Journey of the three wise men put to music for new BBC Radio Ulster Christmas production

The music was composed by Paul Campbell, and performed by the Ulster Orchestra, to accompany WR Rodgers poem – The Journey Of The Magi – first broadcast on radio in 1948.

Even though the wise men make only a brief appearance in Matthew’s account of the Nativity story, their visit to Bethlehem has inspired generations of artists.

The identity of these visitors and the significance of their gifts have been the focus of much speculation – and creative interpretation in art, music and poetry.

The Magi remain a familiar and enduringly enigmatic presence in stories about the first Christmas and their visit is celebrated in countless school Nativity plays and again at Epiphany.

WR Rodgers re-imagined the Christmas story of the wise men and their visit to Bethlehem in a broadcast poem for BBC radio in 1948.

He describes their ‘zigzag’ journey through the seasons of the year with all of its changing moods and places and their quest in search of meaning – something that he says they found in ‘the child within themselves’ and just at that moment when all hope seemed lost.

The Magi in WR Rodgers’ poem travel hopefully, but are also troubled by uncertainty. And they encounter much that is unexpected along the way. Their story is epic and intimate, and it finds vivid life in Rodgers’ playful use of language and imagery.

Belfast-based composer Paul Campbell has written a new piece of music to accompany WR Rodgers’ poem about the Magi. Composed as a special commission to mark the BBC’s centenary, his work blends words and music in fresh combination and reflects the inventiveness of the poem’s original broadcast. His score was written over several months in mid-2022 and was performed for this recording by the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast.

The Journey of the Magi is narrated by Michelle Fairley and Stuart Graham with an introduction by the award-winning poet, Michael Longley. The illustration for this programme is by Bangor-based artist Jonathan McHugh.

Mark Adair, the BBC’s Head of Corporate Affairs in Northern Ireland, commissioned this programme and worked with Paul Campbell and Graeme Stuart on its production.

Mr Adair said: “The Journey of the Magi is a lovely example of WR Rodgers’ work as a writer and broadcaster. It’s packed full of incident and insight and Paul Campbell’s music brings a whole new dimension to the original poem. The performances by Michelle Fairley and Stuart Graham and the Ulster Orchestra are exceptional.

"And the programme provides a distinctive local contribution to the BBC’s centenary celebrations. Our hope is that it will introduce WR Rodgers to a new generation of BBC listeners, and that it’s something people will enjoy now and long into the future.”

The Journey Of The Magi will be available on BBC Sounds from December 22, and broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster on Christmas Eve at 11pm, repeated on Christmas Day at 6.30pm. The programme will also be on BBC Radio 3 on Sunday, January 1 at 7.30pm.