The earliest 'burden' known is that in the ancient Round 'Sumer is icumen in,' of the 13th century.
This might account for the existence of the celebrated example of early English polyphony, a "canon" called "Sumer isicumen in.
England had fairly kept pace with the Continent in her mastery of polyphony, which so early produced the remarkable canon "Sumer is icumen in.
But it is certain that the composer of "Sumer is icumen in" was a greater master of counterpoint than his teachers, because this "canon" is the finest specimen of polyphonic writing that has come down to us from those early times.
It is not nearly so well developed in its polyphony as "Sumer is icumen in" or the works of the Frenchmen.
Sumer is icumen in,' the six sing out, and the shepherd, who can hear them from outside, is considering whether he can play the air upon his pipe.
So is this queer old round sung, 'Sumer is icumen in.
Let us take six gentlemen met together to learn the old thirteenth-century part-song, the round entitled 'Sumer is icumen in.
The opening words, "Sumer is icumen in," are probably familiar to most readers, since they are ever in evidence when the question of old English music is under consideration.
The above list will hopefully give you a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "icumen" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this word.
