Gloucestershire wassail (Hampton Fields version)
The original manuscript and notes – http://glostrad.com/wassail-song-hampton-fields/. Go to this link to download the “See the song/tune as collected (PDF file)”
Audio of song:
Wassail song (Hampton Fields) Prep
Key stage 2 years 5/6
Resources needed:
- audio equipment to play music,
- whiteboard to project text and write text.
- Paper and pencils/pens.
- In advance need to find the audio file (first three verses) and words on the www.glostrad.com website
- Length of lesson 45-60mins
Learning Intentions
• To Learn a traditional folk song
• Understand calendar customs
• Invent a new calendar custom
Background
What is a folk song?
• Not sung by professional musicians
• Passed down through families/communities/friends
• some songs are very old (often dating back to seventeenth century or earlier.
• Were often sung without any instruments.
Wassailing:
• Peformed in December to January
• Always an aspect of wishing for a good harvest
• House to house custom in Gloucestershire, like carol singing
• Always a traditional song performed and always carried a decorated bowl
Wassail song (Hampton Fields) Lesson
- Ask children what they think a folk song is.
- Tell them what a folk song is
- Play them the recording without showing the words
- Ask what they can remember
- Show words and sing through the song with recording
- Get the children to suggest other Calendar customs e.g.:
- • Christmas
- • Easter
- • Bonfire Night
- • Halloween
- • Eid al-Fitr
- • Eid al-Adha
- • Hanukkah
- • Diwali
Main activity: get the children to design their own calendar festival. Suggested elements:
• Song
• Special clothes
• Procession
• Why must it happen at that time of year?
Share festivals back to the group
Optional extra activity: Make postcards with picture and description of the festival