Hodie - On This Day Christ is Born

Hodie Christus Natus Est

Today, Jesus Christ Is Born: the best news EVER given to mankind. Jesus, the Son of God, has come to earth. Yes, in a humble setting. What He would become and what He would do for all of mankind, was to follow, but Father God chose this time and place, and these circumnstances to reveal to the world His very Son and very God.

There has been much music over these past 2000 or so years to raise thanksgiving and praise to God for His marvelous gift. The Latin word “hodie” can be interpreted as, “On this day”, or more simply, “Today”. And thus the phrase, “Hodie Christus Natus Est” can be translated in English as “On this day Christ is born”.

Here is the text in Latin and English:

Hodie Christus natus est.
Hodie salvator apparuit.
Hodie in terra canunt angeli,
Letantur archangeli.
Hodie exultant justi, dicentes.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Alleluya.

Today Christ is born;
Today the savior has appeared;
Today the angels sing on earth,
The archangels rejoice;
Today good people exult, saying,
“Glory to God in the highest.”
Alleluia!

In this section, a few of both some “older” as well as “newer” versions of “Hodie” as a single piece of choral music are provided. And then the next section provides information on an entire Oratorio, composed in 1958 by English composer Ralph Vaughan-Williams, comprised of many more words than given above..

The Ralph Vaughan-Williams Oratorio – Hodie

First, here are the lyrics. Note that as an Oratorio, there are many more words than what is sung in the above examples:

Hodie – Ralph Vaughan-Williams – Lyrics

And here is where you can get a piano-reduction score of the music:

Ralph Vaughan-Williams – Hodie (1954) – Piano Reduction Score

And finally, below is a link to a recording of the full oratorio. It is quite strange that there are no full live performaces of the Vaughan-Williams Hodie to be found on the YouTube platform. However, there are a few individual sections from the Oratorio, and also a couple amateur videos from the audiance.

Note in the lyrics, that there is a combination of passages from the Bible, as well as narratives from a number of writers, one of whom is Vaughan-Williams wife, Ursula.

Vaughan Williams: Hodie [Willcocks] Janet Baker, Lewis, Shirley-Quirk (59:46)

Giovanni Gabrieli – Hodie

Jan Peters Sweelinck

Healey Willan

Francis Poulenc

The Ralph Vaughan-Williams Oratorio – Hodie