The highlight of Woodstock Music Society’s Christmas concert was Vaughan Williams’s epic Hodie, the cantata he wrote at the age of 81 to relate and comment upon the story of the Nativity. Infused with a variety of musical styles and contrasting texts, the work presents enormous challenges for choir, soloists and orchestra, but ones that this society rose to in typically fearless style.

There were times, during the more ebullient sections, when the choir’s diction faltered a little, and they were overwhelmed by the orchestra, but the energy was well sustained, and the March of the Three Kings was particularly exciting and full of vitality. It was in the quieter sections that they were particularly impressive; the choral numbers, The blessed son of God only and No sad thought his soul affright, and the lullaby, Sweet was the song the Virgin sang, were simply lovely.

A fine trio of soloists made strong contributions. Quentin Hayes read the passages from the Bible with such clarity and sincerity it was as though we were hearing these familiar words for the first time, while his rich baritone brought fresh vitality to Hardy’s The Oxen and Herbert’s The shepherds sing. Tenor Jonathan Todd lacked Hayes’s vocal power, but his purity of tone and reverential style were perfect for Bright portals of the sky, while Clare Morgan captured the spirit of It was the winter wild and Sweet was the song with great fluency.

There was a lighter mood in the second half; Philip Lane’s joyous Overture on French Carols was delivered by the orchestra with obvious relish, while the choir impressed in the two unaccompanied Poulenc motets, Quem vidistis pastores dicite and Hodie Christus natus est, their tone particularly pure and clear.

Oxford-born Bryan Kelly’s fun, imaginative Improvisations on Christmas Carols provided a glorious finish to the evening, ensuring we all left in a truly festive mood.