In total a valiant 27 singers joined us and stayed the course of our session at the Barn (and then the Church) this month. Our singing was delayed by finding the Barn had been set up with tables, chairs and refreshments which we learned were there to follow a special D-Day commemorative service already underway in the adjoining church. Some late arrivals to their congregation were able to explain this and kindly interceded for us with others in the church.
Our Initial perplexity and uncertainty gave way to watchful patience and chatting whilst we waited in the Barn for the service to conclude at 7.50pm. After this time, and with clarification and apologies for the oversight from our hosts, we were offered use of the church itself for the rest of the evening. So we duly swapped the Barn for the Church, and the teasing refreshments for enjoyment of our songs instead - and again enjoyed the ornamented surroundings and uplifting acoustics of the larger space next door.
Once resettled we sang without a break to make the most of the time left and overall lost only about 20 minutes or so from the total time we would usually spend singing in the Barn. A brief notice from Henny about the Parham event on June 16th gave Emily and Amaryllis time to confirm the songs they had in mind for the session (augmented in his absence by another couple suggested by Alan). Then (better late than never) we launched into our singing - and by the time we finished all these songs were ticked off their combined list with another in addition.
We started with “Brisk Young Ploughboy” and the “Smugglers Song", the latter trying out the accompanying sound effects of horses' hooves suggested by Amaryllis. A couple of old favourites “Rolling in the Dew” and “Come Write Me Down (Sussex Wedding Song)” were given another airing - sung by all on this occasion as would be done at open air events if without an adequate balance of male and female singers in the group. Similarly “Hares on the Mountain” was revived and polished for more confident use at our events - with a reminder from Amaryllis to sing the repeat line in the verses as a softer echo. “The Cuckoo” was sung again and the timing of each line considered to give it a stronger pace but still gentle sound, and it too is benefiting from more frequent use and our growing confidence in singing it.
In more jaunty mood we sang “Jim the Carter Lad” and then "Sussex by the Sea” (using the alternative verses written by Amaryllis), before resuming a gentle tone in “Come Stranger Come Friend” which Emily guided us through line by line for the benefit of singers less confident in singing it. Last but not least we concluded the evening with “Rolling Home” - never a South Downs song as such but by adoption an old favourite and enjoyed by many of us.
So in spite of the disrupted start to our session, all was not lost and we succeeded in both singing for our enjoyment and in working on improving our rendition of the songs for performance at public events. And a bonus by circumstance was the interest we had from church members who heard our singing, and in one instance joined in and in another may join us in the future.
NB - Our next session on July 4th will again be in the Church, making three in a row, when the Barn is a polling station for the General Election. See you then - and, or, back in the Barn when the dust has settled by the first of August!
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