A day late - summer officially started on 1st June in the UK - and the sun is shining ! Taken from the website sing solfa - there's a lovely informal recording of the tune available.
The oldest manuscript is a transcription from John of Fornsete a monk in the monastery of Reading in 1226. ( in the British Museum if it hasn't been nicked and sold on eBay)
Believed to be the oldest example of part-music in existence, this 13th century middle-English song is a round. This means parts come in at different times and all combine to make complex harmony. (You may have sung Row, Row, Row Your Boat as a round.) You can also sing this song in modern English with only one singer.
I chose neither - loads of guitars and a double bass - what a surprise
THE MIDDLE ENGLISH
Sumer is icumen in,
Lhude sing cuccu!
Groweþ sed and bloweþ med
And springþ þe wde nu,
Sing cuccu!
Awe bleteþ after lomb,
Lhouþ after calue cu.
Bulluc sterteþ, bucke uerteþ,
Murie sing cuccu!
Cuccu, cuccu, wel singes þu cuccu;Ne swik þu nauer nu.Sing cuccu nu. Sing cuccu.
THE MODERN ENGLISH
Sing cuccu. Sing cuccu nu! | Summer is a coming in,
Loudly sing, Cuckoo!
Groweth seed and bloweth mead,
And springeth wood anew,
Sing, Cuckoo!
Ewe bleateth after lamb
The cow lows after the calf.
Bullock starteth buck, too, verteth*, - means ( seeks the green fern )
Merrily sing, Cuckoo!
Cuckoo, cuckoo, well you sing,
cuckoo;
Of cease thee never now,Sing cuckoo now. Sing, Cuckoo.
Sing Cuckoo. Sing cuckoo now!
