0:00:03 > 0:00:07It's Christmas morning, and we're here at the Royal Albert Hall
0:00:07 > 0:00:10for our Songs Of Praise Christmas Day Big Sing.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14Our superstar guest is singer-songwriter Chris de Burgh.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18There's a special performance by our Junior School Choir of the Year.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21And a festive favourite, Walking In The Air.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24I'm sure I recognise that bloke from somewhere.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27And of course, a whole host of much-loved carols.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48APPLAUSE
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Hello, and a very merry Christmas to you.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02- Are you ready to sing, ladies and gentlemen?- ALL: Yes!
0:01:02 > 0:01:03Fantastic.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07Our first carol celebrates what Christmas is really all about -
0:01:07 > 0:01:09that glorious event some 2,000 years ago,
0:01:09 > 0:01:11the birth of the baby Jesus.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13It's Joy To The World.
0:02:37 > 0:02:38APPLAUSE
0:02:41 > 0:02:46Well, that was fabulous. What a glorious way to start.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48You are in fine voice.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Now, our star guest has amassed well over 200 gold and platinum discs,
0:02:52 > 0:02:56and performed a staggering 3,000 concerts all over the world.
0:02:56 > 0:02:57Here's one more.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it's Chris de Burgh.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:03:10 > 0:03:11- How are you?- Fantastic!
0:03:11 > 0:03:13I couldn't think of a better place to be
0:03:13 > 0:03:17on Christmas Day than right here in the Albert Hall because,
0:03:17 > 0:03:19you probably don't know this, but Prince Albert
0:03:19 > 0:03:22and Queen Victoria were responsible for bringing
0:03:22 > 0:03:25many of the Christmas traditions that we have today,
0:03:25 > 0:03:27like Christmas trees and Christmas cards.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29What do you feel about Christmas? Love it?
0:03:29 > 0:03:34I love the tradition, yeah. And I think it's wonderful for people to come together.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36And if I may just say, at Christmas time,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39think of those people who are out there who are lonely
0:03:39 > 0:03:41and do not have friends and family around them.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44So maybe you could make a point and go and visit somebody today.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47- What are you going to sing? - A new song on my Footsteps 2 album,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49called On A Christmas Night.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51So I'd like you to imagine a little boy in bed,
0:03:51 > 0:03:55fast asleep, and the snow starts falling, it's Christmas Eve,
0:03:55 > 0:03:56his friend wakes him and says,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58"Come outside, we'll play snowballs."
0:03:58 > 0:04:01His friends are out there, playing snowballs,
0:04:01 > 0:04:04they see the lights on the hill going to the church,
0:04:04 > 0:04:06and they join a Christmas celebration at Midnight Mass.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Fantastic. Ladies and gentlemen,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11singing On A Christmas Night, the one and only Chris de Burgh.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13APPLAUSE
0:04:23 > 0:04:27# I was awakened on a Christmas night
0:04:27 > 0:04:31# Somebody shaking me and shining a light
0:04:31 > 0:04:35# Wake up, the winter is here
0:04:35 > 0:04:41# And snow is falling on the ground
0:04:43 > 0:04:48# Out of the window 'Twas a magic sight
0:04:48 > 0:04:53# And for a little boy It was a magic night
0:04:53 > 0:04:56# My friends were playing outside
0:04:56 > 0:05:01# And snow was tumbling on the ground
0:05:05 > 0:05:11# And we saw a thousand candles in the night
0:05:13 > 0:05:19# Moving to the church up on the hill
0:05:22 > 0:05:29# When the people saw us They said, "Come inside"
0:05:31 > 0:05:37# And the song that night They sing it still
0:05:38 > 0:05:43# We are here to celebrate
0:05:43 > 0:05:46# The birth of a child
0:05:46 > 0:05:51# Who came to the world
0:05:51 > 0:05:55# We are here to celebrate
0:05:55 > 0:05:59# The life of a child
0:05:59 > 0:06:03# Who came to the world
0:06:03 > 0:06:08# We are here to celebrate
0:06:08 > 0:06:12# The birth of a child
0:06:12 > 0:06:16# Who came to the world
0:06:16 > 0:06:21# We are here to celebrate
0:06:21 > 0:06:24# The life of a child
0:06:24 > 0:06:28# Who came to the world
0:06:28 > 0:06:31# On this night
0:06:31 > 0:06:37# We are here to celebrate
0:06:37 > 0:06:40# The birth of a child
0:06:40 > 0:06:44# Who came to the world
0:06:44 > 0:06:49# We are here to celebrate
0:06:49 > 0:06:52# The life of a child
0:06:52 > 0:06:55# Who came to the world
0:06:55 > 0:06:59# To the world
0:06:59 > 0:07:04# We are here to celebrate
0:07:04 > 0:07:08# The birth of a child
0:07:08 > 0:07:12# Who came to the world
0:07:12 > 0:07:16# We are here to celebrate
0:07:16 > 0:07:20# The life of a child
0:07:20 > 0:07:24# Who came to the world
0:07:24 > 0:07:27# To the world
0:07:27 > 0:07:32# His love
0:07:34 > 0:07:43# I was awakened on a Christmas night. #
0:07:43 > 0:07:47APPLAUSE
0:07:47 > 0:07:48Chris de Burgh, everybody!
0:07:54 > 0:07:58If you've children with you, I guess they opened their presents hours ago,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01and I'm sure Father Christmas did what he does best.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Christmas presents were originally quite modest,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06and included such things as cakes, fruit and nuts.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08Try telling that to my children!
0:08:08 > 0:08:09LAUGHTER
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Well, our next carol mentions children and toys.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14Malcolm Sargent wrote the words.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17He was probably the best-known of the Proms conductors.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20A great showman who, here in this hall, firmly established
0:08:20 > 0:08:22the tradition of the conductor's humorous address
0:08:22 > 0:08:24at the Last Night of the Proms.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27Ladies and gentlemen, it's Zither Carol.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44APPLAUSE
0:10:46 > 0:10:502011 has been a very exciting year for our next guests.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54They entered the School Choir of the Year Competition
0:10:54 > 0:10:58for the very first time, and in April at the Sheffield City Hall,
0:10:58 > 0:11:02they were crowned Junior Champions, the first-ever Welsh choir to win.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04APPLAUSE
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,
0:11:07 > 0:11:11in their debut performance here at the Royal Albert Hall,
0:11:11 > 0:11:15singing Little Donkey, Little Jesus, Ysgol Pen Barras!
0:11:15 > 0:11:18APPLAUSE
0:15:37 > 0:15:40APPLAUSE
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Llongyfarchiadau. Wnaethoch chi fwynhau hwnna?
0:15:47 > 0:15:49- Do.- Do, diolch, do.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51It's taken me years
0:15:51 > 0:15:53to be able to speak in my native tongue to a winner
0:15:53 > 0:15:56in the School Choir of the Year Competition,
0:15:56 > 0:15:57and it's finally happened!
0:15:57 > 0:16:00APPLAUSE
0:16:03 > 0:16:05But if you don't mind, we'll do
0:16:05 > 0:16:07- the rest of the interview in English.- OK.
0:16:07 > 0:16:12Fair enough. What's it like, singing with your friends in the Royal Albert Hall?
0:16:12 > 0:16:15It feels amazing. I was so lucky to perform here.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18It's not very often you sing on Christmas morning, either!
0:16:18 > 0:16:20No, not really!
0:16:20 > 0:16:22He's like, "Yeah, whatever!
0:16:22 > 0:16:25"Been there, done it, ticked it!" What are you doing next?
0:16:25 > 0:16:28You've sung at the Albert Hall, there's nothing else to do!
0:16:28 > 0:16:32Some of us are moving up to high school now,
0:16:32 > 0:16:34so we've got to do a lot of studying.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37That's reality for you, ladies and gentlemen.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40- Are you going to carry on singing? - Of course.
0:16:40 > 0:16:41True Welshman!
0:16:41 > 0:16:43Well, we think you're fantastic,
0:16:43 > 0:16:46and I'm so pleased you won the Junior Competition.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49Ysgol Pen Barras, ladies and gentlemen!
0:16:49 > 0:16:50APPLAUSE
0:16:53 > 0:16:56We associate bells with Christmas, don't we?
0:16:56 > 0:16:59It was an interest in church bell ringing that inspired
0:16:59 > 0:17:00the words of our next carol,
0:17:00 > 0:17:04written in 1924 by English composer George Ratcliffe Woodward.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07This one will be performed by our Stage Choirs, accompanied by
0:17:07 > 0:17:12our Big Sing Orchestra, under the baton of Paul Leddington Wright.
0:17:12 > 0:17:13It's Ding Dong Merrily On High.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52APPLAUSE
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Our Stage Choirs, ladies and gentlemen -
0:19:55 > 0:19:58Saint Michael's Singers, the London Chorus,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01the Adventist Vocal Ensemble and the Brighton Festival Chorus!
0:20:06 > 0:20:09And now something that has become synonymous with Christmas.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12You're bound to have heard it whilst buying presents.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15A Spaceman Came Travelling. To perform it, the man who wrote it.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Please welcome back Chris de Burgh.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19APPLAUSE
0:20:26 > 0:20:30I've spent many hours with you, but I've never asked - what inspired you to write it?
0:20:30 > 0:20:33I wrote A Spaceman Came Travelling in Drayton Gardens, London
0:20:33 > 0:20:35on a hot August afternoon.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38So the answer is, I have absolutely no idea!
0:20:38 > 0:20:42But really, in the back of my mind, I'm a "What if?" person.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46What if there is another sentient being out there in space,
0:20:46 > 0:20:47keeping an eye on our planet
0:20:47 > 0:20:50and the crazy things that we do from time to time?
0:20:50 > 0:20:53Maybe they will come back and give us a few hints
0:20:53 > 0:20:56about how to put the whole thing right.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59This is a song that not only reminds me of Christmas, but many Christmases
0:20:59 > 0:21:03in the past, and if you're unlucky enough to be stuck in an elevator
0:21:03 > 0:21:05over the Christmas period,
0:21:05 > 0:21:08the chances are you're going to hear this quite a bit!
0:21:08 > 0:21:11I don't know about you, ladies and gentlemen,
0:21:11 > 0:21:13but I can't wait to hear it now. Chris de Burgh.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15APPLAUSE
0:21:43 > 0:21:48# A spaceman came travelling on his ship from afar
0:21:48 > 0:21:52# 'Twas light years of time since his mission did start
0:21:52 > 0:21:57# And over a village He halted his craft
0:21:57 > 0:22:01# And it hung in the sky like a star
0:22:03 > 0:22:07# Just like a star
0:22:10 > 0:22:14# He followed a light and came down to a shed
0:22:14 > 0:22:20# Where a mother and child were lying there on a bed
0:22:20 > 0:22:25# A bright light of silver shone round his head
0:22:25 > 0:22:28# And he had the face of an angel
0:22:31 > 0:22:33# And they were afraid
0:22:37 > 0:22:42# Then the stranger spoke He said, "Do not fear
0:22:42 > 0:22:47# "I come from a planet a long way from here
0:22:47 > 0:22:52# "And I bring a message for mankind to hear"
0:22:52 > 0:22:54# And suddenly, the sweetest music
0:22:58 > 0:23:01# Filled the air
0:23:02 > 0:23:04# And it went
0:23:04 > 0:23:08ALL: # Na, na-na na, na-na na na-na na
0:23:08 > 0:23:13# Na, na-na na, na-na na
0:23:13 > 0:23:18# Na, na-na na, na-na na, na-na na
0:23:18 > 0:23:21# Peace and goodwill to all men
0:23:24 > 0:23:27# And love for the child
0:23:30 > 0:23:35ALL: # Na, na-na na, na-na na na-na na
0:23:35 > 0:23:40# Na, na-na na, na-na na
0:23:40 > 0:23:44# Na, na-na na, na-na na, na-na na
0:23:44 > 0:23:49# Ohhh, ohhh, ohhh
0:23:56 > 0:24:01# This lovely music went trembling through the ground
0:24:01 > 0:24:06# And many were wakened on hearing that sound
0:24:06 > 0:24:11# And travellers on the road The village they found
0:24:11 > 0:24:14# By the light of that ship in the sky
0:24:17 > 0:24:21# Which shone all round
0:24:23 > 0:24:28# And just before dawn At the paling of the sky
0:24:28 > 0:24:33# The stranger returned and said "Now, I must fly
0:24:33 > 0:24:38"When 2,000 years of your time has gone by
0:24:38 > 0:24:41# "This song will begin once again..."
0:24:44 > 0:24:47# "..To a baby's cry"
0:24:49 > 0:24:50# And it goes
0:24:50 > 0:24:55ALL: # Na, na-na na, na-na na na-na na
0:24:55 > 0:25:00# Na, na-na na, na-na na
0:25:00 > 0:25:05# Na, na-na na, na-na na, na-na na
0:25:05 > 0:25:08# Peace and goodwill to all men
0:25:10 > 0:25:13# And love for the child
0:25:15 > 0:25:17# And we sing
0:25:17 > 0:25:21ALL: # Na, na-na na, na-na na na-na na
0:25:21 > 0:25:26# Na, na-na na, na-na na
0:25:26 > 0:25:32# Na, na-na na, na-na na, na-na na
0:25:32 > 0:25:35# This song will begin once again
0:25:37 > 0:25:45# To a baby's cry-y-y-y. #
0:25:45 > 0:25:47APPLAUSE
0:25:51 > 0:25:53Ladies and gentlemen, Chris de Burgh!
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Time for us all to sing together again.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03Our next carol was written by Phillips Brooks in 1868,
0:26:03 > 0:26:05following a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08He was so inspired by the views of the hills of Bethlehem,
0:26:08 > 0:26:09especially at night,
0:26:09 > 0:26:13that he wrote the beautiful O Little Town Of Bethlehem.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32APPLAUSE
0:29:34 > 0:29:37Now, back in 1982, a short animated film called The Snowman,
0:29:37 > 0:29:39shown on television on Christmas Eve,
0:29:39 > 0:29:43became an overnight success story that has lasted until today.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46For many people, it's an essential part of Christmas viewing,
0:29:46 > 0:29:49and the song in the film, Walking In The Air, was written by our next guest.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the Christmas Big Sing,
0:29:53 > 0:29:54Howard Blake!
0:29:54 > 0:29:56APPLAUSE
0:30:01 > 0:30:04First things first, Howard. Thank you for giving me a career.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06LAUGHTER
0:30:06 > 0:30:08You deserved every bit of it.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10What does Christmas mean to you?
0:30:10 > 0:30:15Well, for me, Christmas changed once I wrote The Snowman
0:30:15 > 0:30:16and Walking In The Air.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18How did you get involved in The Snowman?
0:30:18 > 0:30:28I saw this idea of Raymond Briggs's story and of the snowman flying,
0:30:28 > 0:30:33and I had this song in my head, and I said, "We could make a film of this
0:30:33 > 0:30:39"with no words, just let me see, let me do a little demo."
0:30:39 > 0:30:43We tried Walking In the Air, and it worked, we put it together,
0:30:43 > 0:30:46and we'd no idea it would be such a big hit, really.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50I actually got into a cab one morning at Christmas,
0:30:50 > 0:30:52and the taxi was playing Walking In The Air flat out,
0:30:52 > 0:30:56and I said, "Would you mind turning that down a bit?"
0:30:56 > 0:30:59He said, "You should listen to this, mate," he said.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03And I said, "Well, actually, I wrote it,"
0:31:03 > 0:31:07and he turned right round and said, "yes, and I'm Father Christmas".
0:31:07 > 0:31:10LAUGHTER
0:31:10 > 0:31:13Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to turn back the clock somewhat
0:31:13 > 0:31:16and sing Walking In The Air now with these fine singers behind me,
0:31:16 > 0:31:19- is that all right? - That would be wonderful.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22Ladies and gentlemen, the man responsible for
0:31:22 > 0:31:26what I think is the greatest piece of music on Earth! Howard Blake!
0:31:26 > 0:31:27APPLAUSE
0:31:39 > 0:31:43CHILDREN: # We're walking in the air
0:31:43 > 0:31:52# We're floating in the midnight sky
0:31:52 > 0:32:00# The people down below are sleeping as we fly
0:32:02 > 0:32:06# I'm holding very tight
0:32:04 > 0:32:06I'm holding very tight
0:32:06 > 0:32:15# I'm riding in the midnight blue
0:32:12 > 0:32:15I'm riding in the midnight blue
0:32:15 > 0:32:20# I'm finding I can fly so high above with you
0:32:20 > 0:32:24# Riding in the midnight blue
0:32:41 > 0:32:46# Far across the world
0:32:43 > 0:32:46Far across the world
0:32:46 > 0:32:53# The villages go by like dreams
0:32:50 > 0:32:53The villages go by like dreams
0:32:53 > 0:33:01# The rivers and the hills The forests and the streams
0:33:03 > 0:33:08ALL: # Children gaze open-mouthed
0:33:08 > 0:33:13# Taken by surprise
0:33:13 > 0:33:23# Nobody down below believes their eyes
0:33:23 > 0:33:28# We're surfing in the air
0:33:25 > 0:33:28We're surfing in the air
0:33:28 > 0:33:36# We're swimming in the frozen sky
0:33:33 > 0:33:36We're swimming in the frozen sky
0:33:36 > 0:33:44# We're drifting over icy mountains floating by
0:34:08 > 0:34:12ALL: # Suddenly swooping low
0:34:12 > 0:34:17# On an ocean deep
0:34:17 > 0:34:23# Rousing up a mighty monster
0:34:23 > 0:34:29# From his sleep
0:34:29 > 0:34:34# We're walking in the air
0:34:34 > 0:34:42# We're dancing in the midnight sky
0:34:42 > 0:34:50# And everyone who sees us greets us as we fly
0:34:52 > 0:34:58# We're walking in the air
0:34:58 > 0:35:05# We're walking in the air. #
0:35:12 > 0:35:14APPLAUSE
0:35:17 > 0:35:21Ysgol Pen Barras and Howard Blake, ladies and gentlemen!
0:35:25 > 0:35:28Well, that's nearly it for this Christmas Day Big Sing,
0:35:28 > 0:35:32but our thanks to Chris de Burgh, Ysgol Pen Barras and Howard Blake.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35Before we go, there's just time to sing once more together,
0:35:35 > 0:35:40and it's one of the best-known and commonly-sung Christmas songs in the world,
0:35:40 > 0:35:43written by James Lord Pierpont and published in 1857,
0:35:43 > 0:35:48under the title One-Horse Open Sleigh, have you guessed what it is yet?
0:35:48 > 0:35:50It is, of course, Jingle Bells.
0:35:50 > 0:35:55From all of us on Songs Of Praise, have a very happy and peaceful Christmas.
0:38:12 > 0:38:16Do join us again in the Royal Albert Hall next week
0:38:16 > 0:38:17for our New Year's Day Big Sing.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21Our special guests will be Alexandra Burke and Katie Melua.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23Our Senior School Choir Of The Year,
0:38:23 > 0:38:26the Edinburgh Academy, join the party,
0:38:26 > 0:38:30so why don't you, too, as we celebrate the dawn of a new year.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:38:48 > 0:38:52E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk