1. Solfeggio or Solfege
The hymn to St. John the Baptist was used by the Benedictine monk Guido d'Arezzo (Goo-ee'-do d'ar-ret'-zo) to teach the scale. In listening to the monks singing this hymn, , Guido observed the first syllable of each line of the hymn formed one of the so-fa syllables of the scale as we know it, and that taken successively, they formed a six-tone scale — do-re-mi-fa-so-la (C-D-E-F-G-A). The scale names given by him have remained to the present. Later "ut" was changed to Do. The seventh tone, si (now called ti) was formed from the two initial letters of the two last words, "Sancte Joannes." (J is I in Latin). Guido d'Arezzo is also known as the originator of the four-line staff notation found in Gregorian chant. His work allowed the ancient and traditional liturgical chants be more easily published, circulated and preserved for posterity.

2. Where solfeggio came from…

3. What it really looked like…

4. Besides the secular English words, 'Sumer is icumen in', the canon is also provided with a sacred Latin text, 'Perspice Christicola'. The manuscript is in fact the earliest known in which both secular and sacred words are written to the same piece of music.

6. Svmer is icumen in Lhude sing cuccu
Svmer is icumen in Lhude sing cuccu! Groweþ sed and bloweþ med and springþ þe wde nu. Sing cuccu! Awe bleteþ after lomb, lhouþ after calue cu, Bulluc sterteþ, bucke uerteþ. Murie sing cuccu! Cuccu, cuccu, Wel singes þu cuccu. ne swik þu nauer nu! Sing cuccu nu, Sing cuccu!
Pronunciation:
SUmair is IcUmin in, lU-duh sing cUckU GrOweth sAd and blOweth mAd and springth the wUduh nU ow-uh blAteth after lahhhmb, lOth after cal-vuh cU Bullock stairteth, buck-uh vairteth, mUrI sing cUckU Well singst thU cUckU; nA swick thU nevair nU Sing cUckU, nU....

7. Translation: Summer is coming in, loudly sings the cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo.... The seed grows; the meadow blossoms, and the woods alivens anew. The ewe bleats after the lamb; the cow lows after the calf; The bull leaps; the goat capers; merrily sing cuckoo! Well sing you, cuckoo--don't ever stop now. Sing cuckoo, now....

8. Learn to sing this round…
Sumer is ucumen in