SATB/brass/timp/perc/org & opt. treble choir (3 movements) and also available for orchestral; recorded by THE NEW AMERICAN VOICES, DFW Brass & Peggy Graff, organist; Theresa Pritchard & voices from Vista Ridge Middle School featured; U.S. publisher, Mark Foster – HL 00367069); Duration 14 minutes

COMPOSER NOTES
This work contains fanfare, bold sonorities, reflection, inclusion of a chorale by Philipp Nicolai, and an ending of sonic fireworks. It was literally one of the most enjoyable works that I have ever written. Even though the brass is a full contingent (8 players), I was quite careful to maintain vocal prominence in the textures. (The recording was made with 28 voices.) The treble choir can be done by adults or very effectively by a children’s choir. Lastly, this work was built on an earlier version of “Hodie!” that I wrote in the 1990’s, but is quite different in that the first movement has been entirely replaces, and the other two moments – especially the third movement, is largely new material.

Movement 1: “Ring out, you crystal spheres, Bless at once our human ears…” (1629), John Milton; (also trad. Latin)
Movement 2: “Hodie Christus natus est” (trad. Latin)
Movement 3: “Alleluia, Hodie exultant justi, dicentes!” (trad. Latin)
“Wake, awake for night is flying,”
All the watchers on the heights are crying:
“Awake, Jerusalem, arise!” (Philipp Nicolai (trans. Winkworth)

_________________ BRASS VERSION
SATB (with opt. treble choir on movement 3)
(opt. treble choir [unison] in 3rd mvt; can be done by the SA in the mixed chorus)
4 trumpets in C
2 tenor trombones
bass trombone
tuba
timpani
percussion (1): tambourine, crash cymbals, suspended cymbals, snare drum, glock & xylophone
organ
_______________ORCHESTRA VERSION
SATB chorus (w opt. treble choir on movement 3)
2 flutes
2 oboes
2 Bb clarinets
2 bassoons