This work serves as a liturgical musical composition designed for performance by mixed chorus and organ. Alun Hoddinott, a prominent 20th-century composer known for his extensive contributions to British choral and orchestral music, provides a setting for the traditional text. The composition functions within the established framework of the Oxford Carols series, adhering to the structural requirements of sacred choral performance.

Experts and choral directors recognize Hoddinott's work as a standard entry within the Oxford Carols collection. The score is frequently utilized by church choirs and academic ensembles for its accessible yet distinctively modern harmonic language.