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.
About the headline (FAQ)
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 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 matchless is. King of all Kings Was her Son iwis. He came all so still, Where His mother was As dew in April That falleth on the grass: He came all so still, To His mother's bower As dew in April That falleth on flower. He came all so still, Where His mother lay As dew in April That formeth on spray. Mother and maiden Was ne'er none but she: Well may such a lady God's mother be.
About the headline (FAQ)
Glossary
iwis = certainly
Text Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, from "A Medieval Anthology", edited by Mary Segar [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 Henk Badings (1907 - 1987), "I sing of a maiden", from Drie geestelijke liederen, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Cecil Armstrong Gibbs (1889 - 1960), "An English carol of the XIVth century", 1911 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934), "I sing of a maiden", op. 35 no. 3 (1916-1917), published 1920 [ soprano or tenor and violin ], from Four Songs for Voice and Violin, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Geoffrey Wieting
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 84