Moving our first session of 2026 from New Year's Day to the following Thursday gave us another opportunity to sing in the lovely acoustic of the church next door to the Barn. This had been kindly offered to us because the Barn was booked by the Sussex Folk Orchestra (SFO) for their regular rehearsal. Sadly the coughs, colds and stormy weather of this winter season limited our number to a dozen - but nonetheless we met with Emily to enjoy some seasonal songs together - before joining forces with the SFO in the Barn to conclude the evening.
"Country Life" warmed us up, followed by the challenge and delight of a variety of seasonal Rounds - "I Heard a Bird Sing"; "Hey Ho Winter Snow"; "Child of Light" and, with its creator Alan present, "Wassail All Your Apple Trees"- which will be the one used at the Findon Valley Orchard's Wassail event we'll be attending on Saturday 17th (2pm.).
Other wassail songs followed, and will be used on the 17th - starting with the "Gloucester Wassail" (on this occasion using the Dobbin, Filpail, Broad Mary and Lily White Frock, verses from the many available). The "Sussex" or "Sugar Wassail"; the "Silver Wassail" and "Here We Come A-Wassailing" followed, before "The Woodcutter's Song" conjured the warmth of log fires in winter.
Emily invited Alan to recite for us his poem about the old varieties of Sussex apples, enriched by rendering it in a Sussex accent, which was much enjoyed and applauded. The Winter continued to be celebrated in our next two songs - "Poor Froze Gardeners" and "Fields Lie Silent". Alan then shared with us plans made with Eileen (SFO lead) for the Findon Valley Wassail - and introduced us to a verse and the chorus (already known to a few of us) of "Landlord Fill the Flowing Bowl" which will be used by the SFO on the 17th.
By then it was time, as agreed, to join the SFO in the Barn, to sing through the songs we will share at Findon - "Sussex Wassail", "Here We Come A-wassailing", "Gloucester Wassail", "Landlord Fill the Flowing Blowl" - and Alan's "Wassail All Your Apple Trees" Round. In the Round it was agreed the split into only two parts - the Orchestra playing as part one and us singing as part two.
Time ran out for any more songs or rehearsal together - and so another enjoyable and productive evening closed. The SDFS will be back in the Barn as usual for our February session (on Feb. 5th), not with the SFO this time but still with singers and songs for another seasonal sing - by then looking towards the end of Winter and the return of Spring!
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