A Song to Try

As the seasons change and Spring arrives, here's another song for your interest.

"On One April Morning" - offered by Alan.  

It's not specifically a 'South Downs' song or one for our public performances (it seems to have been collected in the South-West in the early 1900s and sung extensively elsewhere since), but one you might nonetheless enjoy hearing and singing. 

You'll find the lyrics and tune using the links below.

Lyrics

Tune

Local Group Report - Chichester - Thursday February 17th 2022

It looks like the 3rd Thursday in Chichester is back in business.  Fourteen of us gathered to sing familiar songs from the pre-COVID years. There were also a couple of less familiar numbers that may well make the repertoire: "One For the Rook", "One April Morning", and "When Spring Comes In".  The programme was ably curated and led by Alan in his novel long/short trousers. We were also treated to a fine rendition of Mingulay Boat Song from a fellow drinker and somebody sang Last Valentine's Day the song of the Leconfield (Petworth) hunt.

Local Group Report - Lewes - Tuesday February 15th 2022

Seven singers enjoyed an evening back in the John HarveyTavern.  Unfortunately the early start at 6.30pm prevents some being able to attend but the benefit is being able to get home earlier.  Tina had a plan of 30 songs to work on for February and March and so we started with "On Sussex Hills", and "Fathom the Bowl " before preparing for spring with "The Hares on the Mountain" and a thorough relearning of "The Cuckoo".  We cleared out winter with "Poor Froze out Gardeners" and "Where Stormy Winds Do Blow".    "The Lark in the Morning" and, the new to us, "One For The Rook"  brightened us up as did a song written by a friend of Ray’s, Stuart Leon, about the fully restored "Oldland Mill" which stands between Ditchling and Keymer looking over to the Jack and Jill Mills at Clayton.  In Lewes, we will certainly be adding this to our repertoire and hope to sing it at an open day at the Mill.  A quick "Run Of The Downs", "Searching for Lambs", "When Spring Comes In", "Come Stranger Come Friend,"  "Farmer’s Toast" and an inevitable "Thousands or More"brought us to closing time but we finished with Ray reading another of his poems (written because he has passed three score years and ten) entitled “Can I Have Another Go” (at life):  you will have to wait until his next collection is publiished!   “Golier” it is good to be back.

p.s. ZOOM session on Sunday 20th at 3pm.

Local Group Report - Worthing - Wednesday February 9th 2022

Unfortunately Emily couldn't be with the 23 of us meeting at The Barn this month - but the ranging list of songs compiled by Amaryllis gave us plenty to choose from to fill the evening, with Angela S supporting us with her guidance when needed.  "Pleasant and Delightful”  warmed us up before singing "The Nightingale" and "The Sussex Wedding Song/Come Write Me Down” (both from our original SDFS 'song book').  “Farmer’s Toast”  and "Lark in the Morning”  followed.  We then revisited the "The Parting Song”, a newish song begun in previous sessions and gradually becoming familiar to us.  Another song "When Spring Comes In” (first introduced to us in 2019 but not well known by everyone) was tried again, and once the structure of the tune and verses became clear it was enjoyed by all.  

After a break we resumed with “The Song of the Sussex Downsman", sung, with Angela’s encouragement, at a spritely pace to good effect!  “Run of the Downs” followed, with some debate afterwards about possible ways to condense the verses and reduce the number of choruses, but without disrupting the song’s conclusion - a conversation to be revisited and extended to include singers in our other two local groups.  We moved on to “The Turtle Dove” and by request another gentle song: “The Fields Lie Silent”.   "Brisk Young Ploughboy”, with brief uncertainty about the tune, was the last but one song we sang before finishing with our old favourite “Thousands or More”.  

With the Spring now firmly in mind and more springtime songs likely in the mix for next month’s session - we look forward to singing at The Barn again on March 9th!

Wassailing

Before the winter leaves us - here for your interest is a link to the recent BBC radio "Food Programme" about the traditions and songs associated with 'Wassail":  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0013yzx

Thank you to our singers who highlighted the programme and supplied the link to share with all.  Enjoy! 

SDFS Sings February 2022

 Update since January - Our Local Group Sessions are back on track !

Worthing Group  will meet at The Barn on  February 9th - Lewes Group will be back at the John Harvey Tavern on February 15th - and Chichester Group will be at the Chichester Inn on February 17th.

There will also be another Sunday Zoom session with Tina on February 20th - the links and codes to join are as usual:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83448393748?pwd=ZG9YVmVGZlRzcVpmZkZiR2MrU3JKdz09

Meeting ID: 834 4839 3748 

Passcode: 847775

For session times please refer to the Diary Page on this site  - where you can also see the dates of various Events we hope to sing at later in the year (more details to follow when confirmed).