I was singing in the Montclair Boys' Choir (under the direction of Charles Hunter) when I first encountered Vaughan William's stunning Christmas Cantata "Hodie". If you do not know the piece, here is the first portion as your gift on this Sixth Day of Christmas.
The poetry for today is “The Oxen” by Thomas Hardy
Christmas Eve and twelve of the clock.
"Now they are all on their knees,"
An elder said as we sat in a flock
By the embers in hearthside ease.
We pictured the meek mild creatures where
They dwelt in their strawy pen,
Nor did it occur to one of us there
To doubt they were kneeling then.
So fair a fancy few would weave
In these years! Yet I feel,
If someone said on Christmas Eve,
"Come; see the oxen kneel,
In the lonely barton by yonder coomb
Our childhood used to know,"
I should go with him in the gloom,
Hoping it might be so.
Love One Another - Brian
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