Sumer Is Icumen In

Sumer Is Icumen In is a traditional English round, and possibly the oldest such example of counterpoint in existence. The title might be translated as "Summer is a-coming in". It is sometimes known as the Reading rota because the manuscript comes from Reading Abbey though it may not have been written there. It is the oldest piece of six-part polyphonic music (Albright, 1994). Its composer is anonymous, possibly W. de Wycombe, and it is estimated to date from around 1260. The manuscript is now at the British Library. The language is Middle English. The song was used with chilling effect at the climax of the film The Wicker Man.

Related Topics:
Round - Counterpoint - Reading Abbey - Polyphonic - W. de Wycombe - 1260 - British Library - Middle English - The Wicker Man

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