The Service of Lessons and Carols by Ray Robinson ne of the great years earlier, and that event traditions of replaced the former practice the Christmas .... r in which the Truro choir sang season is the I. Once in roy-al Da- vid's_ ei - Iy Stood a low-Iy eal- lIc_ shed. carols in the community on Festival of Where a mo-Iher laid- her_ ha - by In a man-ger' for_ his_ bed: Christmas Eve. The West NineOLessons and Carols, sung 2. HecamedOwnloearlh from hea-vcn Who is God and Lord of_ all. Briton, a newspaper in And his shel-ter was_ 3_ sla - ble, And his era-die was_ a_ stall; by church choirs large and Cornwall, described the new small" in every part of the carol service in the following English-spealdng world. The announcement: model upon which this nativity event is based is the service Broadcasting Company first relayed it The choir of the Cathedral will which takes place annually on from King's College Chapel. On sing a number of Carols in the Christmas Eve at 3:00pm in the December 23, 1954, a special taping Cathedral to-morrow evening Chapel at King's College, Cambridge, of the entire service was prepared for (Christmas Eve), the service England. It has been a tradition at television. Since 1963, a shorter commencing at ten o'clock. We King's since 1918, but the history of. version has been filmed periodically understand that this is at the wish the service goes back to the'late­ by the BBC. It is therefore not of many of the leading parishioners nineteenth century. It is the purpose difficult to understand why the service and others. A like service has been of 'this article to survey this history has become an integral part of the instituted in other cathedrals and while describing the service and its Christmas season. large towns, and has been much development as a musical event. Credit for the idea of a service of appreciated. It is the intention of this type goes back as far as 1880 to the choir to no longer continue the The History of the Service the Cathedral of Trur02 in Cornwall. custom of singing carols at the Ironically, the conception of this residences of the members of the The service of nine lessons with event, like the birth of Christ, which congregation.6 carols interspersed started its swift rise the service is intended to\ as a favorite Christmas devotional commemorate each year, took .place in After the event, we are told by the service as soon as it was introduced in rather humble circumstances. It seems same source that 1918 by Dean Eric Milner-White and that the physical condition of the Organist Arthur H. Mannl at King's original parish church of St. Mary, ... on Christmas Eve the choir College Chapel. The beauty of the Truro, was somewhat precarious and sang a series of carols, under the service itself and the splendor of the the vestry decided to close the conductorship of Vicar-Choral (the singing of the King's Choir led to its building.3 So in the autumn of 1880 Rev. C.H.S. Walpole) and the introduction, not only as a traditional the old church was torn down (with organist (Mr. Mitchell). There was service in the Church of England, but the exception of the south aisle) and a a very full congregation, and the in Non-conformist chapels temporary wooden structure, seating service was much enjoyed.7 everywhere-and not only in 400 people, was constructed to serve England, but in English-speaking as the parish church and Cathedral One year later a similar report churches the world over. Its world­ while the new building (the appeared following the Cathedral's wide popularity was assured when, on Cathedral) was under construction.4 It annual Christmas Eve service: Christmas Eve in 1928, the British was here in this unpretentious setting that the Service of Lessons and Carols On Christmas Eve a service was Robinson is Distinguisbed Professor of Choral Studies at Pahn Beach Atlantic was born. held, commencing at ten o'clock. Pray~rs University. During the two-year period Extracts from historical documents were intoned by the Vicar­ 1987-89 he lived in Cambridge, England, of the periodS show that while this Choral, the Rev. C.H.S. Walpole, where he served as Visiting Fellow at new service was introduced in 1880, it lessons read by the Rev. Chancellor Wolfson College, one of the colleges of the actually took the place of an ordinary Whitaker, and a sermon preached University of Cambridge. carol service which had begun two by the Rev. Canon Mason. Carols December 1990 J Page 13 were sung at intervals by the choir, (a Vicar, Decani side) ,10 Hymn, Sixth It was Bishop Benson who actually Mr. Mitchell officiating at the Lesson (a Vicar, Cantori::; side), made the two most important organ. The Cathedral was Anthem from Messiah, Seventh Lesson contributions to the service as we crowded, many Nonconformists as (Senior Canon, Decani side), Hymn, know it today. In the Middle Ages the well as church-goers being present.8 Eighth Lesson (Senior Canon, greatest feast days were marked by a Cantoris side), Carol, Ninth Lesson series of nine lessons, and Christmas The fact that there was a sermon in (The Bishop), Anthem-from day was one of these. Bishop Benson the plan for the service confirms that Messiah, Magnificat, and Prayer. As adapted this liturgical custom to form the lessons and carols format (as we in the yet-to-come King's College the basis for the service. The lessons, know it today) had not yet been service, the musical climax was beginning with the fall of Man, were established. But the fact that a carol reached after the Ninth Lesson; but chosen to illustrate the story of service on Christmas Eve was now a here it was supported with the redemption, from the Old and New regular event in the life of the Messiah Chorus and·the Magnificat .. Testaments. Further, the readers of Cathedral church at Truro is The idea for this new service was these lessons formed another sequence, significant. conceived by C.H.S. Walpole, later a climbing upward from the rank of As we learn from The West Briton Bishop at Edinburgh,u The order of chorister to the Bishop himself. of December 27, 1880,9 the order of the lessons and carols, however, was The plan at Truro, while excellent this new service included the nine developed by Bishop E. W. Benson, in concept and undoubtedly successful lessons from scripture, two hymns, soon to become the Archbishop of there, did not transplant well to other four carols, and three choruses from Canterbury (1883). In a biography of locations. The pace of the service was Messiah (although it does not tell us his father, published in 1900, A.C. continually slowed by a series of which parts of Handefs famous Benson recalled the circumstances that rather irrelevant benedictions between oratorio were sung). From the printed surrounded this first service: the lessons. The music contained only program of this first service, we do four carols, plus two hymns, three know that the Carol Service consisted My father arranged from ancient choruses from Messiah, and the of the following segments: Prayer, sources a little service for Christmas Magnificat as a climax. First Lesson (read by a Senior eve-nine carols and nine tiny These problems were at once Chorister), Carol, Second Lesson (a lessons, which were read by various revealed when the service was Lay Choir-man), Carol, Third Lesson officers of the Church, beginning introduced in 1918 at King's. Its form (a Lay-Reader of the Diocese), Carol, with a chorister, and ending, was thus revised by Dean Milner­ Fourth Lesson (a Deacon), through the different grades, with White the following year. He prefaced Anthem-from Messiah, Fifth Lesson the Bishop.12 . 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 will bruise the serpent's head. - Genesis iii:8-15 Why Illinois? SECOND LESSON Reader: A Choral Scholar God promises to faithful Abraham that world-renowned faculty dedicated to teaching in his seed shall all the nations of the outstanding instructional and performance facilities earth be blessed. nationally recognized graduate and undergraduate degree programs - Genesis xxii:15-18 scholarships, fellowships, assistantships THIRD LESSON Reader: A Rep­ resentative of the Cambridge Churches . ..it's a matter of excellence in everything we do The prophet foretells the coming of the Saviour. for more information and complete application materials contact - Isaiah ix:2, 6, 7 FOURTH LESSON Reader: A Rep­ Music Admissions Office (D) resentative of the City School ofMusic The peace that Christ will bring is University of Illinois foreshown. 1114West Nevada Street - Isaiah xi:1-9 Urbana Illinois 61801 FIFTH LESSON Reader: The Director, of Music phone 217/244-0551 The Angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary St. Luke i:26-33, 38 Page 14 I CHORAL JOURNAL SIXTH LESSON Reader: A Rep- . the war, 1940-45), Sir David The Processional Hymn resentative oj Our Sister College at Eton14 Willcocks (1957-73), Philip Ledger St.