The South Downs Folk Singers Annual General Meeting meant an early start at the Barn - but once the agenda had been covered and (for now!) discussions done, tables and chair were reconfigured and after a short break we began our singing with time enough for a dozen songs (and another discussed) to complete the evening.
Before the session Amaryllis had suggested a selection of songs, for enjoyment of our winter season repertoire and in preparation for the events we have planned in November and December. To interrupt and conclude the post AGM and break-time chatting, a few voices launched with their first choice: the "Boar's Head Carol", with everyone else soon joining in. This was followed by the joyful "Sweet Chiming Bells" before the gentle but also joyous "Field Mouse Carol". Other aspects of the winter season were described in the "Woodcutters Song" and "Where Stormy Winds Do Blow". It was agreed the verses of the latter should be brisk and determined, and the choruses rendered robustly and not too slow - in the character of stormy winds (and likened by one singer to a speech by King Lear!).
We moved on to seasonal greenery with "The Holly and the Ivy", before a brief departure to the round "I heard a Bird Sing" which was lovely and fun, until unfortunately it lost its way towards the end. By contrast "Poor Froze Gardeners" described the hardships of winter, before "Friendly Beasts" provided some cheer and warmth in its depiction of animals at the Nativity. The 'dooby-do's' added last year between the verses of Amaryllis' tune for the latter were reviewed, and it was generally agreed to remove them in favour of the verses flowing on after just a brief silent pause.
The beautiful and popular "Fields Lie Silent" was our next choice, before "Ideo", and then discussion of "Gaudete" (which had previously been offered, and has now been suggested again, by singers in the Chichester group). We managed the chorus, but not everyone was familiar with the verses, in Latin. So it was not ventured in full this evening, but may be given more time at another session. That left us with just enough time to sing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" - using the tune we prefer which differs from the one most of us learned at school or in church. So with that uplifting herald of Christmas and other seasonal songs to come, a busy evening closed.
All our songs can be found on the Songs pages of this Blog - and you can hear some of them them at our public performances in November and December. If not already in the "South Downs Folk Singers", you can also sing them with us by dropping us a line if you are interested and joining us at one, or all, of our local group sessions. All the details you need are on the pages of the Blog.
H.
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