Ce fut en mai

"Ce fut en mai"
by Moniot d'Arras
Fountain in a French garden, as described in the song's lyrics
English"It Happened in May",[1][2][3] "It Was in May",[4] "In Early May",[5] "Once in the Month of May"[6]
KeyF major
PeriodMedieval
GenrePastourelle
StyleTrouvère
FormChanson
LanguageOld French (langue d'oïl)
Composed1235

"Ce fut en mai", or "Ce fu en mai",[6] (It happened in May) is a French trouvère song, written in the 13th century by Moniot d'Arras. Its lyrics, in Old French, describe how a man sees a knight and a maiden cavorting in a garden. He follows them, and tells them of his unrequited love; they comfort him, and he cries and commends them to God. The song is a pastourelle and chanson, and was originally accompanied by dancing and medieval instruments like the vielle. "Ce fut en mai" has recently been recorded by early music performers such as Paul Hillier and the New Orleans Musica da Camera.

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