Spring Into Summer Update

Having just had a gloriously sunny spring day last weekend to sing at the National Trust's Spring Festival at Petworth House, West Sussex, (thank you again to our hosts) - we now look forward to singing at the "Garden Show at Firle House" in East Sussex on Easter Sunday, April 20th.  

We hope we will see you there - and also at any or all of our other events elsewhere at this time of year.   Details are on the Diary Dates page of this Blog but here's a summary….. 

"Stanmer Village Apple Blossom Day" on Sunday April 27th 

"Old Mill Open Day" in Keymer on Sunday May 4th -  and -  

"The Stork Fair" in Storrington on Monday May 5th.

Then on Sunday June 1st we'll be singing for the Chichester Fringe Festival - singing at the  Chichester Canal Basin Cafe at 7.00pm. 

 

(This a ticketed event payable to the Fringe - please refer to the Fringe's own website for details:  www.chichesterfringe.co.uk).

We have more dates and venues on our Diary Page calendar for the rest of the year - so plenty of chances to come and share in our South Downs Songs and Singing - and watch this page for regular news and posts.  

Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday April 3rd 2025

28 singers gathered, with Emily returned to lead us, for our April session at the lovely Sussex Barn. We welcomed a new face to the fold - and hope that Sarah will enjoy more sessions with us in the future.  Sadly it was Jan's last session before her move, but we were glad she had found time from all her packing to come and sing with us.

After some introductions, and brief reminders from Henny about the next few public events on our calendar (Petworth House being the first of these on April 12th), we launched into "Country Life".  Emily urged those of us who have been singing this song for months if not years, to avoid referring to lyric sheets whilst we sang (with dispensation given to any newcomers to the songs)!  This 'rule' carried over for "Rosebuds in June", "Pleasant and Delightful", "The Nightingale" and "Green Grow the Laurels" - all of which were sung with increasing confidence and enthusiasm, perhaps boosted by finding how well we managed without the support (or distraction) of song books!

Some song books reappeared for the next few songs - starting with "Hares on the Mountain". There was discussion about the interpretation, pace and volume of this song, reaching some agreement on it being better if sung briskly and brightly but with the second line of each verse a little softer than the first.  "Lark in the Morning" also provoked discussion, again, about which version we should use, the variations in the words and how best to scan the timing of some lines. The 'Coppers' version' was the one selected to sing, albeit with some characteristic SDFS tweaks within it!  "Searching For Lambs" concluded the first half of our session - with little or no discussion but our usual enjoyment in singing it.   

The break included the some delicious chocolate cakes generously made and brought by Jan as her farewell - many thanks Jan and we wish you well in your new home! Thereafter we resumed singing with "Jim the Carter Lad", including whip-cracking hand claps to punctuate the chorus.  Then "The Cuckoo" - with more discussion, this time about the additional verse (now available on the SDFS Blog) and also about holding the note on some words and at the end of some lines.  Emily mentioned she has another verse to add, if liked, which she will bring for us to try at a future session.

We took a pause from singing together to hear Emily sing "The Stork Song", created by Eileen S, for use when a group led by Emily perform at the 'Stork Fair' event in Storrington on May 5th.  With Emily's guidance we sang it through and will do so again at next our Barn session on May Ist - May Day!  Alan then suggested and supported work on the "Rambling Comer" to include all three parts, which are gradually bedding in. To conclude the session we invited Jan to choose a song - and we sang "Ladies Go Dancing at Whitsun", it being one of her favourites..

Bon voyage Jan and thanks all.

H.

ALERT !

Lewes Local Group Session – Monday April 21st - temporary re-arrangement. 

Our usual venue is unavailable this month - so we will be singing earlier than usual - 7pm to 9pm - at the "Railway Land Nature Reserve" in Lewes.

Please meet at 6:45pm outside the Linklater Pavilion, Railway Lane BN7 2FG (just inside the reserve).  We will be singing at a spot a little further into the reserve, near what we have named the "Magpie Bush".

We will be back at our usual venue for our May session.

(For full details, please view our Diary Dates page.)

Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday March 20th 2025

15 singers came along to a corner of the Chichester Inn for the March SDFS get together.

 

The object of the evening was to continue to rehearse material that was going to be sung at the Chichester Fringe event this coming June.  Alan outlined that the start song was that old favourite that the group perform really well – "Country Life".  He also suggested to general agreement that the group could add emphasis to the chorus by punching the air in every chorus.  So, with that in mind the first song was launched, rowdily sung and given full actions!  "Sugar Wassail" followed in keeping with the seasonal progress of the planned Fringe programme with some tips on counting to ensure that the gaps in the song are clearly defined.  Dave G gave a splendid wassail recitation at the end and it was agreed that implements to make a noise as per the Wassailing tradition could be brought along.  

"On Sussex Hills" sung in the usual robust fashion was followed by "The Bee Boys Song", after which Amaryllis led her small “harmony” section into some lovely harmonies and completed the song with a great rendition of a traditional beehive wassail text from 19C Amberley.  A very competent "One for the Rook" came next followed by "When Spring Comes In".  The latter – appropriate as the first day of Spring was actually upon us, was partially tried again at a slightly faster pace which improved it, with a note to remember to keep up the pace at the start of each new verse.  Men and Women sang appropriate verses of the next song "Searching for Lambs" following the familiar discussions about varying words!  Alan recapped all parts to "Rambling Comber" which seemed to go pretty well as the first attempt at singing all three parts together.  A busy first half was rounded off with our version of "Summer Is A-Coming In" with agreement to leave out the chorus at the end and finish by repeating the last line slowly.

 

The second session of the evening, started out with a hearty rendition of "Hal and Tow" including all to clap once in the chorus which also formed the start of the song, rather than the verse.  "Ladies Go Dancing at Whitsun" was sung by ladies with some accompaniment by the men, followed by the well known "Rosebuds in June" which was sung extremely competently and led on to the "Lammas Carol" which again went well with a small review of some of the notes in a couple of lines.  "Farmers Toast" – with a reminder that we were performing the “shortened” version came next which worked well.  A resounding performance of "Turmut Hoer" was next before Dave G’s lovely version with guitar accompaniment of "Dark December" to which the group joined in the chorus with harmonies beginning to be introduced.  

"The Fields Lie Silent was the penultimate offering before a rousing "Thousands or More" encore, brought to an end a very successful evening. The group having performed really well across the eighteen songs tried this evening.

 

Anne Sartain

"South Downs Folk Singers" at the Chichester Fringe - Sunday June 1st 2025

The "South Downs Folk Singers" are pleased to announce...... 

A group of us will be singing at the Chichester Canal Basin Cafe at 7.00pm on Sunday June 1st  - as part of the Chichester Fringe 2025!

The Chichester Fringe programme of events has just been launched and tickets are on sale NOW

For full details of our appearance - and to secure yourself a ticket - please go to the Fringe's own website:  www.chichesterfringe.co.uk 

Please share this exciting news with family and friends, and..... DON'T DELAY,  BOOK TODAY!! 

The Cuckoo

"The Cuckoo", a song first used by us during our early days in the 'South Downs Songs' project and already listed on our Songs and Recordings page, now has a fourth verse (author unknown). 

We have been in the habit of singing the first verse again to conclude the song - but now instead we have this end of season departure verse as a conclusion to compliment the herald of springtime in the first. 

Have a look - and enjoy a sing!

(You can find the updated lyrics on our Songs and Recordings page by clicking on this page link.)

Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday March 6th 2025

25 of us met at the Barn for this month's session.  Unfortunately Emily was needed at home so couldn't join us but sent good wishes to all in her absence.  Alan and Amaryllis kindly agreed to lead us through a goodly mix of songs and they took turns to introduce them and guide us.  Henny began the evening by giving Em's apologies and sharing some notices, including additional details and reminders about this year's programme of SDFS public events (already on our Blog Diary page), with an invitation to singers to volunteer to sing at them.  (The first of these will be singing at Petworth House again, on April 12th as part of their Spring Festival; Amaryllis will be leading and will soon prepare two sets of songs to sing at 12.00 noon then 2.00pm.) 

Our singing at this session began with Alan leading with "When Spring Comes In" - a suitable celebration of the recent up-turn in our weather and the joys of spring arriving at last!  Amaryllis took her first turn with "Life of a Man" reminding us in a different way of our life cycle and seasons' changing.  We headed for the hills after that, with Alan "Searching for Lambs" and Amaryllis with "Hares on the Mountain".  We sang the latter together, men and women, with the repeat line in each verse sung softly like an echo.  Continuing the spring theme we looked towards May with "Hal an Tow" - and Alan encouraged a united and positive single hand clap to punctuate the pause in the first line of the chorus (i.e. Hal an tow, (clap) jolly rumbalo) - which seemed to work well and added to the vibrancy of the song. 

Continuing with our tandem leads we sang "Lark in the Morning" - after a discussion about which lyrics to use. We ultimately chose the one based on the Coppers' version without chorus intervals. (This is on the 'Other Songs to Try' page of the SDFS Blog, but will soon to be added to the main 'Songs...' page).  Next came "Ladies Go Dancing at Whitsun" with a reminder to ensure use of the extra lift in the notes of 'go' in the last line when just women's voices end the song. 

We sang "The Cuckoo" with a light bright touch, led by Amaryllis, remembering to pace the timing to hold the note a little at the end of the third line in each verse, and also to give emphasis in the last line of each verse on 'summer', 'bring'  and 'maiden'.  We sang it with a repeat of the first verse to conclude the song on a more cheery note - but Angela S then shared with us some alternative lines she has which might serve better - "And when her time is come her voice we don't hear, and where she goes we do not know until another year'.  (These will soon be added to the song on the Blog.) 

After a break with various drinks and chats, we continued with a mix of songs suggested by Alan or Amaryllis or by general request.  Starting with "Summer is Acommin' In Again", and "My Downland Remembered", before Alan suggested "The Rambling Comber" including its low and high harmonies which are now beginning to bed in.  "One for the Rook", now a firm favourite, was prefaced by details shared by Steve and Henny of their recent contact with Paul (an associate and friend of the song's writer, Mike Barber), who has endorsed our use of the song saying that he and Mike's family are pleased to know his songs are being used, this being a fitting epitaph to Mike who died a few weeks ago.  With this in mind we sang the song with our usual pleasure and gusto.  

As the clock ticked on, two more requests followed to conclude the evening - "Rosebuds in June" and last but not least the "Parting Song".

Many thanks to Alan and Amaryllis for their generous efforts - and to all the singers who turned up in the face of winter colds and other bugs, multiple works or diversions on the roads just now, and all the other demands in their busy lives -  to support another jolly good sing at the Barn!    See you in April !   

"Shine Radio", Petersfield - Interview with and about the "South Downs Folk Singers"

Please use the link below to find and enjoy the interview with three of our singers (Sue, Stephen and Viv) from our Chichester Local Group, recently broadcast on "Shine Radio" in Petersfield.  

Thank you to all of them for their fine performance on our behalf and to Mike Waddington from "Shine Radio" for providing the link. 

 Folk singing for joy and remembrance | Petersfield's Shine Radio

 

Lewes Local Group Report - Monday February 17th 2025

Half term, along with work, illness and a bereavement, kept the numbers down to 9 today, men outnumbering women for once (6:3) but the latter were experienced singers and harmonisers who more than held their own. Between talk of dogs, cough sweets and road works, we managed 18 songs from our spring, summer and outdoorsy list.  

  

A rousing “Country Life” was followed by Irish interloper “Eileen Aroon” (given honorary Sussex residence thanks to it, allegedly, being a Hilaire Belloc favourite). The Copper family’s “The Birds on the Spray” and “When Spring Comes In” both involved pleasant harmonies and led Tina to wish we were recording the session. Ken said he would oblige when next here in April. The more recent creation “Oldland Mill” led to another, “Oak Tree Song” before “The Nightingale’’ ended the first half, though there was some discussion as some of the lyrics suggesting ‘ale’ rather than ‘pale beer’ would have to be drunk in India - India Pale Ale was invented for that very purpose as ale spoiled on the trip! Who said folk songs had to be factual anyway. 

  

 After the short drink and toilet break “Pleasant and Delightful” kicked us off and was followed by the oldest song in the set: “Love and the Ball”, concerning the local sport of stoolball, based on a poem by Robert Herrick, a 17^th century lyric poet and Anglican cleric and set to music by Alan Wheeler. “My Downland Remembered”, another of Alan’s adaptations of an existing poem, tells of a man transported to Australia for the theft of unwinnowed oats (what would have been the sentence if the grain he pinched had sprouted?). “Fathom the Bowl”, “Sussex Wedding Song” and “On Sussex Hills” generated more harmonies. After “Searching for Lambs” we dreamed of “Rosebuds in June” and “Green Grow the Laurel”. Kipling’s “Bee-Boy’s Song” took us to a rousing Copper send-off with “Thousands or More”. 

  

Pleasant company. Good beer. Great harmonies. A treat. 

  

Ken 

  

And Another Post on the Misc. Page ....

A rather belated post - offering a link to a podcast from the Findon Valley Wassail held on January 4th, where a few of us sang and our own Alan W was interviewed - do have a look and a listen!