Seven SDFSingers attended this session, our number reduced by the holidays and other commitments of other regular participants - but it was boosted by four new faces, students from West Dean college, who had met one of our group at a Fishbourne Mill Morris event and she had invited them to attend.
The evening proved to be mix of songs suggested in preparation for the SDFS sings due at Fishbourne Roman Palace on Saturday December 5th, and the lunchtime concert at Christ Church in Worthing on Tuesday Dec 8th. - with word sheets shared to include our guests. These were interspersed by spontaneous contributions from our guests of songs they knew (not necessarily South Downs ones and titles not supplied) for our enjoyment and engagement if we knew them.
From the SDFS collection we started with "Masters of this Hall" - which had become a little rusty since last used in 2025, but improved with a second go. Then, "In the Bleak Midwinter", "Holly and the Ivy", and the "Sussex Carol", before discussing then singing "Gaudete", with the original Latin words. Latin scholars amongst us did best in this but we all managed to keep up. Suggestions were made about splitting verse lines or choruses between men and women' voices - and agreed the chorus should begin with male voices. To avoid confusion for our SDFS singers not present, we avoided a verse featured on some copies of the lyrics - to leave only the four reproduced on the SDFS Blog's songs page.
From there we went back to more familiar pastures with 'Fields Lie Silent", before "Pentonville" and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" - with an interlude for "Dark December" a lovely song, sung by David accompanied by his guitar and the rest of us joining in the choruses. (Permission has been sought for this much enjoyed seasonal song to be used by us - although admittedly it's origins are in the North Country.).
"The Coppers' Christmas Song", new to our guests, came next before a song we all knew well, "Country Life", sung together before the break. "Rosebuds in June" was briefly mentioned as another song known to us all - but one of our new singers reported having learnt it to a different tune in his home county of Dorset. During what passed for a break - our guests contributed some songs they liked and knew well, with others who also knew them joining in - and Alan presented the readings he is planning to included in the programme for the "Christ Church" event in December.
When all were ready to, we used the remaining time together to sing "Sugar Wassail". "Wassail the Silver Apple", "Oak and Ash and Thorn", "One for the Rook" - and last but not least, not a South Downs song but definitely adopted by us in the SDFS Chichester group - "Rolling Home"…. before we duly did just that.
We'll be back at The Inn on November 19th - see you there!
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