Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday November 7th 2024

The autumn moving into winter, and looking ahead to festive events in November and December, shaped this month's song choices at the Barn.  24 singers gathered and we opened the evening with the "Wood Cutters Song" followed by "Poor Froze Gardeners".  "Sugar Wassail" warmed things up for more festive songs. Emily reminded us of its rousing pace and she rehearsed with us the one or two lines that should flow together without any pause.  "Now Christmas Is Come" was next on the list - a song collected by Lucy Broadwood, and first tried by us this time last year.  It needed little effort to revive and sing it well at a fairly brisk pace.  A much older song "The Boar's Head Carol" made a stately entrance with its heraldic tones and latin choruses; some high and low harmonies were introduced but will need more work. 

Amaryllis proposed the gentle carol, "Silent Night", which was sung and liked by many, although known not to be a South Downs song in its origins.  Recollections from Angela B confirmed it to be an Austrian song and she shared childhood memories of her Austrian family's festive traditions on Christmas Eve, conjured whenever she hears the song.   Then before the break Amaryllis led us through the new song she has recently introduced: "Friendly Beasts", using a tune she has written and words from an ancient carol.  Attempts amongst us to be a donkey, a sheep, a cow or a dove to open the verses, was a little problematic but the calypso mood carried us along nonetheless!  

In the break, wristbands for the singers due to sing at the Weald and Downland Museum's Advent Market (and reminders about the park and ride bus times) were distributed, and the session contributions were collected as usual, amongst the many sociable conversations.  A little belatedly we resumed singing - with Alan suggesting we try again another song we'd started last Christmas - "When It's Christmas Time".  After that "Ideo" was a popular choice.  But "The Ditchling Carol" was less easily managed and although the chorus was reasonably well achieved, the melody faltered on the verses.  So it was agreed to leave this until the next Extra Seasonal Songs session planned for November 14th when there would be more time to try it again.   It was generally agreed this old Sussex song will need more work to do it justice, and it may not be ready for public performance this year.  By contrast "The Field Mouse Carol" moved us on - and after some repetition to secure the melody and pace it made for an enjoyable and cheery sing.

We returned to some old favourites to close the session: "Sweet Chiming Bells" and "Pentonville".  Both are versions of  'While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night' - and they still do, across the South Downs landscape all year - not just for Christmas!

H.