Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Christmas Big Sing

A feast of carols and festive music from the Royal Albert Hall as star guests Ronan Keating, Alexander Armstrong, Ruby Turner and Shaun Escoffery join hosts Sally Magnusson and David Grant.

35 minutes

Last on

Sun 20 Dec 2015 16:45

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    On Christmas Night

    Choir: Choirs and Congregation of The Christmas Big Sing. Conductor: Paul Leddington Wright. Featured Artist: The Big Sing Orchestra. Music Arranger: Ray Monk. Lyricist: English Traditional.

    Tune:On Christmas Night Composer:Ralph Vaughan Williams

  • Gustav Holst

    In The Bleak Midwinter

    Choir: Alexander Armstrong. Conductor: Paul Leddington Wright. Featured Artist: Choirs of The Christmas Big Sing. Featured Artist: The Big Sing Orchestra. Music Arranger: Steve Baker. Lyricist: Christina Rossetti.

    Tune:Cranham Composer:Gustav Holst

  • John F.Wade

    O Come All Ye Faithful

    Choir: Choirs and Congregation of The Christmas Big Sing. Conductor: Paul Leddington Wright. Featured Artist: The Big Sing Orchestra. Featured Artist: Daniel Moult. Composer: Sir David Willcocks. Music Arranger: Paul Ledington Wright. Lyricist: John F Wade. Lyricist: Frederick Oakeley.

    Tune:Adeste Fideles Composer:John F. Wade

  • Gloria Shayne Baker

    Do You Hear What I Hear?

    Choir: Shaun Escoffery. Conductor: Paul Leddington Wright. Featured Artist: Choirs of The Christmas Big Sing. Music Arranger: Ken Burton. Lyricist: Noel Regney.

    Composer:Gloria Shayne Baker

  • English traditional Melody

    O Little Town Of Bethlehem

    Choir: Choirs and Congregation of The Christmas Big Sing. Conductor: Paul Leddington Wright. Featured Artist: The Big Sing Orchestra. Featured Artist: Daniel Moult. Music Arranger: Ralph Vaughan Williams. Lyricist: Bishop Phillips Brooks.

    Tune:Forest Green Composer:English Traditional Melody

  • Adolphe Adam

    Oh Holy Night

    Choir: Ruby Turner. Conductor: Paul Leddington Wright. Featured Artist: Birmingham Community Gospel Choir. Featured Artist: The Big Sing Orchestra. Music Arranger: Ken Burton. Lyricist: Placide Cappeau.

    Composer:Adolphe Adam

  • W.Holford

    Joy To The World

    Choir: Choirs and Congregation of The Christmas Big Sing. Conductor: Paul Leddington Wright. Featured Artist: The Big Sing Orchestra. Music Arranger: Paul Ledington Wright. Lyricist: Isaac Watts.

    Tune:Antioch Composer:W.Holford

  • Caryl Parry Jones

    Gwyl Y Baban

    Choir: Ysgol Iau Llangennech. Conductor: Paul Leddington Wright. Featured Artist: The Big Sing Orchestra. Music Arranger: Howard Jeffrey. Lyricist: Caryl Parry Jones.

    Composer:Caryl Parry Jones

  • Franz Xaver Gruber

    Silent Night

    Choir: Ronan Keating. Conductor: Paul Leddington Wright. Featured Artist: Choirs of The Christmas Big Sing. Featured Artist: The Big Sing Orchestra. Music Arranger: Sam Coates. Lyricist: Josef Mohr.

    Tune:Stille Nacht Composer:Franz Xaver Gruber

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Hark! The Herald-Angels Sing

    Choir: Choirs and Congregation of The Christmas Big Sing. Conductor: Paul Leddington Wright. Featured Artist: The Big Sing Orchestra. Featured Artist: Daniel Moult. Music Arranger: W.H. Cummings. Lyricist: Charles Wesley.

    Tune:Mendelssohn Composer:F. Mendelssohn

Hymns

  • On Christmas Night was performed by the Choirs and Congregation of The Christmas Big Sing.
  • In The Bleak Midwinter was performed by Alexander Armstrong.
  • O Come All Ye Faithful was performed by the Choirs and Congregation of The Christmas Big Sing.
  • Do You Hear What I Hear? was performed by Shaun Escoffery.
  • O Little Town Of Bethlehem was performedΜύby the Choirs and Congregation of The Christmas Big Sing.
  • Oh Holy Night was performed by Ruby Turner and the Birmingham Community Gospel Choir.
  • Joy To The World was performed by the Choir and Congregation of The Christmas Big Sing.
  • Gwyl Y Baban was performed by Llangennech Junior School.
  • Silent Night was performed by Ronan Keating.
  • Hark! The Herald-Angels Sing was performed by the Choirs and Congregation of The Christmas Big Sing.

Μύ

Contributors

Alexander Armstrong

Forty years ago, Alexander Armstrong was a choirboy.Μύ He won a choral scholarship to Trinity College Cambridge where he joined the famous Footlights theatre group. Today, he’s known as a comedian and one half of the duo Armstrong and Miller.Μύ He’s also quizmaster of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ’s One’s hugely popular Pointless and the new voice of cartoon hero Danger Mouse. He released his debut album A Year of Songs in November.ΜύΜύ

Shaun Escoffery

Shaun was encouraged to become a singer by his friend the actor Idris Elba. He is now a successful singer-songwriter and performer and has appeared in several West End musicals including Tommy, Parade, Les Miserables and The Lion King.

Ruby Turner

Ruby Turner is a Jamaican born gospel, soul and R&B singer-songwriter and actress. Her big break came singing with Culture Club in the 1980s, but she has since sung with everyone from Bryan Ferry to Mike Jagger. She is also an actress whose credits include Eastenders and the film Love Actually.

Gospel Choir of the Year 2015

Birmingham Community Gospel Choir also known as BCGC, are celebrating their 10th anniversary this year.Μύ Directed by singer/song writer Maxine Brooks, the choir brings together singers of all ages and backgrounds.

Ysgol Iau Llangennech

Llangennech Junior School wowed the judges at the School Choir of the Year competition this year with their beautiful sound and refined harmonies, which showed a level of skill far beyond their young years. They are directed by Lewis Richards.

Ronan Keating

Ronan Keating is an Irish singer-songwriter who found fame as lead singer of boy band, Boyzone. ΜύIn 1999, he went solo and achieved worldwide recognition when his single When you say nothing at all , was used on the Notting Hill soundtrack.. Away from music, he is the founder of the breast cancer charity, Marie Keating Foundation, which is named after his mother.

Μύ

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Sally Magnusson
Presenter David Grant
Participant Ronan Keating
Participant Alexander Armstrong
Participant Ruby Turner
Participant Shaun Escoffery
Executive Producer Dave Stanford
Series Producer Matthew Napier
Producer Karen Hannah
Director Pamela Hossick

Broadcast