The Choir Invisible

The hymns from the Victorian age are distinctive, memorable and eminently hum-able.

But they have something else in common - the vast majority of them were written by women.

In an era when women were excluded from many parts of society, hymnody became a preserve of creative, devout and often very colourful women.

Ian Hislop goes to church to decode the lives and works of these remarkable but historically invisible ladies of song.

Featuring:

Reverend Michaela A Youngson
Professor Valentine Cunningham
Dr Peggy Reynolds
The Christ Church Cathedral Singers

Producer: Philip Sellars

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2003.