HODIE
PROGRAM NOTES
An ancient Gregorian Antiphon exclaims, “Hodie Christus natus est” (“Today Christ is born!”), and with that, we are called into the celebration of the Christmas season. The chant continues, “Today the Savior appears: Today the angels sing on earth, and the Archangels rejoice.”
Two works on tonight’s program quote this Hodie chant text. The first is an a cappella treatment by Canadian composer and organist Healy Willian (1880-1968). Willan composed more than 800 works including operas, symphonies, chamber music, a concerto, and pieces for band, orchestra, organ, and piano. However, he is best known for his sacred music and for composing the anthem “O Lord our Governour” for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1954. He composed the motet “Hodie, Christus natus est” in 1935. Appropriately, the piece is a choral fanfare with lots of energy and dramatic dynamic contrast.
The second instance of the Hodie text is heard in Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols. Composed in 1942 during a five-week voyage from the United States to England, Britten originally conceived the set as a collection of unrelated songs. It was the addition of the Hodie chant that united the work. The unison choir sings the chant at the beginning and end of the work, and a harp interlude in the middle is based on the chant tune. The texts, structured in eleven movements, are largely taken from The English Galaxy of Shorter Poems, edited by Gerald Bullett. Britten acquired this collection in Halifax, Nova Scotia, while the ship was in port there. The texts are principally in Middle English, with some Latin and Early Modern English. This mashup of English variations and Latin text can serve as a deterrent for aspiring choirs to attempt the (already difficult) work. Britten tried to ease these concerns by stating that understandability was to be the highest concern.
The individual movements are deftly described in this summary provided by the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra in their online program notes and study guide for the work (www.themco.ca):
- Procession (“Hodie Christus natus est” based on liturgical Gregorian chant, sung in Latin, and rejoicing in the birth of Christ)
- Wolcum Yole! (based on ancient text to welcome the Yule season)
- There is no rose of such vertu (In this carol, the rose is a reference to Mary; text alternates between Latin and English)
- Fourth movement:
- That yongë child (a solo recitative with harp accompaniment)
- Balulalow (a lullaby)
- As dew in Aprille (based on an anonymous fifteenth century poem, praising Mary)
- This little Babe (based on a poem by the Jesuit poet Robert Southwell, 1561-1595)
- Interlude (instrumental harp solo)
- In Freezing Winter Night (based on Southwell)
- Spring Carol (Cornish, a duet)
- Deo gracias (based on medieval text)
- Recession (a repeat of the opening “Hodie Christus natus est” liturgical chant.)
Several works on tonight’s program are Christmas anthems and carol arrangements by Dan Forrest. The GCA audience will recognize Dan Forrest as the composer of “Requiem for the Living”, an audience and singer favorite.
Dan Forrest (b. 1978) is widely recognized as one of the leading American choral composers of our time. He has been described as having “an undoubted gift for writing beautiful music….that is truly magical” (NY Concert Review), with works hailed as “magnificent, very cleverly constructed sound sculpture” (Classical Voice), and “superb writing…full of spine-tingling moments” (Salt Lake Tribune). His music has sold millions of copies, has received numerous awards and distinctions, and has become well established in the repertoire of choirs around the world via commissions, festivals, recordings, radio/TV broadcasts, and premieres in prominent international venues.
Dan’s work ranges from small choral works to instrumental solo works, wind ensemble works, and extended multi-movement works for chorus and orchestra. His Requiem for the Living (2013) and Jubilate Deo (2016) have become standard choral/orchestral repertoire for ensembles around the world, with LUX (2018), the breath of life (2020), and CREATION (2023) also receiving critical acclaim.
Dan holds a D.M.A in Composition (University of Kansas, 2007) and a master’s degree in piano performance. He served for several years as a professor and department head (music theory and composition) in higher education and is a past Chair of the American Choral Directors Association Composition Initiatives Committee. He currently serves as Vice President of Publications and Editor at Beckenhorst Press, Composer in Residence at Furman University, and Artist in Residence at Mitchell Road Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC. (From www.danforrest .com)
We are grateful for harpist Kristi Pass, the Gate City Brass Quintet, and for all our guest instrumentalists tonight. We are pleased for the opportunity to hear the voices of our audience members joining our voices in the singing of familiar carols. We hope that this early-December performance will enhance your observance of the Advent season and fill your ears with the joyful sounds of the Christmas angels.
–Stephen J Mulder, Artistic Director
