60 Years of Carols from King's 2014 (BBC Documentary)

The Choir of King's College, Cambridge's recent CD release: Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols

1992 Carols from King's (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)

Carols from King's 1992, the pre-recorded version as televised on BBC TWO.

The Choir of King's College, Cambridge, directed by Stephen Cleobury

See also: the live voice recordings of the "Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols" at 3:00 pm every Christmas Eve:

• Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 2015 (live)
• Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 2014 (live)
• Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 2013 (live)
• Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 1954 (live)

See also: King's College, Cambridge's Carols from King's from previous years:

• Carols from King's 2015
• Carols from King's 2014
• Carols from King's 2013
• Carols from King's 2012
• Carols from King's 2011
• Carols from King's 2010
• Carols from King's 2007
• Carols from King's 2003
• Carols from King's 2000
• Carols from King's 1996

RELATED: 60 Years of Carols from King's 2014 (BBC Documentary)

The Choir of King's College, Cambridge's recent CD release: Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols

Here is the Little Door

1. Here is the little door,
lift up the latch, oh lift!
We need not wander more,
but enter with our gift;
Our gift of finest gold.
Gold that was never bought or sold;
Myrrh to be strewn about his bed;
Incense in clouds about His head;
All for the child that stirs not in His sleep,
But holy slumber hold with ass and sheep.

2. Bend low about His bed,
For each He has a gift;
See how His eyes awake,
Lift up your hands, O lift!
For gold, He gives a keen-edged sword.
(Defend with it thy little Lord!)
For incense, smoke of battle red,
Myrrh for the honored happy dead;
Gifts for His children, terrible and sweet;
Touched by such tiny hands,
and Oh such tiny feet


Words: Francis Chesterton (1874-1936)
Music: Herbert Howells (1892-1983)