Songs of the People

Our song for June is Sue Casson's setting of words from Magna Carta, the 1st great Charter of Freedom, signed by King John this month in 1215. It inspired British ECHR artisan David Maxwell Fyfe. His words spoken by his great grandson introduce the setting. Watch 🎞️⬇️ #soundon

'Darling... let me say how much I am looking forward to your visit' #OTD 1946 having learnt the Trials are now likely to continue until the end of August David Maxwell Fyfe writes to his wife Sylvia in keen anticipation of her visit in a fortnight. #Nuremberg80 #ListentoLetters

'We have found safety, blest security, Who is so safe as we?' Sue Casson's Dreams of Peace & Freedom IX sets words from Rupert Brooke's Safety to evoke the peace of a post-war world that David Maxwell Fyfe sought to protect with a Charter of Human Rights - later ECHR #Nuremberg80

'The stir of wonder, birds singing' Sue Casson's Dreams of Peace & Freedom IX draws on Rupert Brooke's powerful natural imagery to evoke the peace of a post-war world that David Maxwell Fyfe sought to protect with a Charter of Human Rights - later ECHR #Nuremberg80

'Tremendously impressive' Sylvia Maxwell Fyfe went to the 1st Summer Exhibition @royalacademy.bsky.social since WWII, and describes to her husband David her fascination with Nuremberg by Laura Knight, whom he had met when she was creating an artistic record of the trials. #ListentoLetters

'We have found safety, blest security Who is so safe as we?' Sue Casson's Dreams of Peace & Freedom IX sets words from Rupert Brooke's Safety to evoke the peace of a post-war world that David Maxwell Fyfe sought to protect with a Charter of Human Rights - later ECHR #Nuremberg80

'The idea of fundamental human rights is one in which I firmly believe' David Maxwell Fyfe's commitment, focussed during his year at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials begins Sue Casson's Dreams of Peace & Freedom IX - which celebrates post-WWII peace and looks to prolong it.

'I "stood" the British delegation the #VEDay party. I left at 9.45 after a heavy evening with Jackson' David Maxwell Fyfe confides #OTD 1946 that there have been 2 more parties in Nuremberg in this week when he is cross-examining Doenitz. #ListentoLetters #Nuremberg80

'We are inclined only to count the sunny hours' David Maxwell Fyfe refers to 'a sundial factor of our mentality' stopping the remembrance of horrors, which is why evidence recorded at the Nuremberg Trials was vital. It directly fed his draft of ECHR's protections. #OneStory

#thisweek 1946 British prosecutor David Maxwell Fyfe cross-examined Karl Doenitz who played a major role in WWII as Supreme Commander of the Navy, and is preparing to confront German admiral Erich Raeder #ListentoLetters

'I could not agree more about life. There is so much to do and so little living.' David Maxwell Fyfe replies to his wife Sylvia 3 days after she has written about life apart from one another seeming 'unnatural'. #ListentoLetters #Nuremberg80

'Does life all seem most unnatural to you? One is frightfully busy & pushed for time and yet never seem to live... I long for it to stop.' Sylvia Maxwell Fyfe writes to David from the heart as they enter the 8th month of their unnatural separation. #OTD 1946. #Nuremberg80

'I get the most violent hates which I suppress with great difficulty.' The strain of not being at home is evident in letters exchanged by the Maxwell Fyfes in May. David is now in his 8th month in Nuremberg and hating 'the surroundings... interpreters, typists' #ListentoLetters

'Oh darling this place is pretty getting down after a taste of home' David Maxwell Fyfe writes to his wife Sylvia #OTD 1946 after Easter. Returning to Nuremberg reinforced the sense of personal sacrifice of his year working at the Trials. #Nuremberg80 #ListentoLetters

'I have just spent half-an-hour trying to get through to you on the telephone. The direct line has broken down once again...' In a letter written #OTD 1946 David Maxwell Fyfe explains the frustration of keeping in contact with his wife Sylvia. #Nuremberg80 #ListentoLetters

'No man or island of itself, Entire and solitary, Exists alone, But is one part, Of one great unity...' With a nod to John Donne Dreams of Peace & Freedom I evokes David Maxwell Fyfe's belief in international co-operation to strengthen the sovereign whole. Watch 🎞️⬇️ #soundon

'It is thrilling that the Chambers will be finished... You say that it must all seem another world. I assure you that it is a world which I want to explore very badly.' #thisweek 1946 as he begins his 7th month at Nuremberg David Maxwell Fyfe looks to his future. #Nuremberg80

'Fair to rich as well as poor, for that is natural law' the centre of Sue Casson's Dreams of Peace & Freedom I Albion evokes David Maxwell Fyfe's lifelong belief in the equality for all and universal rights implied by Natural Law. Watch 🎞️⬇️ #soundon

'The 1st year out of 21 that I have not enjoyed' Sylvia Maxwell Fyfe confides to husband David of their enforced separation on their anniversary #thisweek 1946 adding 'all things come to an end - even Nuremberg Trials I suppose though I sometimes doubt it' #ListentoLetters

'Whatever else has happened you have always been a source of happiness and joy' David Maxwell Fyfe writes from Nuremberg to his wife Sylvia on their 21st wedding anniversary #thisweek 80 years ago. #ListentoLetters

'It will be such heaven to have you at home for 3 days... Did you know there was a whole page photograph of you in the Sketch last week?' #thisweek 1946 Sylvia Maxwell Fyfe is looking forward to husband David coming home from Nuremberg for an Easter break. #Nuremberg80

'I dreamed I saw the Albion, Of ancient history, A sceptred isle, A precious stone, Set in a silver sea' Dreams of Peace & Freedom I evokes David Maxwell Fyfe's idealism as a self-confessed 'romantic of the law' with natural and familiar literary imagery. Watch 🎞️⬇️ #soundon

'Liverpool went quite well. I gave ‘the ladies’ a pep talk involving Nuremberg & its lessons to the young and they appeared to like it.' #thisweek 1946 David Maxwell Fyfe's wife Sylvia sends news of his constituency which she took care of during his year away. #Nuremberg80

'It would be wonderful beyond words... I also know you need a rest.. It is too much for anyone to be at that strain all the time.' #OnThisDay 1946 Nuremberg prosecutor David Maxwell Fyfe's wife Sylvia responds to news of his Easter homecoming. #ListentoLetters #Nuremberg80

'There is just a chance that I might get a weekend at Easter. It is such a wonderful thought that I cannot credit it' #thisweek 1946 Nuremberg prosecutor David Maxwell Fyfe is excited by the idea of a few days at home with his wife Sylvia. #ListentoLetters #Nuremberg80

'(The judges) never take a strong line with the defendants or keep their Nazi speeches within bounds.' David Maxwell Fyfe gives his intimate insight into the Nuremberg Trials in this letter to his wife Sylvia #thisweek 80 years ago. #ListentoLetters - #Nuremberg80

'Your Chambers are looking so nice' Whilst her husband, David Maxwell Fyfe is working at the Nuremberg Trials, back home in London Sylvia is looking to the future and has searched and found new premises for his law practice on his return. #ListentoLetters

'I told you last night of our search for Chambers...' Sylvia Maxwell Fyfe shows she is looking to the future #thisweek 80 years ago, as she updates her husband, David on her search for new premises for his law practice on his return from the Nuremberg Trials. #ListentoLetters

'We who have known shame we have found release there' Now God be Thanked in Sue Casson's Dreams of Peace & Freedom VI echoes the idealism behind the Nuremberg Trials - restoring natural justice after the bloodshed of WWII. #Nuremberg80 Watch⬇️

'I am surrounded by beautiful newspapers full of quite hysterical praise for you.' Back in London, David Maxwell Fyfe's wife Sylvia saw the impact of her husband's cross-examination of Hitler's deputy widely reported, and heard snippets broadcast on the radio from the courtroom. #Nuremberg80

'Doubtless all the papers say your cross-examination went beautifully' David Maxwell Fyfe's wife Sylvia greeted news of his cross-examination of Goering with pride, knowing the work that had gone into getting him to "admit the truth" of his guilt by confronting him with evidence.

'I think my cross-examination of Goering went alright' David Maxwell Fyfe's great grandson reads a letter home confiding his satisfaction at the impact of his confrontation with Hitler's deputy at the Trials #thisweek 80 years ago in the courtroom where it took place #Nuremberg80

Now God be Thanked, Dreams of Peace & Freedom VI echoes the idealism behind the Nuremberg Trials - restoring natural justice after the bloodshed of WWII. Here it is woven with David Maxwell Fyfe's account of his first cross-examinations which began 80 years ago #thisweek Watch 🎞️ ⬇️

A week ago we travelled to the Isle of Man to perform Sue Casson's Dreams of Peace & Freedom. Invited by Ian Cook to mark 80 years since the Nuremberg Trials, we performed at the Ballakermeen Studio Theatre. Follow along to discover more 🎶 #SongsofthePeople #OneStory #IOMstory