Sumer is Icumen In

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Sumer is Icumen In (Old Eng.). Summer is coming in. Eng. comp., dating supposedly from c.1240, sometimes known as the Reading Rota because the MS originated at Reading Abbey. The conjectural author was a monk of Reading, John of Fornsete. An infinite canon at the unison for 4 ten. vv., with 2 basses repeating a ground bass or pes, also in canon at the unison. Can claim to be the earliest extant canon, 6-part comp., example of ground bass, and mus. setting of both sacred (Latin) and secular words.

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