Hoddinott followed in the footsteps of one of my favorite composers, Willaim Mathias.
Generally, the same adverbs which define Hoddinott apply to Mathias, who was very prolific in his shortened life.
While their music is different, there is no denying that abstract Welsh nostalgia and spookiness in all of it..
Hoddinott was five years older than Mathias and was very prolific from an early age. I must therefore, respectfully, dissent from the assertion that he "followed" in the footsteps of the younger composer.
As you say, their music IS very different. Whilst Mathias's music is brightly lit (reminiscent sometimes of the younger Tippett), Hoddinott's is very much music of the night, dark, solemn but always imposing.