Lessons & Carols: an introduction
The familiar Lessons and Carols service, a tradition practiced in sites of Christian worship all over the world, has its origins in liturgical innovations and reforms initiated by three officials of the Anglican Church and King’s College of Cambridge: G. H. S. Walpole (1854-1929), E. W. Benson (1829-1896), and Eric Milner-White (1884-1963).
The service sprang from the inspiration of G. H. S. Walpole who would become Bishop of Edinburgh. Building on this idea E. W. Benson, later the Archbishop of Canterbury, instituted an Order of Service begun in Truro on Christmas Eve 1880. As remembered by Benson’s son A. C. Benson: ‘My father arranged from ancient sources a little service for Christmas Eve – nine carols and nine tiny lessons, which were read by various officers of the Church, beginning with a chorister, and ending, through the different grades, with the Bishop.’
The current renown of the service began in 1918 from its use in celebration of the season by the King’s College of Cambridge. Dean of the school, Eric Milner-White hoped to bring more imagination to Church services: ‘The main theme is the development of the loving purposes of God …’ seen ‘through the windows and words of the Bible’. The service was revised in 1919, from which comes the tradition to begin with ‘Once in royal David’s city’. The service has been broadcast on radio since 1928 (except 1930) and on television since 1963.
The nine texts read from the books of Genesis, Isaiah, Luke, Mathew and John remain the same from year to year. Our presentation will feature these texts as read by members of Schola Nova and readers from the host venues. The music sung varies from year to year and church to church. This year Schola Nova will perform choral selections by Josquin, Mendelssohn, Praetorius, Britten, Poston, Boyce, Holst, and Thompson, and choral arrangements by John Rutter, David Willcocks, R. L. Pearsall, and Hugo Distler.
Admission to all Schola Nova events is free, although a goodwill offering to benefit charity is encouraged.
*This information has been borrowed and freely adapted from the notes of King’s College Chapel for its 2006 Lessons and Carols service.
