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Live from Bethlehem in Carmarthenshire

Sh芒n Cothi presents a selection of seasonal music and words from the village of Bethlehem in Carmarthenshire, Wales, nestled in the Tywi valley.

Sh芒n Cothi presents a selection of seasonal music and words from the village of Bethlehem in Carmarthenshire, Wales, nestled in the Tywi valley on the Western edge of the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons). Its name has made it a site of pilgrimage for decades, as people have flocked to adorn their Christmas cards with its special Bethelehem stamp. Sh芒n meets those keeping up the festive tradition, along with live music from local musicians, violinist Simmy Singh and members of the Burry Port Town Band.

Carols Across the Country 鈥� A Seasonal Journey. From dawn to dusk, Radio 3 marks the beginning of the Christmas season with a day of live broadcasts from six striking locations across the UK.
From coast to chapel, woodland to mountainside, Carols Across the Country 鈥� A Seasonal Journey celebrates the spirit of Advent and Christmas through a rich tapestry of seasonal classical, folk, choral and instrumental music, alongside poetry, local storytelling and the ambient sounds of winter.

Radio 3 presenters Mark Forrest, Sarah Walker, John Toal, Sh芒n Cothi, and Kate Molleson will broadcast from locations from right across the country: from the Staffordshire Moorlands in the English West Midlands; to the Isle of Wight, off the south coast in the English Channel; from the foot of the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland; to the rural village of Bethlehem in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The centrepiece of the afternoon is the annual Advent Service from St John鈥檚 College in Cambridge. And on the feast day of the patron saint of Scotland, the day ends in St Andrews in Fife to the sound of the Scottish pipes.

Painting vivid pictures of place and tradition, and evoking the themes of winter, Advent, light, memory and renewal, join Radio 3 for a day-long celebration in sound 鈥� where music meets landscape, and the season begins.

1 hour, 59 minutes

Last on

Sun 30 Nov 2025 13:00
麻豆社 Radio 3

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Live from the Dromara Hills in County Down

Next

A Service for Advent with Carols from St John's College, Cambridge

See all episodes from Carols Across the Country: A Seasonal Journey

Music Played

  • Henry Walford Davies

    O Little Town of Bethlehem

    Ensemble: Members of Burry Port Town Band.

  • David Home Evans

    Tua Bethlehem Dref

    Music Arranger: Chris Hazell. Singer: Bryn Terfel. Singer: Gwawr Edwards. Choir: Only Men Aloud. Orchestra: Welsh National Opera Orchestra. Director: Tim Rhys-Evans. Director: Tecwyn Evans.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.

  • Franz Liszt

    Chasse-neige (from Transcendental Etudes S139)

    Performer: Daniil Trifonov.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.

  • C茅cile Chaminade

    Le No毛l des Oiseaux

    Singer: Benjamin Appl. Orchestra: Munich Radio Orchestra. Conductor: Florian Helgath.
    • The Christmas Album.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 13.

  • Ottorino Respighi

    The Birds (The Dove)

    Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
    • WARNER CLASSICS.

  • Richard Bissill

    A Christmas Carnival

    Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Christopher Bell.
    • LINN.

  • Will Todd

    My Lord Has Come

    Ensemble: VOCES8.
    • DECCA.

  • Marc鈥怉ntoine Charpentier

    No毛ls pour les instruments, H531 (No. 2, Laissez pa卯tres vos b锚tes)

    Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists. Conductor: Christophe Rousset.
    • SDG SDG737.
    • SOLI DEO GLORIA.
    • 35.

  • Marc鈥怉ntoine Charpentier

    No毛ls pour les instruments, H531 (No. 3, Vous qui d茅sirez sans fin)

    Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists. Conductor: Christophe Rousset.
    • SDG SDG737.
    • SOLI DEO GLORIA.
    • 36.

  • John Rutter

    Donkey carol

    Choir: The Cambridge Singers. Orchestra: City of London Sinfonia. Conductor: John Rutter.
    • Collegium.

  • Caradog Roberts

    O deued pob Christion / White Christmas

    Composer: Irving Berlin. Ensemble: Members of Burry Port Town Band.

  • Anon.

    Awn i Fethlehem (Lets go to Bethlehem)

    Ensemble: VR茂.

  • Francesco Manfredini

    Concerto grosso in C major Op.3`12 'per il santissimo Natale' (1st mvt)

    Ensemble: Les Amis de Philippe. Conductor: Ludger R茅my.
    • Manfredini: 12 Concerti, Op. 3.
    • CPO.

  • Trad.

    Ar Hyd y Nos (All Through the Night)

    Performer: Simmy Singh.

  • George Frideric Handel

    For unto us a child is born (Messiah)

    Ensemble: Dunedin Consort. Conductor: John Butt.
    • Handel: Messiah: Dunedin Consort & Players/John Butt.
    • Linn.
    • 13.

  • Max Richter

    The Four Seasons Recomposed: Winter 1-3

    Performer: Elena Urioste. Orchestra: Chineke! Orchestra.
    • DG 4862769.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHONE.
    • 11.

  • Trad.

    Nos Galan (Deck the Halls) / We Wish You a Merry Christmas

    Ensemble: Members of Burry Port Town Band.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Prelude on an Old Carol Tune

    Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Paul Daniel.
    • The Solent.
    • Albion Records.
    • 15.

  • Trad.

    Still, still, still [German carol]

    Music Arranger: John Rutter. Choir: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Conductor: John Rutter.
    • CACBC.

Broadcast

  • Sun 30 Nov 2025 13:00
    麻豆社 Radio 3