Radio 3 to broadcast Choral Evensong from the Abbey

Monday, 24th May 2021

Choir singing during a socially distanced service

BBC Radio 3 will broadcast Choral Evensong live from Westminster Abbey at 3.30pm on Wednesday 26th May 2021.

The service will be sung by the Abbey choir conducted by James O’Donnell, Organist and Master of the Choristers. Music will include Roxanna Panufnik’s introit O harken thou; Charles Villiers Stanford’s For lo, I raise up; Psalm 69 with chants by Jonathan Battishill and Sir John Goss; and Thomas Attwood Walmisley’s setting of the Canticles in D minor. The organ voluntary will be Herbert Howells’ Rhapsody no. 3 in C sharp minor played by Peter Holder, Sub-Organist.

The readings will be from Genesis 15 and Romans 4.

The service will be repeated on Radio 3 at 3.00pm on Sunday 30th May, and will also be available via Choral Evensong on BBC Sounds for 30 days.

Choral Evensong on BBC Radio

Choral Evensong has been part of the BBC Radio schedules for almost 95 years. Apart from a brief break in 1970, it has been aired every week since its very first transmission, live on the National Programme from Westminster Abbey on 7th October 1926. Since then, more than 80 different cathedrals, churches and chapels have been visited.