It was written for the opening of the Nottingham Co-operative Art Centre. Alan Bush was then commissioned to write The Nottingham Symphony by the Co-op for the 500th Anniversary of the founding of the City. It is a popular work and has been performed many times. It has an inspired melody. The solo section is in the Aeolian mode of B flat. The key of the piece is E flat major and is used for the three times repeated chorus. It finishes with a beautiful coda. The text is by Nancy Bush.