Seventy years. That’s how long BBC Two’s “Carols from King’s” has been a Christmas Eve fixture, a broadcast as dependable as figgy pudding and slightly less cloying. This year, the tradition continues, emanating from the undeniably majestic Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge. While some things change – like, you know, the entire world outside those hallowed halls – “Carols from King’s” remains a comforting constant.
As always, the service will commence with the instantly recognisable opening notes of “Once in Royal David’s City,” sung by a lone chorister. The broadcast is meticulously crafted to evoke a sense of timelessness, a welcome respite from the relentless march of modernity.
Beyond the iconic opening carol, viewers can anticipate a program blending classic and contemporary choral works. Henry Walford Davies’s setting of “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” Edvard Grieg’s “Ave Maris Stella,” and John Rutter’s “Nativity Carol” are among the selections. These pieces, chosen with a curator’s eye for both beauty and resonance, provide a rich tapestry of sound. Interspersed with the music, readings from the King James Bible and poems by Christina Rossetti, Edwin Muir, and G.K. Chesterton tell the familiar Christmas story with a quiet power. The Dean, the Revd Dr. Stephen Cherry, will preside over the proceedings.
And, of course, no “Carols from King’s” would be complete without the opportunity for viewers at home to bellow along with some congregational carols. Prepare your vocal cords for “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”
“Carols from King’s” airs Tuesday, December 24, at 6:00 PM on BBC Two.
