I syng of a mayden þat is makeles, kyng of alle kynges to here sone che ches. He came also stylle þer his moder was as dew in aprylle, þat fallyt on þe gras. He cam also stylle to his moderes bowr as dew in aprille, þat fallyt on þe flour. He cam also stylle þer his moder lay as dew in Aprille, þat fallyt on þe spray.; Moder & mayden was neuer non but che -- wel may swych a lady Godes moder be.
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Text Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, first published c1400 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Phyllis Campbell (1891 - 1974), "A carol", subtitle: "(Fifteenth century)", copyright © 2018 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Helen Gifford (b. 1935), "I syng of a mayden", 1955 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Peter Warlock (1894 - 1930), "As dew in Aprylle" [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , from "A Medieval Anthology", edited by Mary Segar ; composed by Henk Badings, Cecil Armstrong Gibbs, Gustav Holst.
- Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Benjamin Britten, John Theodore Livingston Raynor.
- Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Benjamin Burrows, Roger Quilter, Egon Joseph Wellesz.
- Also set in English, adapted by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, Sir.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-01-06
Line count: 20
Word count: 84
I sing of a maiden that is makèles: King of all kings to her son she ches. He came al so stille there his moder was, As dew in Aprille that falleth on the grass. He came al so stille to his moder bour, As dew in Aprille that falleth on the flour. He came al so stille there his moder lay, As dew in Aprille that falleth on the spray. Moder and mayden was never none but she; Well may such a lady Goddes moder be.
About the headline (FAQ)
Glossarymakèles = matchless
ches = chose
bour = bower
flour = flower
Text Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Middle English by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , first published c1400
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "As dew in Aprille", op. 28 no. 5 (1942) [ treble chorus, solo voices, and harp ], from A Ceremony of Carols, no. 5 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by John Theodore Livingston Raynor (1909 - 1970), "I Sing Of A Maiden", op. 645 (1963) [sung text not yet checked]
- by John Theodore Livingston Raynor (1909 - 1970), "I Sing Of A Maiden", op. 664 (1965) [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Comme la rosée en avril", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , "Wie Tau im April", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Tom White
This text was added to the website: 2007-10-01
Line count: 20
Word count: 87