SONGS OF FREEDOM AND HOPE

Freedom and hope are among the most powerful forces which drive the human spirit. Their strength has helped lift people to greater things and in doing so has fuelled the aspirations of many throughout history and across the globe. On an individual creative level, freedom and hope provide a constant source of inspiration for writers and poets, artists and philosophers, politicians and musicians.

When the choir decided to make a recording as a memento of the music of the five years between its 90th and 95th anniversaries, it soon became clear how prominent a part freedom and hope have played in shaping its repertoire. Whether it be anthems which are a part of an oppressed people's fight against injustice, sacred songs which express the hope of a better life beyond the present one, or melodies which tell of personal heartache and longing, this selection is a tribute to the triumph of the optimism of the human spirit.