Lewes Local Group Report - Monday August 19th 2024

Eight singers were at the Lewes Arms this month, with several regulars away on holiday, moving house, working or assisting relatives. Our number included a new singer from Barcombe who was welcomed. Another new singer from Crowborough had sent apologies and said he hopes to come next month. As a couple of people wanted to leave early, we decided to miss out the usual halftime break and sing straight through, making individual trips to the bar or other facilities as needed.

We went through the songs proposed for the upcoming Lewes Priory by Candlelight event. These were (not necessarily in performance order yet): “Pleasant and Delightful”, “Ale Glorious Ale”, “Country Life”, “East Sussex Drinking Song”, “Farmer’s Toast”, “Magpie”, “Nightingale”, “On Sussex Hills”, “Rosebuds in June”, “Run of the Downs”, “Smuggler’s Song”, “West Sussex Drinking Song”. 

 
For most of these we spent some time going through existing harmonies and making up new ones as well as noting pacing, volume and dynamics including pauses for emphasis in the places agreed over the years. We had equal numbers of women and men so had a good balance. Our new singer is familiar with some folk songs but she knows only a few of the local ones, so we added background information about Belloc, Kipling and others as we went along. 

We had a bit of time left and by request sang “Searching for Lambs” and “Fields Lie Silent” (a possible addition for Lewes Priory if time permits) before returning to “Thousands or More”and finishing slightly early at 9:30pm for those who had to leave. Others stayed for a while chatting (and Ray recited one of his excellent amusing poems) before the formal finishing time at 10pm.

Tina said that unfortunately we don’t have enough singers to go ahead with Stanmer Park or Saddlescombe in September, but we are looking forward to Lewes Priory. 

Dave T 

Lewes Local Group Report - (from Monday July 15th 2024)

Everyone was on good form at Monday's Lewes session, cheered, no doubt, by the relief of just missing a torrential downpour (except Tina who wasn’t so lucky when she arrived earlier)! Ten of us assembled in the upstairs room of The Lewes Arms (our best venue yet?) and, starting with a rousing rendition of “Twanky Dillo”, sang our way lustily through twelve songs, 

The other old favourites and songs for the current and upcoming seasons which we warmed up with and enjoyed were: “Three Maidens”, “Fields Lie Silent”, “Lammas Carol”, “Constant Lovers”, “Run of the Downs”, “Searching for Lambs” and “Pleasant And Delightful”. 

We also spent some time tackling three that were new (or newish) to this group. “Michaelmas” with new words by Amaryllis from our Worthing group set to the tune of “Poor Froze-Out Gardeners” has been sung a couple of times previously but benefited from reminding ourselves which words are stressed. “Riding on a Donkey” is the well-known sea shanty with new words by Alan from our Chichester Group, written especially for the East Clayton Farm event. 

In contrast to all the other pieces this evening “Sing You Now After Me” is an ancient (15^thcentury) Sussex round which some of us originally sang as part of the Big Sing Festival several years ago. This last song had five lines and, given that there were ten of us, worked well.

Jane and I informed the group that we are on the move again - even further east - to Eastbourne, where our proposed new house is within spitting distance (almost literally) of the Lamb - a pub that became famous (as you know) through its inclusion in my “East Sussex Drinking Song” which I composed in response to Belloc’s existing “West Sussex Drinking Song”.
I also mentioned that I had written a song about the appalling state of Seaford's loos but, as yet, it has no tune.  Tina immediately volunteered to write one.  This was the spur for Dave T to announce that he has written a song about Brighton's toilets - not so much the state of them, more the dramatic decline in number due to their conversion to other uses.  Production of the “Lewes Lexicon of Lavatories” is now underway ....

To raise the tone once more we ended, as we often do, with “Thousands or More” before heading home.
 
Adrian

Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday August 15th 2024

Fourteen singers, joined the evening for the August Chi SDFS meet up.   

 

The evening was directed towards an SDFS performance at the end of the month at the Amberley Chalk Pit Museum – “A Taste of Sussex”.  The set list therefore intended to include songs about Sussex produce and trades or stretched to “fit” wherever possible!

 

The evening’s singing opened with a good crisp rendition of "The Turnip Hoer" and followed equally confidently by "The West Sussex Drinking Song".  The last provoking a few deliberations and suggestions as to why it was the West Sussex Drinking Song when Haselmere is mentioned?  It was decided to sing all verses including East Sussex in honour of Sussex traditions.  An attempt to sing "Twanky Dillo" was abandoned – too well known (!) in favour of "All Among The Barley" by popular request.  Sadly, two attempts later it was decided this may well need further practice at later sessions.  Alan then introduced a new possibility "The Rambling Comber" with the idea of teaching harmonies only and then adding the tune. It was agreed it was a good song but probably best to introduce a line by line learning approach at Worthing first and folk should also look on the SDFS website to get a better grasp of the tune and harmonies.  "Bee Boys" brought everyone firmly back to the theme of food production ready for the Amberley booking and after this the group took a break from the first half.

 

Part two of the evening opened with "Tommy" a new addition to the repertoire but easily learned to the tune of Fathom the Bowl. This was followed by "Gooches’ Beer" sung at an appropriately high key to allow for dropping!  For fun, "Harvest Moan" came next – it was agreed that this could be good as a “Call and Response” at a suitable indoor event with audience participation.  "Farmer’s Toast" was tried next which fitted the theme of produce but was a fairly complicated song at times.  By extremely popular request, Alan’s version of "Riding on a Donkey" came next which had been specifically composed for the event at the East Clayton Farm but had proved a popular song and could even have a Christmas verse added if required!  Chris requested "Lammas Carol" next and then it was felt that everyone had just about sung themselves out, so rounded off the evening with the old favourite "Rolling Home".

 

Anne S

 

A Song to Try - Harvest Moan

Here's a song offered by Amaryllis: 

Here are the lyrics: Lyrics

Sung to the tune of We Plough the Fields and Scatter

A Song to Try - The Rambling Comber

A song offered by Alan. This song was recorded in 1893 in Horsham by Lucy Broadwood from the singing of Henry Burstow. Also collected by the Hammond Brothers from Robert Barratt of Piddletown of Dorset and published in the Dorset Volume of Cecil Sharp’s FOLK SONGS OF ENGLAND. 

Wool combing was a male dominated industry, although isolated spinners would spin their own wool. Combers were itinerant, travelling from village to village in search of work. 

Lyrics

Tune

Top Harmony

Base Harmony

Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday August 1st 2024

Hot weather and holidays may have slightly reduced attendance but still 29  (including one new face - welcome to you) met for another sociable gathering to sing.

Some songs were included with thoughts of performing them at our next public event at  Amberley Chalk Pits Museum at the end of the month, others were for the simple pleasure of trying, doing and learning them.  We began with  "Ale Glorious Ale"  and then  "Ebernoe Horn Fair" (after which Barbara S kindly shared some information about the annual celebrations at Ebernoe village on July 25th - which is the Feast of St.James, widely celebrated in Spain at fairs and celebratory festivals in the hilly northern region known for it's sheep herding - which pilgrims may have witnessed and reported back when home, hence perhaps the inclusion of (rams) horns at the village's fair as cited in the song.

Singing resumed with "All Among the Barley" a beautiful song carefully directed by Emily and much liked by everyone singing it.   Emily then handed 'the baton' to Angela S to coach us through the intricacies of the tune and phrasing of the "Song of the Sussex Downsman", making particular reference to the score stating it should be  'allegro' therefore needing a spritely pace.  After some repetition to help improve our performance on all counts, we managed to complete the whole song - albeit with more work needed to perfect it.  There then followed a well earned break! 

At the end of the break and to start the second half, Angela S shared with everyone a newspaper article about Saddlescombe Farm that she had found with an old photo of the farm (where we sang at their open day last year and have been invited to do again in September this year).   Descriptions of sheep shearing at Saddlescombe Farm where then reflected in our singing, when we resumed with Emily at the helm to lead us for "Rosebuds in June".   

Next came a song new to many but known by singers who were part of the 'Belloc and Broadwood' songs project - "The (Jolly) Woodcutter"  which is an old drinking game song, as the refrain describes, with the cup being passed around and more drunk as the song progresses.  "Lammas Carol"  followed, using what its writer Alan has suggested is a more suitable 'polka' rhythm.  This worked well and was approved by most (although a few reported they still enjoy the slower pace version).   Alan then had the floor to present  "England For Me" , a song offered a while ago but not yet progressed.  Under his lead, combining with Emily's guidance, we sang it through - and agreed we'd use it again.  

As the clock ticked on there was just time for a couple more, and at Emily's suggestion we sang the beautiful  "Oak Tree" song, with those who remembered them singing the harmony parts.  It was agreed the low harmony needs more support and we need to practice it again another time.  As our closing anthem, "Thousands or More" saw out another evening of songs, group effort and enjoyment - with thanks to all who contributed their time and skill to the proceedings.

H.