It became the setting for his first choral work and premiered a year later in a concert held in the Canterbury Cathedral cloisters.Īfter his A Levels, Alexander took a gap year as a choral scholar at Portsmouth Cathedral, where his singing greatly improved, and he began to compose choral music more regularly.

He attended The King's School Canterbury, where he heard, for the first time, the Palestrina Matin Responsory being sung to open the annual school carol service held in Canterbury Cathedral this kindled in him an ambition to sing as part of a distinguished choir and to arrange music for voice.ĭuring his time at the school, he began composing music - the desire to do so came largely by chance when he happened upon a piece of anonymous Anglo-Saxon text, How Long the Night, which motivated him to put it to music. Today is Christ born today the Savior has appeared today the Angels sing, the Archangels rejoice today the righteous rejoice, saying: Glory to God in the highest. He began playing keyboard at the age of 5 and from that point on took regular lessons in piano and singing. Hodie Christus natus est hodie Salvator apparuit: hodie in terra canunt Angeli, laetantur Archangeli: hodie exsultant justi, dicentes: Gloria in excelsis Deo, alleluja. Without soloists, the piece begins at bar 29.Īlexander was born and raised in Canterbury, where he live outside of his University term time. The title is used as a litany response, Christ is. If possible, the choir should sing surrounding the audience/congregation. African-American poet Countee Cullen is the text source Rosephanye has chosen to set to music and one understands why when the words are read. This version is written for unaccompanied SSAATTBB choir, with four optional soprano solos, who should be positioned at the four corners of the audience/congregation. Although premiered by Rodolfus, it is written for Russell Keable and the University of Surrey Chamber Choir with their annual carol service in mind. I am indebted to Ralph’s guidance and support in my development as a musician. I am incredibly grateful to Ralph Allwood and Robert Porter for allowing its performance and inviting me to conduct it. The original version of this piece of music was first sung by the Rodolfus Choir in St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, as part of The Brandenburg Choral Festival in December 2017. Books about The Royal School of Church Music Hodie Christus Natus Est Composer: Kelly-Marie Murphy Publisher: Cypress Choral Music Cat No: CP 1660 (with piano accompaniment) / CP 1665 (with harp.VFL Awards Repertoire - Bronze & Silver Awards.Loyal Service Award – Medals and Certificates.