Hildegard of Bingen Was Born Into a _____ Noble Family.

The Life and Works of Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)

Introduction

Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was a remarkable woman, a "get-go" in many fields. At a fourth dimension when few women wrote, Hildegard, known as "Sybil of the Rhine", produced major works of theology and visionary writings. When few women were accorded respect, she was consulted by and advised bishops, popes, and kings. She used the curative powers of natural objects for healing, and wrote treatises nearly natural history and medicinal uses of plants, animals, trees and stones. She is the start composer whose biography is known. She founded a vibrant convent, where her musical plays were performed. Although not yet canonized, Hildegard has been beatified, and is often referred to as St. Hildegard. Revival of interest in this extraordinary woman of the centre ages was initiated by musicologists and historians of science and organized religion. Less fortunately, Hildegard'due south visions and music had been hijacked by the New Age motion, whose music bears some resemblance to Hildegard'south ethereal arrogance. Her story is of import to all students of medieval history and culture and an inspirational account of an irresistible spirit and vibrant intellect overcoming social, physical, cultural, gender barriers to accomplish timeless transcendence.

The Early Years

Hildegard was born a "ten"thursday kid (a tithe) to a noble family. As was customary with the tenth child, which the family could not count on feeding, she was defended at birth to the church. The girl started to take visions of luminous objects at the age of tree, but presently realized she was unique in this power and hid this souvenir for many years.

At age 8, the family sent this strange girl to an anchoress named Jutta to receive a religious education. Jutta was born into a wealthy and prominent family, and by all accounts was a young adult female of bang-up beauty. She spurned all worldly temptations and decided to dedicate her life to god. Instead of entering a convent, Jutta followed a harsher route and became an anchoress. Anchors of both sexes, though from virtually accounts they seem to be largely women, led an ascetic life, shut off from the earth within a pocket-sized room, unremarkably congenital adjacent to a church so that they could follow the services, with only a small-scale window interim equally their link to the residue of humanity. Food would be passed through this window and refuse taken out. About of the time would be spent in prayer, contemplation, or solitary handworking activities, similar stitching and embroidering. Because they would become essentially dead to the earth, anchors would receive their last rights from the bishop before their confinement in the anchorage. This macabre ceremony was a complete burial ceremony with the anchor laid out on a bier.

Jutta's cell was such an anchorage, except that there was a door through which Hildegard entered, too as about a dozen of girls from noble families who were attracted there by Jutta's fame in later years. What kind of education did Hildegard receive from Jutta? It was of the most rudimentary course, and Hildegard could never escape the feelings of inadequacy and lack of didactics. She learned to read Psalter in Latin. Though her grasp of the grammatical intricacies of the linguistic communication was never complete - she always had secretaries to help her write downwards her visions - she had a proficient intuitive experience for the intricacies of the linguistic communication itself, constructing complicated sentences fraught with meanings on many levels, that are still a claiming to students of her writings. The proximity of the anchorage to the church of the Benedictine monastery at Disibodenberg (it was attached physically to the church building) undoubtedly exposed young Hildegard to musical religious services and were the footing for her own musical compositions. After Jutta's death, when Hildegard was 38 years of historic period, she was elected the head of the budding convent living inside cramped walls of the anchorage.

The Enkindling

During all these years Hildegard confided of her visions but to Jutta and some other monk, named Volmar, who was to become her lifelong secretary. Notwithstanding, in 1141, Hildegard had a vision that inverse the course of her life. A vision of god gave her instant understanding of the meaning of the religious texts, and allowable her to write down everything she would observe in her visions.

And it came to pass ... when I was 42 years and 7 months old, that the heavens were opened and a blinding light of exceptional brilliance flowed through my entire encephalon. And then it kindled my whole middle and chest similar a flame, not burning just warming... and suddenly I understood of the meaning of expositions of the books...

Yet Hildegard was also overwhelmed past feelings of inadequacy and hesitated to act.

But although I heard and saw these things, because of dubiousness and low stance of myself and because of diverse sayings of men, I refused for a long fourth dimension a call to write, not out of stubbornness but out of humility, until weighed down past a scourge of god, I fell onto a bed of sickness.

The 12th century was also the time of schisms and religious foment, when someone preaching any outlandish doctrine could instantly attract a large post-obit. Hildegard was critical of schismatics, indeed her whole life she preached against them, especially the Cathars. She wanted her visions to be sanctioned, canonical by the Cosmic Church, though she herself never doubted the divine origins to her luminous visions. She wrote to St. Bernard, seeking his blessings. Though his answer to her was rather perfunctory, he did bring information technology to the attention of Pope Eugenius (1145-53), a rather enlightened individual who exhorted Hildegard to finish her writings. With papal imprimatur, Hildegard was able to cease her starting time visionary work Scivias ("Know the Means of the Lord") and her fame began to spread through Deutschland and across.

Major Works

Around 1150 Hildegard moved her growing convent from Disibodenberg, where the nuns lived alongside the monks, to Bingen about thirty km north, on the banks of the Rhine. She subsequently founded another convent, Eibingen, beyond the river from Bingen. Her remaining years were very productive. She wrote music and texts to her songs, by and large liturgical plainchant honoring saints and Virgin Mary for the holidays and banquet days, and antiphons. There is some prove that her music and moral play Ordo Virtutum ("Play of Virtues") were performed in her ain convent. In improver to Scivias she wrote ii other major works of visionary writing Liber vitae meritorum (1150-63) (Book of Life's Merits) and Liber divinorum operum(1163) ("Book of Divine Works"), in which she further expounded on her theology of microcosm and macrocosm-human being existence the peak of god's creation, man as a mirror through which the splendor of the macrocosm was reflected. Hildegard too authored Physica and Causae et Curae (1150), both works on natural history and curative powers of various natural objects, which are together known every bit Liber subtilatum ("The book of subtleties of the Diverse Nature of Things"). These works were uncharacteristic of Hildegard's writings, including her correspondences, in that they were non presented in a visionary form and don't comprise any references to divine source or revelation. Nonetheless, similar her religious writings they reflected her religious philosophy-that the human being was the pinnacle of god's cosmos and everything was put in the globe for human to use.

Her scientific views were derived from the ancient Greek cosmology of the four elements-burn, air, water, and earth-with their complementary qualities of heat, dryness, moisture, and cold, and the respective four humours in the torso-choler (yellowish bile), blood, phlegm, and melancholy (black bile). Human constitution was based on the preponderance of one or two of the humors. Indeed, we even so use words "choleric", "sanguine", "phlegmatic" and "melancholy" to describe personalities. Sickness upset the frail remainder of the humours, and only consuming the right plant or animate being which had that quality you were missing, could restore the healthy balance to the trunk. That is why in giving descriptions of plants, trees, birds, animals, stones, Hildegard is mostly concerned in describing that object's quality and giving its medicinal employ. Thus, "Reyan (tansy) is hot and a petty damp and is good against all superfluous flowing humours and whoever suffers from catarrh and has a cough, let him swallow tansy. Information technology volition bind humors so that they do not overflow, and thus will lessen."

Hildegard'due south writings are too unique for their generally positive view of sexual relations and her clarification of pleasure from the point of view of a woman. They might likewise comprise the first description of the female orgasm.

When a adult female is making dearest with a human, a sense of heat in her brain, which brings with information technology sensual please, communicates the gustatory modality of that delight during the act and summons along the emission of the man's seed. And when the seed has fallen into its identify, that fierce heat descending from her brain draws the seed to itself and holds it, and soon the woman's sexual organs contract, and all the parts that are gear up to open up during the time of menstruation now close, in the aforementioned way as a strong man tin hold something enclosed in his fist.

She also wrote that strength of semen determined the sex activity of the kid, while the amount of love and passion determine kid's disposition. The worst case, where the seed is weak and parents feel no love, leads to a biting daughter.

Divine Harmonies

Music was extremely important to Hildegard. She describes it as the means of recapturing the original joy and beauty of paradise. According to her before the Fall, Adam had a pure voice and joined angels in singing praises to god. After the autumn, music was invented and musical instruments made in gild to worship god appropriately. Perhaps this explains why her music almost oft sounds similar what we imagine angels singing to be like.

Hildegard wrote hymns and sequences in accolade of saints, virgins and Mary. She wrote in the plainchant tradition of a unmarried vocal melodic line, a tradition common in liturgical singing of her time. Her music is undergoing a revival and enjoying huge public success. One grouping, Sequentia, is planning to record all of Hildegard'due south musical output in time for the 900th anniversary of her birth in 1998. Their latest recording Canticles of Ecstasy is superb. Exist certain to read the translations of the latin text of the songs which provide a proficient instance of Hildegard's metaphorical writing, and are imbued with vibrant descriptions of color and light, that also occurs in her visionary writings.

The Most Distinguished Migraine Sufferer

It is now more often than not agreed that Hildegard suffered from migraine, and that her visions were a effect of this condition. The way she describes her visions, precursors to visions, as well as debilitating aftereffects, point to classic symptoms of migraine sufferers. Although a number of visual hallucinations may occur, the more common ones described are the "scotomata" which often follow perceptions of phosphenes in the visual field. Scintillating scotomata are besides associated with areas of total blindness in the visual field, something Hildegard might accept been describing when she spoke of points of intense light, and also the "extinguished stars." Migraine attacks are usually followed by sickness, paralysis, blindness-all reported by Hildegard, and when they laissez passer, by a period of rebound and feeling improve than before, a euphoria also described by her. Too, writes Oliver Sacks

Among the strangest and most intense symptoms of migraine aura, and the most difficult of description and analysis, are the occurrences of feelings of sudden familiarity and finality... or its contrary. Such states are experienced, momentarily and occasionally, by everyone; their occurrence in migraine auras is marked past their overwhelming intensity and relatively long elapsing.

It is a tribute to the remarkable spirit and the intellectual powers of this woman that she was able to turn a debilitating illness into the word of god, and create so much with it.

Hildegard today

Bingen, as it exists today, a travel essay contributed by Wolfgang Wanner. See too Tracks of Hildegard in Today's Bingen(German language), as well as travel information.

Bibliography

• Jutta and Hildegard: The Biographical Series , translated and introduced by Anna Silvas (Penn State University Press, 1999).\
  328 pages ISBN 0-271-01954-9 paper: $eighteen.95
• Dictionary of Women Artists, Ed. Delia Gaze (Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997). Contains an article on Hildegard by Madeline H. Caviness.
• Hildegard of Bingen, a Visionary Life, past Sabina Flanagan. (Routledge, London, 1989).
• Secrets of God: Writings of Hildegard of Bingen, selected and translated from Latin by Sabina Flanagan. (Shambala Publications, Boston and London, 1996).
• The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales, Oliver Sacks. (New York : Perennial Library, 1987).
• Symphonia: A Critical Edition of the "Symphonia armoniae celestium revelationum, trans. and commentary Barbara Newman (Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press, 1988).
• Scivias, trans. Mother Columba Hart and Jane Bishop, The Classics of Western Spirituality (New York/Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1990).
• Illuminations of Hildegard of Bingen, text by Hildegard of Bingen with commentary by Matthew Fox. (Santa Fe, N.M. : Bear & Co., 1985).
• Hildegard of Bingen : the Book of the rewards of life (Liber vitae meritorum), translated by Bruce W. Hozeski. (New York : Garland Pub., 1994).
• The letters of Hildegard of Bingen, translated by Joseph L. Baird, Radd G. Ehrman. (New York : Oxford Academy Press, 1994).
• Sister of wisdom : St. Hildegard's theology of the feminine, past Barbara Newman. (Berkeley : University of California Press, 1987).
• The "Ordo virtutum" of Hildegard of Bingen : critical studies edited by Audrey Ekdahl Davidson. (Kalamazoo, Mich. : Medieval Institute Publications, Western Michigan Academy, 1992).
• Hildegard von Bingen : Mystikerin, Heilerin, Gefahrtin der Engel, by Ingeborg Ulrich. (Munchen : Kosel, 1990).
• German language mysticism from Hildegard of Bingen to Ludwig Wittgenstein : a literary and intellectual history, by Andrew Weeks. (Albany : State University of New York Press, 1993).
• Hildegard von Bingen, past Heinrich Shipperges. (Muenchen: Beck, 1995).
• Gottfried and Theodoric'due south Life of Hildegard of Bingen, by Hugh Feiss is available from Peregrina.
• The Journal of Hildegard of Bingen, by Barbara Lachman. (Bong Tower, 1993, pbk. 1995).
• Hildegard, The Last Year, by Barbara Lachman. (Shambhala, 1997).

Discography

• Luminus Spirit, by Hesperus "takes an authentic approach to the music of Hildegard." Oct 1998.
• Lux Vivens:the music of Hildegard von Bingen PGD Mammoth Records, August 1998, Jocelyn Montgomery (vocalist) David Lynch (producer)
• Hildegard von Bingen und Birgitta von Schweden RAUMKLANG RK 9801, April 1998 Ensemble Les Flamboyants (Schola Cantorum Basiliensis)
• Hildegard von Bingen, Heavenly Revelations: Hymns, Sequences, Antiphons, Responds -- by the Oxford Camerata under Jeremy Summerly.
• Hidegard von Bingen, O Nobilissima Viriditas -- principal soloist Catherine Shroeder, Champeaux CSM 006. "Their particular style of vocalizing early medieval music - fix apart from scholarly inquiry as a basis for the estimation - is remarkable: harmonic intonation, crisp and fluent phrasing, discerning utilise of various vocal ornaments like I haven't heard everyone else capable of. " -M. Spaink (personal communication)
• Hildegard von Bingen, Sequences and Antiphons (Monk and Abbess) on BMG Catalyst (09026-68329-ii) -- performed past Judith Malafronte
• Bison Tales has recently released two recordings of Hildegard's music and spoken discussion by Ellen Oak. Ellen Oak has been studying and performing the life and piece of work of Hildegard for more a decade.
• Harmony of Heaven
• Sounding the Living Calorie-free
• Hildegard of Bingen Canticles of Ecstasy DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI 12/94 Sequentia - fantabulous
• DES77051 Hildegard of Bingen Ordo Virturum Vol 1 DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI 4/90 one:29 DDD Sequentia - a bit weird, non for the faint of eye.
• DES77020 Hildegard of Bingen Symphoniae Spiritual DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI ten/89 Sequentia - pleasant and beautiful.
• 05472-77353-2 Hildegard of Bingen O Jerusalem DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI v/97 Sequentia
• CHW41 Hildegard Antiphons and Songs CHRYSALIS eleven/93
• CHW74584 Hildegard Hildegard & Her Time CHRYSALIS iii/93
• HYP66039 Hildegard of Bingen Feather on the Breathe of God HYPERION 2/88 Emma Kirkby/Page/Gothic Voices
• DES05472-77346-2 Hildegard Vocalisation of the Blood DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI, Sequentia
• 11,000 Virgins, Chants for the Feast of St. Ursula HARMONIA MUNDI USA 1997 Anonymous4
• Voices of Angels 1997 Voices of Ascension.

Web Resources

• Working Group for the Promotion of the Tradition of Hildegard, (in German).

Glossary

Plain.chant or plain.song \'plaÅn-,chant\ n or \'plaÅn-,soÇn\ n (1513)

1: GREGORIAN Chant

2: a liturgical dirge of any of various Christian rites

cho.ler.ic \'kaÈl-e-rik, ke-'ler-ik\ adj (1583)

one: easily moved to often unreasonable or excessive acrimony: hot-tempered

2: Angry, IRATE

an.ti.phon \'pismire-e-fen, -,faÈn\ northward

[LL antiphona Ð more at Canticle] (1500)

1: a psalm, anthem, or poesy sung responsively

two: a verse usu. from Scripture said or sung before and afterward a anthem, psalm, or psalm verse equally part of the liturgy

san.guine \'san-gwen\ adj [ME sanguin, fr. MF, fr. L sanguineus, fr. sanguin-, sanguis] (14c)

1: BLOODRED

2a: consisting of or relating to blood

b: SANGUINARY 1

c: of the complexion: RUDDY

3: having blood as the predominating bodily humor; also: having the bodily conformation and temperament held characteristic of such predominance and marked by sturdiness, high color, and cheerfulness

iv: CONFIDENT, OPTIMISTIC

phleg.mat.ic \fleg-'mat-ik\ adj (14c)

1: resembling, consisting of, or producing the sense of humor phlegm

2: having or showing a slow and stolid temperament

mel.an.choly \'mel-en-,kaÈl-eÅ\ [ME malencolie, fr. MF melancolie, fr. LL melancholia, fr. Gk, fr. melan- + choleÅ bile Ð more at GALL] (14c)

1a: an abnormal state attributed to an excess of black bile and characterized by irascibility or depression

b: Black BILE

c: MELANCHOLIA

2a: depression of spirits: DEJECTION

b: a pensive mood

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Last modified: 10/17/98
Created: 2/15/95

Kristina Lerman, [email protected]

smithenalland.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.isi.edu/~lerman/music/Hildegard.html

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