description Hodie Overview
Hodie (This Day) is a Christmas cantata composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1954, catalogued as his last major choral-orchestral work. Written for soloists, chorus, and orchestra, the work sets a diverse collection of Christmas texts including Milton's "On the Morning of Christ's Nativity" and verses from the Gospel of Luke. Vaughan Williams conducted the premiere at Worcester Cathedral during the Three Choirs Festival on September 8, 1954.
help Hodie FAQ
What is Vaughan Williams's Hodie?
Hodie, meaning This Day, is a Christmas cantata for soloists, chorus, and orchestra. Ralph Vaughan Williams completed it in 1954 as his last major choral-orchestral work.
What texts does Hodie set?
The cantata combines several Christmas texts rather than setting one continuous biblical narrative. Its sources include Milton's poem On the Morning of Christ's Nativity and passages connected with the Christmas story.
How is Hodie different from Vaughan Williams's Fantasia on Christmas Carols?
Fantasia on Christmas Carols is a shorter work built around traditional English carol melodies and a baritone soloist, while Hodie is a large 1954 cantata with chorus, orchestra, and several textual sources. Hodie is therefore closer to a full concert-scale Christmas oratorio.
What does Hodie mean in English?
Hodie is Latin for This Day. The title points to the Christian celebration of Christ's birth and the cantata's movement from prophecy and narrative toward communal praise.
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