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by Brandi Parisi March 3, 1998
THIS YEAR IS THE 900th anniversary of the birth of the abbess Hildegard von Bingen,the first composer (male OR female) of which a full biography is known. During a time when few women wrote, Hildegard produced major works of theology, science, and music; painted; and founded a vibrant convent where her musical plays were performed. And it came to pass. when I was 42 years and seven months old, that the heavens were opened and a blinding light of exceptional brilliance flowed through my entire brain. And so it kindled my whole heart and breast like a flame, not burning but warming - and suddenly I understood of the meaning of expositions of the books.The writings, music, and life of the composer, nun, and mystic known as "Sybil of the Rhine" has piqued enormous interest on both sides of the Atlantic in the past five years. If you're a patron of new age bookstores, you've undoubtedly heard one of the many current recordings of her music, floating over the in-store PA over syrupy incense. But long before the twelve-step, crystal-clutching '90s crowd adopted her ethereal compositions, Hildegard von Bingen's mystical music had been resonating with the introspective for centuries. But although I heard and saw these things, because of doubt and low opinion of myself and because of diverse sayings of men, I refused for a long time a call to write, not out of stubborness, but out of humility, until weighed down by a scourge of God, I fell onto a bed of sickness.She was the youngest child of ten, began having visions at the age of three, and continued to throughout her life. At eight, her bewildered parents sent Hildegard to receive religious education from a woman named Jutta von Sponheim. Jutta dedicated her life to God, but chose a far harsher life than that offered in a convent. Jutta was an "anchoress," a symbolic "anchor" for the world to God, who closed herself for life in a one-room shelter, with only a small window through which food was passed in, and refuse taken out. Jutta's room was attached to a Benedictine monastery, and so, while Hildegard learned from the anchoress, she was also exposed to the musical religious services - two great forces, artistic and mystic, that would shape her future. These watery varieties of sounds and silences, terrifying, mysterious, whirling, and sometimes gestating and gentle, must somehow be felt in the pulse, ebb, and flow of the music that sings in me.For 30 years Hildegard confided her visions only to the anchoress, and after Jutta died, found herself without guidance or support, but unanimously elected as the new abbess of the convent. Five years passed - Hildegard produced lyric poetry and books of visionary writings. Life-threatening illness, and yet another vision, persuaded her to make her work public. It captured the attention of the Pope, and elevated her to a status of theological celebrity in Europe, to the delight of the brothers who ran the monastery where she lived. They subsequently fought to keep her from establishing her own convent, which she eventually did, with the protection of the Holy Roman Emperor. Oh radiant jewel of God, your shining is the glorious revelation of divine love. You are clothed in a nobility which has neither stain nor wrinkle. You were born to be companion of angels and friend of saints. Flee, flee the den of ancient misery, and come, come into the palace of God's reign.Hildegard established her own convent, and later moved it to Bingen - on the banks of the Rhine River - where she wrote two more theological books, two books on herbs and medicines, several hundred sermons and letters, and many pieces of music, mainly in the form of symphonies of Gregorian chants. It was here she also produced what is thought to be the first morality play ever written, by nearly a century. Mystical dramatic verse with music, the "Ordo Virutum" presented a narrative battle for the soul, or "Anima" between the 16 virtues and the Devil. There are three forces in the stone. In a stone there is wet greenness, closedness that you can feel, and sparkling fire. The wet greenness symbolizes the Father, who never withers and never perishes. The closedness that you can feel with your hands indicates the Son, whom, since he is born from a young woman, one can touch and feel. The sparkling fire is the image of the Holy Ghost, who enflames the hearts of the believers and illuminates them. And as these three forces are in one stone, so is the true trinity in true unity.Recordings of music by - or inspired by - Hildegard or some variation thereof, have flooded stores in recent years. The group Sequentia is planning to finish their project of recording all of her music by this year, and last year the hugely popular Anonymous 4 released a recording of her cantata "Feast for St. Ursula: 11,000 Virgins" last year. It is a story of the daughter of a Christian British king and an ill-fated voyage. Music wakes us from our Sluggishness.As the legend goes, to protest her betrothel to a pagan prince, Ursula, with ten noble virgin companions, set out by sea for several years She made the mistake of stopping in Cologne, where she and her entourage were martyred by the Huns after Ursula refused to marry their chief. Over the centuries the ten virgins became 11,000, a church was built in their honor, Ursala was beatified, and Hildegard von Bingen was inspired to write a lovely cantata, and to encourage abstinence of women. Some of the earliest writings on human sexuality are attributed to Hildegard, and she wrote about science, medicine, and diet - practices adopted by some in Germany and other parts of Europe even today. In addition to arrangements of music written by Hildegard, several composers have written pieces "inspired" by her mystical writings. Her chants have even been set to techno-rhythms, and, yes, in the 900th year of her birth, music by - and inspired by - Hildegard is setting fire to, of all places, the dance club. Music makes cold hearts warm.It is amazing that the writings and music of Hildegard von Bingen can still speak to audiences 900 years after they were written. She claimed they were works inspired by the visions she experienced her whole life, visions that ultimately led the church to beatify Hildegard after her death. It is ironic, therefore, that many scholars now contend her visions were caused by migraine headaches. Even if this was their origin, it's an indicator of her strength of spirit that Hildegard was able to turn debilitating illness into the word of God, and through it create so much to affect so many. Humans are the musical instruments of God.
Audio selections are from the CD Voice of the Blood on the Sequentia label: To obtain this and other recordings of Hildegard von Bingen's music, visit Public Radio MusicSource. Your purchases benefit public radio. Art copyright 1995 BMG Music. | |||||||||||||||
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