Whistling and humming are valuable variations , which you can introduce with great effect .sx Once the people are singing well ask them to whistle or hum a tune , preferably a slow and sentimental one .sx They will enjoy doing so immensely , and the effect produced will be surprisingly melodious .sx Do not , however , introduce whistling or humming too frequently into your programmes .sx Two songs each whistled or hummed through once is quite enough .sx If a round forms part of the programme , you must pay special attention to it or it will degenerate into a shouting match , and you will lose your authority and control over the people .sx Rounds are only possible indoors or with small open-air gatherings .sx Large open-air audiences are too unwieldy to carry them off with success .sx Before attempting to sing the round in parts , teach it to the audience as a whole , and let them sing it through in unison .sx Next explain simply but carefully exactly how it must be sung .sx Then divide the audience up into as many sections as the round has parts .sx Number them , one , two , three , etc. , in their order of starting to sing .sx To make sure that they know to which section .sx they belong ask all the " ones " to hold up their hands , then all the " twos , " and so on .sx Start each section off with a definite sweeping gesture , and shout out its number as you do so .sx Repeat this gesture as the moment arrives for each section to start the round again , repeating also their number .sx Stop each section in a similar way , by holding up your right arm vertically and shouting , " one , stop !sx " etc. In this way even a large indoor gathering can be led to sing a simple round such as " London's burning " or " Great Tom is Cast " accurately and greatly to their own amusement .sx Often , however , no matter how much preparation is devoted to it , the round will degenerate into a medley of singing , shouting , and laughter .sx In these circumstances do not try to stop the noise by shouting and gesticulating , for the audience will then only grow more noisy , as your antics will amuse them .sx Stand perfectly still with your arms by your sides until they stop which they will do quite soon if you do not encourage them to go on by interfering with their fun .sx Singers always enjoy a round enormously , and the inclusion of one in any programme makes the good temper of the people a certainty .sx There are many things about the management of a community " sing " which a song-leader can only possibly learn as fruits of his own experience .sx There are , however , some pitfalls he may avoid by adopting the following morsels of advice , all of which are drawn from the experience of seasoned song-leaders :sx Rehearse every song in your programme with the accompanist .sx Be sure that you and he understand each other's intentions thoroughly before you go on to start a " sing .sx " Use a " grand " piano whenever possible in preference to an " upright .sx " It is louder in tone , more effective , and much more handy to arrange conveniently so that you can see your accompanist , and he can see you .sx Never begin to lose your temper or your head .sx Both are simply fatal .sx Never despair if the people refuse to sing altogether ( e.g. out of doors when it happens to be raining) .sx If possible curtail the programme in these circumstances .sx If you cannot do this go on cheerfully .sx Failures do occur sometimes , and , if the circumstances are beyond your control , do not allow them to discourage you .sx Keep the attention of your audience concentrated on their singing .sx Lengthy pauses and " rests " permit the people to start thinking about something else besides the programme .sx Therefore avoid them .sx Do not cheapen yourself by clowning in your anxiety to absorb the people in singing .sx If you do they will laugh at you and not with you .sx Remember to keep your fingers together .sx If you allow them to separate , your hands will look funny to the people when you are conducting .sx Do not concentrate exclusively on the quantity of the singing .sx Remember its quality as well .sx Do not keep the people either sitting or standing for too long .sx Ask them to stand for some songs , especially vigorous ones , and to sing others while seated .sx Do not exhaust yourself completely in the first five minutes by excessive activity .sx If you have to conduct for an hour , husband your strength , for song-leading is a most strenuous exercise .sx If once your strength flags your hold over the people will correspondingly weaken .sx Whatever costume you adopt make sure you are comfortable and that you can move absolutely freely .sx A belt is better than braces .sx Be sure you are warm enough when you lead open-air singing in winter .sx You cannot do yourself justice if you are chilled through .sx Even though song-leading will soon make you warm , take care to start warmly enough clad .sx Make yourself heard by each singer , but do not shout unnecessarily .sx Nothing annoys an audience more than being shouted at in a small hall .sx Take care of your voice , especially if you are conducting regularly .sx If you do not do this , your voice may suddenly fail you when you most need to use it strongly .sx If it is possible rest quietly for an hour before conducting any important or lengthy " sing .sx " Only by doing so can you do yourself real justice .sx The powers of any audience to learn new tunes are extremely limited .sx Do not overtax them by trying to introduce too many .sx Beware of calling on the women and boys in the audience to sing alone , especially in the open air .sx Their voices will sound .sx extraordinarily poor and thin , unless they form a large percentage of the audience .sx Do not try too many " stunts .sx " One or two carried through well are infinitely better than four which only half succeed .sx Remember the eyes of all the people are on you .sx Do not , therefore , lounge about or forget their gaze during your few idle moments when the pianist is playing over a tune , for instance .sx If you are conducting from a rostrum placed in the middle of the singers , remember to give them all a share of your attention .sx Do not face continually in one direction .sx Turn round this way and that during the course of the songs and so divide your attention equally .sx If you do not do so the neglected section will grow restive and stop singing .sx Be cautious in using an orchestra to accompany community singing on important occasions .sx No orchestra is any use for this purpose except an expert one .sx The players have to follow the song-leader closely while he is paying no attention to them , but is conducting the people .sx This is a hard task for any but the most experienced players .sx A " scratch " orchestra , therefore , though itmay kindly offer its services should be politely put off .sx If , however , you are lucky enough to be able to command the services of a really first-class orchestra , whether professional or amateur , accept them gladly .sx You may find considerable difficulties in obtaining a score and parts of orchestral arrangements of various songs in your programme .sx This difficulty can generally be surmounted by ingenuity , some " home-made " arrangements provided by a friendly musician , and the good will of the members of the orchestra .sx Needless to say a careful rehearsal of the orchestra by the song-leader is essential .sx THE composition of a community singing programme depends completely on the size , nature , and location of the gathering for which it is intended .sx Open-air " sings " call for very different songs from those which suit an indoor concert , choruses appropriate and welcome as a prelude to a political meeting are ridiculous at a gathering of enthusiasts who have met together for singing and for nothing else .sx In general , however , songs which are suitable for open-air gatherings are also suitable for mixed gatherings indoors , where singing is not the people's primary purpose for coming together .sx Programmes , therefore , can be divided , broadly speaking , into two classes :sx For open-air singers and casual singers .sx For those whose sole intention is singing .sx ( a ) Programmes for Open-Air Singing .sx An open-air " sing " is generally organised as a prelude or interlude to some other happening .sx The song-leader is put up to amuse and interest the crowd for a period of twenty-five or thirty-minutes .sx After he has finished , the real business in hand begins .sx Plainly his object must be to provide a programme of easy , obvious , and amusing singing , which will interest the people and make them sing heartily without placing any tax on their intelligence or patience .sx They want to be amused and nothing more .sx The programme will consist of from six to eight easy choruses .sx Each of these will certainly be sung through twice , and the song-leader who can get through more than eight numbers under these circumstances in the open air is an extremely talented individual .sx These choruses should be of three separate kinds :sx Rousing and spirited ; such as " Pack up your Troubles " or " John Brown's Body .sx " Sentimental ; such as " Annie Laurie , " " Loch Lomond , " or " Home , Sweet Home .sx " Amusing ; such as " Cock Robin , " .sx " Old King Cole , " or " One Man went to Mow a Meadow .sx " Hymns and patriotic songs can also form .sx a most useful part of open-air programmes , but in their qualities they too will fall into .sx classes ( 1 ) or ( 2) .sx The programme should open with two .sx specimens of class ( 1) .sx The first is merely to enable the song-leader to get in touch with .sx the people , and establish some hold over their voices , while the second allows him to build up the volume and enthusiasm of the singing .sx Excellent opening numbers of this kind are :sx Pack up your Troubles ( chorus only) .sx Tipperary ( chorus only) .sx The More we are Together ( chorus only) .sx John Brown's Body ( two verses and chorus) .sx The Men of Harlech ( one verse) .sx The British Grenadiers ( one verse or two) .sx Marching Through Georgia ( one verse and chorus) .sx John Peel ( two verses and chorus) .sx The last two songs , however , are more .sx difficult for a large crowd to sing together than those earlier in the list .sx They are better .sx put second in the programme than first .sx On very cold or wet days the song-leadermay well find it necessary to add a third song of this spirited sort before he feels he has the singers really warmed up too their work .sx When he is confident that they are singing enthusiastically he should go on to a slow and sentimental song .sx Generally crowds enjoy singing such songs as these more than quick , spirited songs , but until they are singing well together they have not the cohesion and confidence to sing one successfully .sx The most popular and successful sentimental songs are :sx Annie Laurie ( two verses) .sx Home , Sweet Home ( one verse and chorus) .sx Drink to Me Only ( both verses) .sx The Long , Long Trail ( chorus only) .sx Loch Lomond ( two verses and chorus) .sx The End of a Perfect Day ( chorus only) .sx The Old Folks at Home ( two verses and chorus) .sx Will ye no' Come Back again ( one verse and chorus) .sx Next in order should come an amusing song .sx However faint its element of humour it will be thoroughly enjoyed by a crowd which has once started to sing .sx A good song-leader , moreover , can make a nursery rhyme or a simple cumulative song extremely funny .sx A few of the best and well-tried songs in this class are :sx Cock Robin ( two or three verses and chorus) .sx Old King Cole ( three or more verses of the army version) .sx Three Blind Mice .sx Rolling Home .sx One Man went to Mow a Meadow ( ad ) .sx The Green Grass Grew all Round ( ad ) .sx Half the time at the song-leader's disposal has certainly elapsed when this song is finished , and he should choose either another spirited song or a sentimental one for his next item .sx Two amusing songs on end are a mistake , no matter how well the first one succeeds , because their total effect will be to reduce the singing to hilarious shouting and catcalls .sx After this item the song-leader should introduce a hymn into the programme if he can possibly do so without offending the susceptibilities of those organising the gathering .sx