So, who doesn’t love a good story?
We believe that overlooked treasures in the world of choral music should be unlocked for everyone to hear and enjoy. We wanted to preserve these treasures in an audio CD format that will endure for a lifetime. That’s why, this past June, we recorded Bushes & Briars. This CD brings together one of the flag-bearers of British folk music (Ralph Vaughn Williams) along with 12 other composers who have crafted a collection which creates in us a nostalgia for an earlier time.
Composers such as Ralph Vaughan Williams, Percy Grainger, Gustav Holst, John Byrt, Sir David Wilcocks, John Rutter, and others have written these messages about love, relationships, nature, and places. Our goal is to give life to these musical stories and treasures and offer them to the world.
Oxford Folk Songs for Choirs Books 1&2
Classic folk music of this kind goes beyond the beautiful sound that is created and takes us deeper into the lives, traditions, customs, and beliefs of a particular people. By presenting and recording this music, our goal is to touch the lives of many, bringing them closer to the thoughts and stories of people from long ago…people who are a lot like us. We hope that you and many new listeners will find this music uplifting and fun to listen to.
You may find yourself humming these tunes throughout your day.
Our title, Bushes & Briars, is a metaphor for the lives described in many folk songs. That is, some days we may nestle in the bushes, taking comfort in our surroundings and our relationships. Other times, life can be difficult. It feels like we’ve stumbled into a prickly briar patch and we just need to get out of it. These songs are conversations about life, sometimes whimsical, and other times quite direct in their message. That is what makes them so charming!