Sumer is icumen in
by W. de Wycombe
‘Sumer is icumen in’ is a song written in the Wessex dialect of Middle English. The brilliance of the composition lies in the use of a refrain that resonates with the consecutive cooing of the Cuckoo.
W. de Wycombe was an English composer who wrote music during the Medieval era in the 13th century. Little is known about his life, but it has been speculated that he is responsible for some of the best-known tunes and songs from medieval England, such as ‘Sumer is icumen in,’ also known as the ‘Summer Canon.’
‘Sumer is icumen in’ is a song written in the Wessex dialect of Middle English. The brilliance of the composition lies in the use of a refrain that resonates with the consecutive cooing of the Cuckoo.