One of the most beloved holiday music traditions in Chestnut Hill is the annual service of “Lessons and Carols” to be celebrated Dec. 15 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Each year, the parish invites the community to mark the Advent season of preparation for the arrival of Christmas (the “Mass of Christ”) with a series of nine lessons and carols sung by the choir and the congregation in attendance.

Although “Lessons and Carols” often takes the place on a particular Sunday of Advent of Choral Evensong, the former isn’t the holiday version of the latter. The Evening Service of the Church of England is a combination of the liturgies of Vespers and Compline of the Roman Catholic Church. The Evening Service was assembled by Thomas Cranmer (the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury) during the 16th century when Canterbury broke from communion with Rome. In the latter decades of the 19th century, musical settings of the “Magnificat” and “Nunc dimittis” were set to music, along with a Psalm and an anthem. Thus “Choral Evensong” was born.

In 1918, for the Christmas Eve service at the Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge University, Rev. Eric Milner-White conceived of a special way to honor the millions of soldiers and civilians who had been killed in World War I. The war had ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, in November, only a few weeks earlier. Milner-White assembled a selection of nine Biblical readings of prophecies of the Messiah and their fulfillment in the birth of Jesus Christ. He then surrounded those readings with nine carols, some to be sung by the choir, alone, and others to include the congregation.

“Lessons and Carols” from King’s College has remained a staple of “musical musts” for lovers of choral music the world over. Its reach spreads far beyond the boundaries of either the former British Empire (on which “the sun never set”) or the Anglican Communion, the third largest Christian church in the world. And Chestnut Hill’s St. Paul’s Church celebrates the service as well as any in the region, if not the world.

This year’s version is scheduled for the Third Sunday in Advent, Dec. 15, at 5 p.m. The parish’s rector, Rev. Eric Hungerford, will be the celebrant and the musical portions of the service will be overseen by Andrew Kotylo, with the aid of organ scholar Andy Brown. The roster of carols to be sung include “Lord, When You Came to Earth,” “Adam Lay ybounden,” “A Spotless Rose,” “People Look East,” “Gaudete,” “Ave Maria,” “What Strangers Are These,” “Dormi Jesu,” “Coventry Carol,” “O magnum mysterium” and “Hodie Christus natus est.” Two of the season’s most well-loved carols – “Once in Royal David’s City” and “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” – will open and close the service.

St. Paul’s Church is located at 22 East Chestnut Hill Ave. A reception in the Parish Hall will follow the service. For more information, call 215-242-2055 or visit stpaulschestnuthill.org.

‘One Faith – Many Voices’

Chestnut Hill conductor Donald Meineke will conduct a quintet of professional singers (himself included) in a program entitled “One Faith – Many Voices: God Is with Us” Saturday, Dec. 14, at 4 p.m. in St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church, 24th and Poplar Streets in Philadelphia.

The concert’s program will be drawn from both Eastern and Western Christian traditions and will feature selections from the Advent and Christmas seasons. Music from the Eastern tradition includes ancient Znamenny Chant, Ukrainian carols, and scores by noted Ukrainian composers. Works by Tomas Luis de Victoria, Thomas Weelkes and Sir James MacMillan will represent the Western traditions. 

The Ukrainian Catholic Church is the largest of several Eastern Orthodox Churches, founded by the Greek Orthodox Church, to have returned into full communion with the Apostolic See in Rome under the jurisdiction of the Roman pontiff. It retains its Eastern Orthodox liturgical traditions and includes a married male priesthood. Tickets are $15 at the door.

‘Neapolitan Christmas’

The Tempesta di Mare Chamber Players will present “A Neapolitan Christmas” Sunday, Dec. 15, at 4 p.m. in the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, 8855 Germantown Ave. The program will feature Alessandro Scarlatti’s “O di Betlemme” and “Concerto a 4,” Mancini’s “Con pace si bella” and “Sinfonia Cara Mura,” and Falconieri’s Sonata.

For more information, call 215-755-8776 or visit tempestadimare.org.

Handel’s ‘Messiah’

Valentin Radu will conduct the Ama Deus Ensemble in George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah” Friday, Dec. 20, at 7 p.m. in the Catholic Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, at Logan Circle on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, and Sunday, Dec. 22, at 4 p.m., in St. Katherine of Siena Catholic Church in Wayne. 

For more information, call 610-688-2800 or visit VoxAmaDeus.org.

You can contact NOTEWORTHY at Michael-caruso@conmcast.net.