Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday January 16th 2025

13 singers turned out on a cold January day to start the new SDFS singing year.  Alan confirmed that following the visit of a representative from the 2025 Chichester Fringe, the SDFS had been invited to perform in this event on 1st June 2025.  It had been decided that as this was a Chichester based event, and a limited number of places owing to venue size that singers would be drawn from regular attendees at the Chichester SDFS practices.   An early request for Chichester singers had produced 17 volunteers which was about the right number required.  The singers would be included in the advertising material for the Chichester Fringe and so the evening started with an attempt to obtain a suitable photograph!

Alan had worked out a possible draft programme which would drive some of the practices between now and June at Chichester.  Two rousing chorus songs – "Ale Glorious Ale" and "One for the Rook" with Alan suggesting possible harmony lines for those that found it difficult to reach particularly high notes.  Continuing with "On Sussex Hills" Alan reminded all that there were some good harmonies to this and they could be found on the SDFS website.  Although it’s due to be included in the programme, a "Country Life" practice was firmly declined!  Alan stated that harmonies were definitely required in "The Rambling Comber" which was tried next – again these could be found on the SDFS website.  The group had two attempts at "Searching for Lambs", taking extra care to stay in key with Julia providing the singing tip that holding in one’s tummy could well assist in this!  The ladies present then tried "Ladies Go Dancing at Whitsun", the men coming in with the usual humming after the first verse.  It was decided that this arrangement should continue with the ladies taking the main tune as it was a “ladies” song.
 
After a well earned break, with much enthusiasm for Gordon’s Burn’s Night Poem and Dave G’s excellent rendition of the address to the Hagis in keeping with the theme, the second half of the evening opened with "Summer is a Coming in Again".  It was agreed that it was best to leave off the chorus at the end and finish on the last verse.  "Hal and Tow" was tried next with the idea that the group start singing it with the chorus and that clapping or a drum would help keep a good rhythm.  Continuing the Spring theme,  "When Spring Comes In" and "The Magpie" followed with a suggestion that several ladies joined in the harmony when it was next sung.  
 
In response to several other song suggestions, Alan explained that those tried this evening were just a handful of the final programme and others would be introduced in the practices leading up to the Fringe event.  
 
The whole group finished the evening with a joyful “Happy Birthday” to Chris, who was due a birthday at the weekend.
 
 
Anne S
 

A "Thank You" for our Singing

Thank you to the South Downs Folk Singers who came along (in fairly inclement weather) to sing for the Sompting Wassail in Tarring.

Despite some annoying drizzle, there was a good audience, and we managed to go ahead with the procession, the blessing of the apple trees, and the Mummers' play, all out in the open air. It was lovely to hear the sound of the Wassail songs as the     procession made its way into the Vine garden, and many members of the audience joined in the songs with enthusiasm.

Many thanks again and we hope that the South Downs Folk Singers will be willing to join the celebration next year, when the date will be Monday 5th January 2026.

Best wishes
Sompting Village Morris

New Items on our Miscellaneous Page

If you are interested in folk dances as well as folk songs and music - do have a look! 

Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday January 2nd 2025

On the second day of 2025 and for our first Worthing SDFS session of the New Year, the Barn welcomed us again with its fairy lights and Christmas Tree, still there to see out the season's festivities.  18 singers gathered on a chilly evening, with icy roads out and about which had perhaps deterred a few of our 'regulars'.  Emily was needed at home so unable to join us for this session, but Alan nobly stepped up as our guide for an evening of wassailing songs ("Sugar Wassail", "Gloucester Wassail", "Here We Come A'wassailing", "Apple Wassail" and  "Silver Wassail") and other seasonal choices by request ("Sweet Chiming Bells", "The Field Mouse Carol", "Sussex Mummers Carol", "Moon Shone Bright", "Fields Lie Silent" and for a finale, "Thousands or More").  

Between times we enjoyed Lyn singing for us her version of "Hard Times" which she'd shared at the last Chichester group session (and it's now available on the SDFS Blog pages: "Other Songs to Try" and "Songs Created by Us") - and we followed it by all singing the original version "Hard Times of Old England" again.   Keith and Jean also entertained us with the version they knew of "Friendly Beasts" - similar to the one we've learned from and arranged by Amaryllis - but sung as a gentle lullaby.  Later in the evening Alan gave us "Where Does Father Christmas Go in the Summer Time", which prompted more cheery smiles and some folks joining in on the chorus.  

So all in all we enjoyed fifteen songs with a sociable break mid way (made all the better by the mincepies contributed by Suzie) - but with the chilly and possibly dropping temperatures in mind we concluded the evening in good time before taking to the roads again to wend our ways home.  We'll be back at the Barn on Candlemas Eve (February 1st), without fairy lights by then but still with good company and songs to cheer us - and a hopeful look towards the spring returning very soon!  

H. 

Findon Valley Community Orchard Wassail - Saturday January 4th 2025 - Podcast report

Some of our South Downs Folk Singers supported the first ever Findon Valley Community Orchard  Wassail held yesterday, and offered a few songs in celebration of the newly planted fruit trees to encourage them to grow and prosper in future years. 

You can listen to the Worthing Podcast article about the event here - which features an interview with our very own Alan Wheeler!

Many thanks again to Alan and the singers there for our first sing out of the New Year!  

A Song To Try - The Folk Songs of Old England

Here's an amusing alternative of the traditional song "Hard Times of Old England" written by Lyn Ford, entitled "The Folk Songs of Old England".

Lyrics