Hodie

Hodie (This Day) is a cantata by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Composed between 1953 and 1954, it is the composer's last major choral-orchestral composition, and was premiered under his baton at Worcester Cathedral, as part of the Three Choirs Festival, on 8 September 1954. The piece is dedicated to Herbert Howells. The cantata, in 16 movements, is scored for chorus, boys' choir, organ and orchestra, and features tenor, baritone, and soprano soloists.

Stylistically, Hodie represents a synthesis of Vaughan Williams' entire artistic career, with elements drawn from most periods of his creativity. He had already experimented with the form, of Biblical texts interwoven with poetry, in his cantata Dona nobis pacem. Musically, various movements may suggest different earlier works: for example, the accompaniment to the "Hymn" is very similar to the Sinfonia antartica, while the "Pastoral" shares some elements from the Five Mystical Songs of 1911.

Thematically, the work is bound together by two or three motives which recur throughout its length. One of these is first heard on the word "Gloria" in the first movement, and recurs whenever the word is introduced again. Another, introduced in the first narration, reappears at the beginning of the epilogue. In addition, the final setting of Milton's text uses the same melody as the first song for soprano, although orchestrated differently.

Hodie was not well-received by critics, though it generally pleased audiences. Critics thought Vaughan Williams' compositional style too simple and direct, with one accusing Vaughan Williams of "primitivity" [sic]. In general in this period the octogenarian composer's nationalism had gone out of fashion and his older style suffered comparison with the new sounds coming from composers such as Benjamin Britten. Later critics, uninfluenced by this context, have been more generous.

Hodie calls for a large orchestra of three flutes (the third doubling piccolo), two oboes, cor anglais, two clarinets in B-flat, two bassoons, contrabassoon; four French horns in F, three trumpets in B-Flat, two trombones, bass trombone, tuba; a percussion section that includes timpani, bass drum, snare drum, tenor drum, tubular bells, cymbals, glockenspiel and triangle; celesta, piano, organ; strings; SATB choir and boys' choir; and soprano, tenor and baritone soloists.

Hodie has not remained among Vaughan Williams' more popular compositions, and is done less frequently than many of his other works. Nevertheless, it is still performed on occasion, recently being telecast on PBS in a performance by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. In addition, the following recordings have been made:

The cantata opens with jubilant fanfares for brass, soon followed by cries of "Nowell!" from the full chorus. These introduce a setting of part of the vespers service for Christmas Day, the only portion of the work that is not in English:

Latin text:

English translation:

The setting of the text is direct and uncomplicated, apart from the varied settings of the final "Alleluia", yet it includes many rhythmic irregularities.

The following narration is one of several linking the various solo and choral movements of the piece. Each narration is scored for organ and boys' choir, and takes its text from various portions of the Gospels. The first such narration takes as its text Matthew 1:18-21 and 23 and Luke 1:32.

The tenor soloist, introduced by a quiet woodwind melody, serves as the voice of the angel:

The full chorus joins the soloist in the final part of the passage:

The third movement is a gentle song for soprano, and sets a fragment of John Milton's poem "On the Morning of Christ's Nativity":

The women of the chorus join the soloist for portions of the last verse.

The following narration is taken from Luke 2:1–7:

The "choral" which follows is one of two in the cantata set for unaccompanied chorus, and uses a translation by Miles Coverdale of a hymn by Martin Luther:

The following narration was adapted by the composer from Luke 2:8–17 and the Book of Common Prayer, and introduces the shepherds:

Once again, the tenor sings the words of the angel; the chorus, introduced by the soprano, sings the words of the heavenly host. The men of the chorus sing the part of the shepherds.

This movement features the baritone soloist, and is introduced by quiet and atmospheric woodwinds. Its text is "The Oxen" by Thomas Hardy:

The following narration is taken from Luke, 2:20:

This song is again scored for the baritone soloist, and is a setting of a poem by George Herbert:

The following narration takes its text from Luke 2:19:

Scored for soprano and women's chorus, the lullaby is based upon an anonymous text which is also known in a setting by Benjamin Britten:

The hymn which follows represents the only solo movement for the tenor in the entire cantata, and was reportedly a late addition made when the original tenor soloist complained about the size of his part. Its text is the poem "Christmas Day" by William Drummond:

The movement is brilliantly scored for full orchestra, and opens with a bright brass fanfare.

The following narration is adapted from Matthew 2:1-11:

The voice of the kings is provided by the men of the chorus.

The march of the kings represents the first time since the beginning of the cantata that soloists, choir, and orchestra join together to sing a movement. The chorus introduces the march, whose text was written expressly for the composer by his wife, Ursula. Each of the soloists sings a separate verse, each describing one king and his gift, before joining together to finish the march.

The text of the second choral, again for unaccompanied chorus, is taken from an anonymous poem; the second verse was again furnished by the composer's wife:

The epilogue opens with a setting, for the three soloists, of a text adapted from John 1:1, 4, and 14, and Matthew 1:23:

The chorus joins in on the final words, and the remainder of the work is scored for full chorus and orchestra, with soloists. It again sets Milton's words, slightly adapted, from "On the Morning of Christ's Nativity":