Mirie It Is While Sumer Ilast - English Medieval Song

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Description

Vocals & arrangement by Farya Faraji, lyra by Dimitrios Dallas. This is the earliest known English secular song, dated to the 1200's. The instrumentation features a bowed rebec, harps, and a gittern, following the heterophonic and polyphonic practices of the Middle-Ages. The specific melody heard here is based on Ian Pittaway's reconstruction and correction of the more commonly circulated melody. I invite you to watch his original video and read his article detailing his reconstruction process:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HhyqDxAmXE
https://earlymusicmuse.com/mirie-it-is-while-sumer-ilast/

I ornamented the written down melody using the attested ornamental patterns found in written down Medieval European compositions, ornaments that follow the basic logic of most heterophonic traditions where monophony is the dominant paradigm.

Lyrics in Middle-English:
Mirie it is while sumer ilast
ƿið fugheles song.
oc nu necheð ƿindes blast
and ƿeder strong.
Ey ey ƿhat þis nicht is long.
And ich ƿið ƿel michel wrong
soregh and murne and fast.

Merry it is while summer lasts
With fowl’s song.
But now nears the wind’s blast
And weather strong.
Oh, oh! How this night is long!
And I with very much wrong
Sorrow and mourn and fast.