Hodie Christus natus est

Today Christ is born! A bright, joyful new setting of the Latin antiphon for Christmas Day, for directors who want a festive Latin piece that sounds exciting and stays within reach of their singers. This is new music, not the Gregorian chant or any earlier setting.

A two-bar piano riff in open fifths sets the pulse. The voices enter one after another, the sopranos and altos sing a duet in thirds over a pedal, and the chorus lands on a syncopated “alleluia”. In verse two the baritones carry the melody under a soprano counter-melody, and a quiet bridge on “et in terra pax” leads to a stacked final alleluia.

• The challenges are rhythmic, not vocal: syncopation in 6/8 and staggered entries
• Pronunciation guide and English translation included
• For high school, college, church and community choirs; a strong middle school choir