Four Parishes Arts Society - January 2004

An audience of over seventy filled Grateley Village Hall at the end of November to hear "The Madding Crowd's" wonderful evocation of an old village band. The thirty members of the group were dressed in smocks and breeches and a selection of ancient headgear or aprons, shawls and bonnets - even their faces took on the look of old country people as they sang and played the l7th and l8th century music of village church galleries. 

Rousing psalms, rounds and even a stirring funeral hymn were interspersed with contemporary accounts of the lives of the parson, the squire, the farmer's wife and her maid; with tales of hiring fairs and the village girl who ran away to the town where she was "ruined"! After the interval, when everyone enjoyed mulled wine and mince pies, the singing seemed to get even better and the whole congregation joined in the chorus of "Thine be the Glory" from Handel's Judas Maccabeus. A truly inspiring evening. 

For our January meeting we had a very entertaining evening of magic from Michael King, who performed his mystifying sleight-of-hand with all his usual skill and humour and quite a lot of audience participation. With Monxton Village Hall lit by candles and everyone with a glass of wine to hand it was a very pleasant and festive occasion. 

Our next meeting is on 5 February when we shall be visiting Kevin Green's pottery studio at Cricklade College for a talk and practical demonstration. Please note the earlier starting time of 7.00 p.m. To find the pottery studio, go into the college by the main entrance - by the pond - and there will be someone in the hallway to direct you to the studio. If you would like a lift in to Andover, please ring a member of the committee beforehand.