Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday December 21st 2023

On near enough the shortest day of the year a goodly crowd of South Downs Folk Singers came together for a festive sing at a busy "Chichester Inn” (this included two new faces, one being very like another already in the Chichester gang!).  Welcome all!  

Against the challenging soundscape of a popular pub in the week before Christmas, we valiantly and cheerily sang our way through over 20 songs, with a mix of other enjoyable ‘party pieces’ offered in addition.  All met with a good-natured mix of attention and inattention from the various social groups of other customers seated nearby - with occasional moments of appreciation and applause before their chattering resumed as we sang on!

Our choice of songs for any who listened (and could hear them!) began with “Masters in This Hall”, "Good King Wenceslas”, “Hark the herald Angels” and the “Gloucester Wassail” .  Steve A then read to us “The Ruined Maid”, a poem and commentary by Thomas Hardy, its observations and wit giving rise to a wry smile or two…   Singing resumed with "O Little Town of Bethlehem”, before Julia presented for us the lyrics she has written for a winter song featuring a woodland battle between the oak and the holly - we look forward to hearing the tune to complete it (still a work in progress). “Wassail the Silver Apple”, came next - new to some but already on the SDFS Blog and recently revived at the last Worthing local group session.   (Alan proposed the version on the Blog be re-structured to feature the chorus after 2 not 3 verses).  Gordon then gave us his witty song featuring the 12 themes (and also the 12 tunes needed to illustrate them) most commonly used on Christmas cards - a musical challenge indeed!   And Chris continued the entertainment with the ’tale’ of “Spot of the Antarctic” which successfully paused some of the nearby chattering as other pub customers listened - and even joined in!   “Gaudete” and “The Boar’s Head Carol” took our singing to the midway break and some well earned refreshment. 

Les opened the second half with his rendition of “The Christmas Tree Fairy” (credited to Stanley Holloway) - leading to more wry smiles …. after which our singing resumed, firstly to wish Amaryllis a “Happy Birthday” and 'the best of health on her day of birth’, then on to another seasonal choice, “Pentonville”.  Alan took a quieter moment to recite for us an old favourite, “Eddie’s Service” by Rudyard Kipling.  A couple of wassails followed, “Here We Come A-Wassailing” and the “Apple Tree Wassailing Song”, before the gentle tones of “In the Bleak Midwinter” and the brightness of the “Sussex Carol”.  Chris introduced and led the ‘alternative’ version of “Grandma We Love You”, with our voices joining in the chorus, before, by popular demand, Alan sang for us the "Field Mouse Carol” (from 'The Wind in the Willows’). This is also on the Blog on the 'Other Songs to Try' page - and we hope will get more use next year. 

Alan provided instrumental accompaniment to many of the songs during the evening, including the 'Christmas Calypso' which he offered and led, with others who knew it joining in, before we all sang “Sweet Chiming Bells” together, followed by “Now Chritmas is Come”, “Angel Gabriel”, “Holly and the Ivy” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”.  These brought us near to the close of the session, an appropriate moment for joining hands and voices in “Auld Lang Syne” and last but not least -“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” to finish!

With Seasonal Good Wishes shared and plentiful thanks conveyed to everyone who'd contributed, especially to Alan for his genial facilitation of the session and his expert musical accompaniment (with added 'get well soon' messages for him to take back to Anne) - we concluded our farewells with a nod towards gathering again at the Chichester Inn for our next session in January 2024 - Happy New Year!  

Lewes Local Group Report – Tuesday 19th December 2023

A small but enthusiastic group came out to the King’s Head all set to tackle some winter, Christmas and Wassailing songs to see out 2023. We had known that several regulars would be at Brighton Pub Carols and other events but had agreed in November that we would go ahead tonight with whoever could make it.

However,…having arrived in good time and while awaiting the others I received a text saying somebody with whom I had been in close proximity a few days before had now tested positive for Covid. As a result, I stopped singers as soon as they arrived and informed them of the situation from a safe distance. Since two have vulnerable relatives, we decided to take no chances and not to proceed with the session and bade sad goodbyes and festive greetings as we headed home.

Nick usually gets the award for travelling the furthest distance (from Bexhill) but tonight that accolade went to Ted, an American visitor who had come down from London specially to listen to us, having emailed the previous day to check we would be there. He has our original CD which he bought 10 years ago and plays at his parties in Massachusetts and being here on one of his twice-yearly trips to the UK he wanted to hear English folk sung in an English pub. Unfortunately, he was flying back the following day, or we would have suggested he try the Chichester session on Thursday 21st. It was lovely to meet him, albeit briefly, and hopefully he will be able to catch us on a future visit.

Seasonal greetings to all and we look forward to seeing anyone who can join us when we resume on Tuesday 16th January.

Tina

Season's Greetings and Festive Cheer!

       Here are some photos of our Sing at the Weald and Downland Living Museum’s Advent Market - some singers on their way to the event and the whole gang (with Steve behind the camera) preparing to sing in the Market Square.  It was a rather damp and chilly day, but singing lifted our voices, although sadly not the clouds, and helped to keep us warm. 

A week later we sang again in the courtyard of a beautifully decorated Petworth House, on an even chillier but at least drier winter’s day. (we hope some more photos from there will follow soon) - and last weekend we contributed to the festive fun at Rustington Museum’s Christmas event.

We were, as ever, glad to support and contribute to these lovely festive events - so many thanks to our hosts for their hospitality and to the visitors who stopped and listened.  And many thanks to our leads Tina, Alan and Emily, and of course to our Singers, for their energy and commitment to singing and sharing our songs. 

We still have one Yuletide event to go before the 25th - we’ll be singing in Worthing Town centre (near the Guildbourne centre) at 12.00 noon on Saturday December 23rd.  Then the fun continues at our first event of the New Year singing in support of the Sompting Morris Wassail celebrations in Tarring in the evening of January 5th - so why not bring your voices to join with ours in The Vine’s pub garden to toast the apple trees. 

Our SDFS local group sessions across Sussex are still there to enjoy through December and into 2024 - and more public events are being planned - so plenty to choose from to come and hear us, or even join us!  (More details are on our "Diary Dates" page and the “Welcome" page of this Blog.)

Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday December 7th 2023

The festive season and mood shaped our December session at the Barn - helped along by some mince-pies kindly brought by Gillian and enjoyed in the break (many thanks Gillian!).

After a brief notice to confirm plans for the remaining seasonal events on our performance calendar, with Emily's capable and joyful leadership our voices and spirits lifted with “Hark the Herald Angels”, “Sweet Chiming Bels” and “The Holly and the Ivy”.  “Ideo” came next, sung at a bright pace, followed by one of the songs added to our seasonal mix this year, “Now Christmas is Come”.  We returned to more familiar territory in “Deck the Halls” before the first of three rounds sung during the session - “Hey Ho Winter Snow’"- which built up to a successful 5 part rendition, and very lovely it sounded too!  'While Shepherds Watched' to the “Pentonville" melody gave a pause before another round - the lovely "I heard a Bird Sing”, the gentle sweetness of which benefitted from a simpler arrangement in fewer parts. 

After our break (with mince-pies and time for chat) we resumed with some debate about the length of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and considered trying a chorus after every two verses to reduce it a little.  In the event it wasn’t sung but time was given instead to another round, “Child of Light”, provoking general comment on how enjoyable and beautiful singing in the round can be.  We moved on to the "Sans Day Carol" - another 'holly' song full of the symbolic meaning this evergreen has at Christmas.  With careful rhythm we sang the lovely “The Angel Gabriel”, followed by one we have not often sung although liked by many, the “Boar’s Head Carol”.  This inspired us to give “Gaudete” a try, a popular song heard elsewhere by most of our singers.  Alan and David did an excellent job on the latin verses - with the rest of us managing to join in with the simpler latin choruses.  It is definitely one we enjoyed singing and would like to improve for next year’s festivities.  

With an eye then turning to the new year - and in anticipation of wassailing with the Sompting Morris side in Tarring village on January 5th - we dusted off “Here We Come a-Wassailing”, the “Apple Tree Wassail” and the “Sugar Wassail”.  Then the one we most often sing, the “Gloucestershire Wassail”, which like folk songs do has travelled across many regions, including Sussex!  We closed the evening with a rather last minute suggestion to try another one heard but not yet sung by everyone, so led by Alan and Emily with a strong driving rhythm liked by all, we sang “Wassail the Silver Apple”- which we hope to revisit post-Christmas at our next Barn session in the New Year.

So with Seasons Greetings exchanged our last Worthing group session of 2023 concluded - and now we look forward to our first Barn session of 2024 on Thursday January 4th!    

Lewes Local Group Report - Tuesday 21st November 2023

Our new singing venue, The King’s Head in Lewes, is proving popular, and thirteen of us gathered there on November 21^st, completely filling the top tier of the pub. As our numbers expand we’ll have to accept Dec’s kind offer to use the larger middle tier in order to accommodate everyone.

We were pleased to welcome our newest member Celia from Lewes, returning members Ruth and Steve from Henfield, and of course all our trusty regulars. After a brief introduction from everyone Tina opened the evening explaining that she’d selected the evening’s songs to link in with Remembrance Day, winter and of course looking ahead to Christmas.  We started with the “West Sussex Drinking Song” and moved into winter with the “Fields Lie Silent”.

Tina’s reminder that no-one should sing anything with which they feel at all uncomfortable was pertinent as we went on to sing “Home, Lads Home”, “The Ladies Go Dancing at Whitsun” and “My Boy Jack”, all of which commemorate those tragically lost in war.

Everyone was in fine voice and we headed towards Christmas with the new to us “Boar’s Head Carol” which Tina taught as a suggestion for next year and everybody picked up quickly, and the more familiar “Falmer Carol”. “Stir-up Sunday”,  a round written by Alan from our Chichester group, was particularly topical as this year the day for traditionally starting the Christmas pudding falls this week on 26^th. The “Woodcutter’s Song”, ”Gather Round the Fire” (another round) and “Where Stormy Winds Do Blow” kept up the seasonal theme before we returned to carols with “Ideo” (another new try out ahead of next year which was also well received).  “Old Adam” made an appearance before we finished with a rousing rendition of “Thousands or More”.

In the break Tina mentioned the Weald and Downland Living Museum event this Sunday and there was some enthusiasm for the idea of arranging a Wassail event for 2025 as there’s not time to try and arrange a public event for January 2024.

Jan

Our Next Events - Seasonal Events

As autumn gives way to winter and the 'festive season' approaches, we have a number of events and places where we look forward to sharing our seasonal songs with all.

In addition to our regular local group sessions this month, in December and on into 2024, we will be singing at the Weald and Downland Living Museum during their Advent Market on Sunday November 26th.  

Then on Saturday December 2nd you'll find us singing in the courtyard at Petworth House on one of the pre-Christmas open days there. 

Saturday December 9th sees us singing at Rustington Museum's Christmas Fayre - and on the last Saturday before Christmas, December 23rd, we'll be singing in Worthing town centre (near the Guildbourne Centre steps) singing in support of the "Worthing Lions" and Father Christmas!  

Thank you to our hosts for inviting us to these events - and we're not finished there - our first public sing of 2024 will be on January 5th at the Sompting Morris' Wassail celebrations in Tarring Village, Worthing. 

Lots to sing and lots to enjoy - so come along and enjoy the Season with us - and make your New Year's resolution to join us at one or all of our regular local group sessions through 2024! 

Another Song to Try - The Field Mouse Carol (Joy Shall Be Yours in the Morning)

Here's a sweet song - a poem from The Wind in the Willows set to music by Chris Green.  

Sung to us by Alan at the last Chichester local group session, and agreed by everyone there to put on this page for others to hear, try and enjoy it too.  So here it is!

You'll find the lyrics, tune and youtube video via the links below.

Lyrics

Tune

Video

Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday November 16th 2023

Fifteen valiant SDFS singers came out on a rainy evening to sing Christmassy songs in preparation for the forthcoming SDFS Christmas events.

The evening opened with "Deck The Halls"  sung with gusto and enthusiasm and moved on to a suitably seasonal "Poor Froze Out Gardeners"  sung by all and not just the men.  "The Sussex Mummers’Carol"  followed with some discussion about gaps and whether or not to sing the last verse as a round.  "The Woodcutters Song"  proved a popular next rendition and lead up to trying out one of the newest additions to the repertoire – "When It’s Christmas Time".  All agreed that the words of the next song, "Fields Lie Silent Now", were really good, even if now slightly outdated as we seem to have rain rather than frost in December.  Which led Steve to observe that the fields round Rogate were covered in redundant Haloween Pumpkins for winter!  The "Pentonville" version of While Shepherds Watched  came next with the men singing their part well.  "Sussex Carol"  rounded off the first half after some discussion about men/women parts and what repeats there might be.
 
As everyone headed off for a well earned break, there was a decision NOT to cancel the December Chichester meet-up on 21 December and Steve checked that the pub were still happy for us to come. Everyone agreed to bring a special Christmas poem/song or even instruments to make it a lively session.
 
Alan took the opportunity to sing "Field Mice Carol" from the Wind in the Willows and all present thought it should be added to the “Other Songs to Try” page of this Blog.
 
"Holly and the Ivy (Sans Day Carol)" opened the second half of the evening and was sung so well that Alan decided the group needed a little more of a challenge and the group tried "When It’s Christmas Time"  a Brighton Carol introduced relatively recently.  Latin was attempted in "Ideo"  with Alan making the point to follow the timing used at the recent Worthing practice.  "Master’s in This Hall"  followed, after comments that it hadn’t gone particularly well when sung last year at Chichester.  It was sung really well following a slight lowering of key and there was discussion about the possibility of a drum accompaniment to help keep the song dynamic!  "Coppers Christmas Song"  and "Moon Shone Bright" followed.  The latter possibly being a bit “weaker” as it hadn’t been sung very often, was sung twice for confidence building!  "When Stormy Winds Do Blow"  was an appropriate comment on the weather outside before the evening finished with  "The Parting Song".
 
Alan complimented all on some very good singing and reminded the group to watch whoever was leading whilst out and be prepared for maybe different keys and timing - and with that, the Chichester branch of the SDFS was launched towards it’s Christmas performances for 2023.
 
Anne S
 
For anyone interested in hearing Alan, Anne, and their friends in "Cotillion" sing ....

There will be a Christmas performance with "Cotillion" in Sompting Church on Saturday 9th December.  Start Time: 2.00 pm, to run with a break for about 90 minutes.                           

                                               

"A Sussex Christmas" is a combination of seasonal Songs,  narration and join in carols.  The organisers usually provide some kind of refreshment during the break.  Tickets in aid of Sompting Church on the door.

Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday November 2nd 2023

Sadly there was no Worthing Local Group session at the Barn this month.  

The impact of the recent stormy weather here, which didn't calm during the day as much as we'd hoped, the resulting concerns about travel to and from the session, and the apologies for absence received from a number of singers, led us rather late in the day to decide it would be much better to be safe than sorry.  So the session was cancelled, notices were posted, texts were sent, calls were made - and we stayed safe, dry, and maybe singing, at home.

Sadly this disappointed hopes of having another jolly good sing together to cheer us as the days shorten and darken at this time of year.   But our songs in celebration of the season changing from autumn into winter, songs of Remembrance, and songs heralding the Festive Season, will still be there to enjoy at either or both of our other local groups' sessions in Lewes and Chichester this month - and at our next Worthing meeting at the Barn on December 7th.  (See the Diary Dates page on this Blog for more details.)

May the elements be on our side for safe travel to all of them - but just in case, before you attend, do keep a look out for notices if plans have had to change.  

Stay safe and keep singing!

H.

Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday October 19th 2023

Fourteen stalwart singers came out on a rainy evening to a fairly quiet venue, where we entertained and probably surprised those that passed through the bar, with a selection of Christmas songs and carols which as Alan explained, was in preparation for the forthcoming SDFS Christmas events.
 
The evening opened with "Coppers Christmas Song" – a good rendition, familiar to all.   There was some discussion at the end about the last few words, were we wishing everyone a Happy Christmas, New Year or Winter? The  "Pentonville"  version of While Shepherds Watched followed, well sung by all.  Having confidently started, the group tackled a new offering from the Lewes Group –  "Now Christmas is Come".  Dave G was enthusiastic about the new possibilities and confidently led the group through this and followed it with  "When It’s Christmas Time (Ring Bells Ring)".  The group were not keen on the latter but nevertheless tackled it under Dave’s excellent tutelage.  Again there was some discussion about line scanning in some verses.  "In The Bleak Mid-Winter"  followed with the group confidently singing this well known carol where it was felt that harmonies were definitely required to enhance and liven it up.  The group sang with equal confidence "The Angel Gabriel"  to conclude the first half of the evening.
 
The second half opened with  "Ideo", well sung and remembered by all with a discussion about the best speed it should be sung and Alan reminded all to watch the conductor whilst singing out!  This was followed by a song from the “to try” list  "The Boar’s Head Carol"  which was much enjoyed by all.  Steve A had amazingly found a link to Sussex in a Roman reference in the song!  To continue the Latin theme, Dave G was prompted to sing "Gaudete" which was quickly enhanced in the chorus by the group who added top and bottom harmonies to rousing effect!
 
Alan then invited suggestions from the floor as we had tried all the potential new material.  This resulted in  "Deck the Halls"  sung with gusto and a rendition of  "Sussex Mummers Carol"  after discussion about which verses to sing and an excellent round in three parts on the last verse. Henny had found an older version which was interesting.  Dave G requested "Falmer Carol", so he could try out the bass harmony and after discussions, the group settled on singing four verses with chorus between each, to which the base harmony by the men went well.  Henny had found references to other local carols and suggested it would be very appropriate for the SDFS to try and sing them. "The Ditchling Carol"  was one such example and all listened to a couple of versions via Steve’s mobile!  
 
To round off a very productive evening, the two new carols from Lewes were tried once more with increasing confidence ready for the Christmas season!
 
Anne S