Sumer is Icumen in

Sumer is Icumen in
Medieval English Songs
Hilliard Ensemble - Paul Hillier
Harmonia Mundi HMC 1154 [LP]
Harmonia Mundi HMC 40 1154 [Cassette]
Harmonia Mundi HMC 90 1154 [CD]
Harmonia Mundi "Musique d'abord" HMA 43 1154 [Cass.]
Harmonia Mundi "Musique d'abord" HMA 195 1154 [CD]

Contents:

  1. Sumer is icumen in

    2. St. Godric: Three songs:
  2. Sainte Marie Viergene
  3. Crist and Sainte Marie
  4. Sainte Nicolas
  5. Fuweles in the frith
  6. Sancte Dei preciose. V. Ut tuo propitiatus
  7. Alleluya. V. Nativitas
  8. Kyrie. Rex virginum amator
  9. Sanctus. Maria mater egregia
  10. Agnus Dei. Factus homo
  11. Perspice Christicola
  12. Campanis cum cymbalis. Honoremus Dominam
  13. Mater ora filium
  14. Edi be thu
  15. Worldes blisse have good day
  16. Valde mane diluculo
  17. Gabriel fram heven-king
  18. Stond wel moder under roode
  19. Ovet mundus letabundus
  20. Gaude virgo mater Christi
  21. Campanis cum cymbalis

Performers: David Jones (countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), John Potter (tenor), Paul Elliott (tenor), Paul Hillier (bass), Michael George (bass)

Playing time: 54'

Recording site and date:
St-Jude-on-the-Hill, U.K. [09/1984]
Rel. 1985 (HMC), 1986 (HMC 40 & 90), 2002 (HMA)

[3] Harmonia mundi "Passerelles" HMB 590 017 / 18 [CDx2 + book] Les Contre-ténors - Mythes et Réalités (with a book by Peter Giles)
[12]-[13] Harmonia Mundi "Century" HMX 290 8168 [CD] Une révolution de l'esprit et de la musique (XIVe siècle) / An intellectual revolution in music - Le siècle de l'Ars nova / Ars Nova, A Revolution in the Late Middle Ages
[12]-[14], [17], [20] Harmonia mundi HMX290 649 / 654 [CDx6] Les Très Riches Heures du Moyen-Âge - A Medieval Journey

This is an all-male vocal recording from the oldest surviving sources in England. There are a variety of genres, including St. Godric's songs, polyphonic organa, and the famous title track.

Another fine survey of this repertory:

English Songs of the Middle Ages
Sequentia
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 77019

A related recording by the present ensemble:

Medieval English Music
Anonymes des XIVe et XVe siècles
Hilliard Ensemble - Paul Hillier
Harmonia Mundi musique d'abord 1901106

And a couple of other all-choral recordings of more specific English medieval repertory:

An English Ladymass
13th & 14th century Chant & Polyphony in honor of the Virgin Mary
Anonymous 4
Harmonia Mundi USA 907080
Worcester Fragments
English sacred music of the late Middle Ages
Orlando Consort
Amon Ra 59

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Todd M. McComb