Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday April 20th 2023

Sixteen enthusiastic singers attended the April meeting of the Chichester SDFS group.  Alan opened the meeting and informed all that he would be  practicing some songs during the evening that were intended for singing at the Rustington Museum event (on May 24th) – with apologies to those who weren’t going to be there!
 
With that in mind, the group launched into the first half with "Good Morning Lords and Ladies" ("It is the First of May"), "Brisk Young Plough Boy", "Where Stormy Winds Do Blow", "Fathom the Bowl" and "Summer is a Cummin In Again", a possible new introduction for consideration which was led by Dave as an interlude from the Rustington set list.  Dave gave a bit of background to the song with it’s origins in Mumming.
 
The evening continued with "Sussex Wedding Song" with the possibility for Rustington that it might be sung by all, rather than split into men and women. "The Nightingale" followed and Chris gave us his Fred Wedlock alternative which was much appreciated.  On then to the "Turtle Dove", which the group tried a couple of times. The first half finished with "My Downland Remembered" which the group declared to be a popular home grown edition to the repertoire.
 
The second half launched with "Han’aker Mill". "Five and Twenty Ponies" ("Smugglers' Song") followed at a suitable trot and then "Our Captain Cried All Hands" with the obvious pitfall of getting this last one muddled with the hymn 'To Be a Pilgrim'.  "Rosebuds in June", "Lammas Carol" and "When Spring Comes In" finalised the set list that Alan had intended to rehearse.  
 
Dave finished off a busy evening with a fine rendition of "The South Country" based on a Belloc poem put to music by Don Morgan.
 
All agreed the evening had gone well and with sixteen songs well sung – we’d “All Done Very Well”!
 
Anne Sartain