SDFS at W&DLM Christmas Market

Update 22nd November 2019: If it is raining (forecast is for light rain or showers to about lunchtime, preceded by heavier rain overnight) there is the music tent for shelter in the Market Square and the Gridshell Balcony as usual instead of the Courtyard by the shop.

Update 12th November 2019: Details from John C for this event have been added below. Be careful not to miss the performance notes from Alan which have been added after the set lists below.

Saturday 23rd November 2019
Weald & Downland Living Museum, Singleton, PO18 0EU

Again a packed event with over 150 stalls, so if the weather is reasonable it's worth making a day of it.

See the organiser's website.

Saturday is the middle day of the weekend, with probably the whole of the overflow car park filled out to West Dean College by 1pm, if the weather is dry.

If you arrive early (around 10.00am) you will be nearer to the entrance booths, please use the dedicated members and stall holders queue for quick entry, either by showing your SDFS lanyard (wristband see below) or identifying your surname on the list I will send them. The usual wristbands arrived too late to be distributed at our monthly meetings, but I will be at the Secret Shore Singers practice on Wednesday 20th Nov at YOHAH (for the Victorian Christmas Festival at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard) so you can pick one up then if convenient.

We have two sets, at 12.00 noon in the Market Square and 1.00pm in the Courtyard between the Gateway Entrance and Shop if the weather is OK, or perhaps on the decking outside the Gridshell if the weather is not dry. This will allow you the rest of the day to take in the market stalls and hopefully leave the site more easily.

Please gather at the Market Square and the Courtyard at least 15 minutes before each performance start time.

My contact email as usual for any queries – southdownsfolksingers@gmail.com

Dress for cold variable weather and wear stout shoes, but please don whatever festive headgear you want for the occasion.

I already have 40 volunteer singers for the day. As there will be more singers than at the 'Fire & Light' a couple of weeks ago, please follow Emily's requests to form a compact semi-circular group focussed on Alan, our leader for the day, so we can present the songs again at their best for the assembled multitudes.

Alan has appended a few notes regarding some order/variations to the various songs clarified at the last YOHAH practice. These follow the set lists below.

John C.


Our set lists (thank you Amaryllis) are below, with further details to be added here when available.

First Set – 12.00 noon in the Market Square:

1. Sweet Chiming Bells [E]
2. Where Stormy Winds Do Blow [A]
3. The Holly Bears a Berry [C]
4. Oak, Ash & Thorn [E]
5. Sussex Mummers’ Carol [G]
6. The Woodcutter’s Song [B]
7. Sussex Carol [G]
8. Life of a Man [B]
9. Hark the Herald Angels Sing [F]

Second Set – 1.00pm in the Courtyard between the Gateway Entrance and Shop:

1. The Holly & the Ivy [Ab]
2. The Fields Lie Silent [F]
3. Here We Come A-Wassailing [C]
4. The Coppers’ Christmas Song [B]
5. Rounds for the Festive Season
6. Poor Froze-Out Gardeners [Db]
7. The Falmer Carol [B]
8. The Angel Gabriel [B]
9. Pentonville (While Shepherds…) [C]

  
Additional performance notes as discussed at YOHAH 6th November 2019

Sussex Mummers Carol
Verses to be sung are:

1. When righteous Joseph...
2. Oh Blessed Mary...
3. God bless the master...
4. God bless your house...
5. Our song it is sung...

Hark the Herald Angels sing
The verse beginning "Mild he lays his glory by..."  should be sung softly

Here we come a-wassailing
Sing the last two lines of the song slowly

The Coppers' Christmas song
In the first three verses only men sing the first half of line 4 and women sing the second half
In the last verse substitute ‘Christmas’ for ‘Winter’

The Falmer Carol
Verses to be sung are:

1. See Seraphic throngs...
2. T’was for us he left...
3. Repeat verse 1