<p>Can music provide hope when freedom has been taken away? Ethel Smyth’s <em>March of the Women</em> rang out as a rallying cry for imprisoned suffragettes, its rhythms defiant and unifying.  Olivier Messiaen’s <em>Quartet for the End of Time</em>, composed and first performed in a Nazi POW camp in 1941, fused faith, birdsong, and dazzling visions of colour into music that offered hope and transcendence to prisoners and guards alike.</p><p>Gillian Moore and Linton Stephens explore how these works — and many others — testify to the resilience of creativity. Gillian also recalls her own encounters with music behind bars, where moments of song broke down walls both physical and emotional.</p><p><strong>Episode highlights</strong></p><p>00:00 Welcome to So Hear Me Out</p><p>02:03 Exploring music&#39;s role in prisons</p><p>03:42 Personal experiences with music in prisons</p><p>08:33 Introducing Ethel Smyth&#39;s March of the Women</p><p>11:33 The impact and legacy of March of the Women</p><p>21:12 More notable music behind bars</p><p>22:38 The iconic title and its significance</p><p>23:14 Introduction to Olivier Messiaen</p><p>24:24 The Quartet for the End of Time: background and composition</p><p>24:57 A unique orchestration and instrumentation</p><p>27:55 Messiaen&#39;s religious and natural inspirations</p><p>29:14 The First Movement: Abyss of the Birds</p><p>32:27 Synesthesia and Messiaen&#39;s colorful music</p><p>39:27 The first performance in the prison camp</p><p>40:56 The emotional heart of The Quartet…</p><p>44:46 Music as emancipation and resistance</p><p>46:23 Closing thoughts and farewell</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Featured music:</strong></p><ul><li><p><em>Quartet for the End of Time</em> (1941) Olivier Messiaen</p></li><li><p><em>March of the Women</em> (1910) Ethel Smyth</p></li></ul><p><br></p><p><br></p><ul><li><br></li><li><br></li><li><br></li><li><br></li></ul><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>