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Sumer Is Icumen In is a traditional English round, and possibly the oldest example of counterpoint in existence. It is the oldest piece of six-part polyphonic music (Albright, 1994). The title might be translated as "Summer is a-coming in". Its composer is anonymous and it is estimated to date from around 1260. The language is Middle English.
Original Words:
- Sumer is icumen in,
- Lhude sing cuccu!
- Groweth sed and bloweth med
- And springth the wde nu,
- Sing cuccu!
- Awe bletheth after lomb,
- Lhouth after calve cu.
- Bulloc sterteth, bucke verteth,
- Murie sing cuccu!
- Cuccu, cuccu, wel singes thu, cuccu;
- Ne swik thu naver nu,
- Sing cuccu nu. Sing cuccu.
- Sing cuccu. Sing cuccu nu!
Modern English:
- Summer is a-coming in,
- Loud sing Cuckoo!
- Seeds grow and meadows bloom
- And the forest springs anew,
- Sing Cuckoo!
- Ewes bleat after lambs,
- Cows lowe after the calves.
- Bullocks jump, bucks fart,
- Merrily sing Cuckoo!
- Cuckoo, cuckoo, well you sing, cuckoo;
- Nor cease you ever now,
- Sing cuckoo now. Sing Cuckoo.
- Sing Cuckoo. Sing cuckoo now!
Source
- Albright, Daniel (2004). Modernism and Music: An Anthology of Sources. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0226012670.
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