Two Chorals from 'Hodie'

for SATB unaccompaniedThese two chorals are taken from Vaughan Williams's 1954 Christmas Cantata Hodie (This Day) - his last major composition for choir and orchestra. 'The blessed son of God' is the fifth movement of the original work, and is a hushed, tender setting of Miles Coverdale's translation of a hymn by Martin Luther. The second choral, 'No sad thought this soul affright', is the penultimate movement of the work, and introduces moments of mystical discordance to the gentle tone set in the first choral.