The Lovely Month of May (The sun is shining brightly)

This northern-hemisphere Marian hymn was written by a School Sister of Notre Dame in England in the mid/late 19th century.

It was first published in the Parochial Hymnbook, Burns & Oates, U.K. 1883 and also the Convent Hymn books of the Sisters of Notre Dame.  

The text has meter: 7.6.7.6.7.6 with refrain, It was originally set to a tune composed by Rev F Robinson (date unknown).   This tune was also used when it was published in an American edition of the Parochial Hymn Book which was compiled by Rev Anatole Police in Boston in 1898.   However in The Sodalist's Hymnal which was published in Philadelphia in 1887 it is set to a different tune (sheet music below) labelled "Copyright E. F. MacGonigle" - but this person was the editor, and while they may have arranged the music they are most likely not the composer.

It appears to have been well-known in England, and some people believe it is of Scottish origin.

Note: this hymn is not the same as a song with the same title by Robert Schuman in the Dichterliebe Song Cycle, which was used in a film about Paris made in the 1960s.

Downloads

Sheet music
(piano / organ)

PowerPoint
slides

Examples

Lyrics:

The sun is shining brightly, the trees are gold and green (*);
A beauteous bloom of flowers on every side is seen.
The fields are gold and emerald and all the world is gay,
For `tis the month of Mary, the lovely month of May.

Chorus:
Mary dearest mother,
we sing a hymn to thee;
Thou art the Queen of heaven,
Thou too our Queen shall be.
O rule us and guide us
Unto eternity.

There's music in the heavens, the birds are singing there;
And nature's songs and praises are sounding through the air.
And we with hearts rejoicing, with joy we sing today,
For `tis the month of Mary, the lovely month of May.

And when the night close o'er us, and twinkling stars appear;
The chaste moon calmly reigneth in skies so bright and clear.
O how that sight reminds us of heaven far away,
Where reigns, o'er saint and angels, our lovely Queen of May.


(*) - some people have learned this line as:

The sun is shining brightly, the trees are clothed in green;
or
The sun is shining brightly, trees are gold with gleam