what contributions did hildegard of bingen make to knowledge and the arts?

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

Introduction

Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was a remarkable woman, a "first" in many fields. At a time when few women wrote, Hildegard, known every bit "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 about natural history and medicinal uses of plants, animals, copse and stones. She is the starting time composer whose biography is known. She founded a vibrant convent, where her musical plays were performed. Although not nevertheless canonized, Hildegard has been beatified, and is frequently referred to equally St. Hildegard. Revival of involvement in this extraordinary woman of the center ages was initiated past musicologists and historians of science and faith. Less fortunately, Hildegard's visions and music had been hijacked by the New Age motility, whose music bears some resemblance to Hildegard's ethereal airs. Her story is important 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 reach timeless transcendence.

The Early Years

Hildegard was born a "10"thursday child (a tithe) to a noble family. As was customary with the tenth kid, which the family could not count on feeding, she was defended at birth to the church. The girl started to have visions of luminous objects at the age of tree, but before long realized she was unique in this ability and hid this gift for many years.

At age 8, the family sent this foreign girl to an anchoress named Jutta to receive a religious pedagogy. Jutta was born into a wealthy and prominent family unit, and past all accounts was a young adult female of corking 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 most accounts they seem to be largely women, led an austere life, shut off from the world within a pocket-sized room, usually built adjacent to a church building so that they could follow the services, with simply a small window acting equally their link to the rest 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, like stitching and embroidering. Because they would become substantially dead to the globe, anchors would receive their last rights from the bishop before their confinement in the anchorage. This macabre ceremony was a complete burying 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, likewise as well-nigh a dozen of girls from noble families who were attracted in that location by Jutta's fame in later years. What kind of education did Hildegard receive from Jutta? It was of the most rudimentary form, and Hildegard could never escape the feelings of inadequacy and lack of teaching. She learned to read Psalter in Latin. Though her grasp of the grammatical intricacies of the language was never complete - she ever had secretaries to help her write down her visions - she had a expert intuitive feel for the intricacies of the language itself, constructing complicated sentences fraught with meanings on many levels, that are still a challenge to students of her writings. The proximity of the anchorage to the church of the Benedictine monastery at Disibodenberg (information technology was attached physically to the church) undoubtedly exposed young Hildegard to musical religious services and were the basis for her own musical compositions. After Jutta'due south death, when Hildegard was 38 years of age, she was elected the caput of the budding convent living within cramped walls of the anchorage.

The Awakening

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

And information technology came to pass ... when I was 42 years and 7 months old, that the heavens were opened and a blinding light of infrequent brilliance flowed through my unabridged encephalon. And then 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...

All the same Hildegard was also overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy and hesitated to human action.

But although I heard and saw these things, considering of doubt and depression opinion of myself and because of diverse sayings of men, I refused for a long time a call to write, not out of stubbornness but out of humility, until weighed downwardly by a scourge of god, I fell onto a bed of sickness.

The twelfth century was likewise the time of schisms and religious foment, when someone preaching any outlandish doctrine could instantly attract a large following. Hildegard was disquisitional of schismatics, indeed her whole life she preached against them, specially the Cathars. She wanted her visions to be sanctioned, approved by the Catholic 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 it to the attention of Pope Eugenius (1145-53), a rather enlightened individual who exhorted Hildegard to stop her writings. With papal imprimatur, Hildegard was able to end her first visionary work Scivias ("Know the Ways of the Lord") and her fame began to spread through Germany and beyond.

Major Works

Around 1150 Hildegard moved her growing convent from Disibodenberg, where the nuns lived alongside the monks, to Bingen about 30 km due north, on the banks of the Rhine. She afterwards founded some other convent, Eibingen, across 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 feast days, and antiphons. At that place is some show that her music and moral play Ordo Virtutum ("Play of Virtues") were performed in her own convent. In addition to Scivias she wrote 2 other major works of visionary writing Liber vitae meritorum (1150-63) (Book of Life's Claim) and Liber divinorum operum(1163) ("Book of Divine Works"), in which she farther expounded on her theology of microcosm and macrocosm-man beingness the top of god's creation, man as a mirror through which the splendor of the macrocosm was reflected. Hildegard also authored Physica and Causae et Curae (1150), both works on natural history and curative powers of diverse natural objects, which are together known equally Liber subtilatum ("The book of subtleties of the Various Nature of Things"). These works were uncharacteristic of Hildegard'southward writings, including her correspondences, in that they were non presented in a visionary form and don't comprise whatsoever references to divine source or revelation. However, like her religious writings they reflected her religious philosophy-that the man was the top of god's cosmos and everything was put in the earth for man to employ.

Her scientific views were derived from the ancient Greek cosmology of the iv elements-fire, air, water, and earth-with their complementary qualities of rut, dryness, moisture, and cold, and the corresponding four humours in the torso-choler (yellow bile), blood, phlegm, and melancholy (black bile). Human constitution was based on the preponderance of one or two of the humors. Indeed, nosotros still utilise words "quick-tempered", "sanguine", "phlegmatic" and "melancholy" to describe personalities. Sickness upset the fragile balance of the humours, and merely consuming the correct plant or beast which had that quality yous were missing, could restore the healthy balance to the torso. 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 use. Thus, "Reyan (tansy) is hot and a piffling damp and is practiced confronting all superfluous flowing humours and whoever suffers from catarrh and has a cough, let him consume tansy. It volition bind humors and so that they do not overflow, and thus will lessen."

Hildegard'south writings are also unique for their generally positive view of sexual relations and her clarification of pleasure from the signal of view of a woman. They might also contain the get-go description of the female person orgasm.

When a woman is making love with a human being, a sense of estrus in her brain, which brings with it sensual delight, communicates the sense of taste of that please during the act and summons along the emission of the man's seed. And when the seed has fallen into its place, that trigger-happy heat descending from her encephalon draws the seed to itself and holds it, and soon the woman'due south sexual organs contract, and all the parts that are ready to open up during the time of menstruation now close, in the same fashion every bit a potent homo can hold something enclosed in his fist.

She also wrote that strength of semen adamant the sex of the child, while the amount of love and passion determine child's disposition. The worst instance, where the seed is weak and parents feel no love, leads to a bitter daughter.

Divine Harmonies

Music was extremely important to Hildegard. She describes information technology 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. Later on the autumn, music was invented and musical instruments made in order to worship god appropriately. Possibly this explains why her music most often sounds like what nosotros imagine angels singing to be like.

Hildegard wrote hymns and sequences in honour of saints, virgins and Mary. She wrote in the plainchant tradition of a single song melodic line, a tradition common in liturgical singing of her time. Her music is undergoing a revival and enjoying huge public success. 1 group, Sequentia, is planning to record all of Hildegard'south musical output in time for the 900th anniversary of her birth in 1998. Their latest recording Canticles of Ecstasy is superb. Be certain to read the translations of the latin text of the songs which provide a good example of Hildegard's metaphorical writing, and are imbued with vibrant descriptions of color and lite, that also occurs in her visionary writings.

The Most Distinguished Migraine Sufferer

It is now generally agreed that Hildegard suffered from migraine, and that her visions were a consequence of this condition. The way she describes her visions, precursors to visions, as well as debilitating aftereffects, betoken to classic symptoms of migraine sufferers. Although a number of visual hallucinations may occur, the more common ones described are the "scotomata" which ofttimes follow perceptions of phosphenes in the visual field. Scintillating scotomata are also associated with areas of total blindness in the visual field, something Hildegard might have been describing when she spoke of points of intense low-cal, and too the "extinguished stars." Migraine attacks are usually followed by sickness, paralysis, blindness-all reported by Hildegard, and when they pass, by a flow of rebound and feeling amend than before, a euphoria also described by her. Likewise, writes Oliver Sacks

Amidst the strangest and most intense symptoms of migraine aura, and the about hard of description and assay, are the occurrences of feelings of sudden familiarity and finality... or its opposite. Such states are experienced, momentarily and occasionally, by everyone; their occurrence in migraine auras is marked by 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 give-and-take of god, and create so much with it.

Hildegard today

Bingen, as it exists today, a travel essay contributed by Wolfgang Wanner. Come across also Tracks of Hildegard in Today'south Bingen(German), equally well as travel information.

Bibliography

• Jutta and Hildegard: The Biographical Serial , translated and introduced by Anna Silvas (Penn Land University Printing, 1999).\
  328 pages ISBN 0-271-01954-9 paper: $18.95
• 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, by 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 Human being 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 past Hildegard of Bingen with commentary by Matthew Fox. (Santa Fe, Due north.M. : Acquit & 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 past Joseph Fifty. Baird, Radd Grand. Ehrman. (New York : Oxford University Press, 1994).
• Sister of wisdom : St. Hildegard's theology of the feminine, by Barbara Newman. (Berkeley : University of California Printing, 1987).
• The "Ordo virtutum" of Hildegard of Bingen : disquisitional studies edited by Audrey Ekdahl Davidson. (Kalamazoo, Mich. : Medieval Institute Publications, Western Michigan University, 1992).
• Hildegard von Bingen : Mystikerin, Heilerin, Gefahrtin der Engel, by Ingeborg Ulrich. (Munchen : Kosel, 1990).
• German 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, by Heinrich Shipperges. (Muenchen: Beck, 1995).
• Gottfried and Theodoric's Life of Hildegard of Bingen, past Hugh Feiss is available from Peregrina.
• The Journal of Hildegard of Bingen, by Barbara Lachman. (Bong Tower, 1993, pbk. 1995).
• Hildegard, The Last Year, past Barbara Lachman. (Shambhala, 1997).

Discography

• Luminus Spirit, by Hesperus "takes an authentic approach to the music of Hildegard." October 1998.
• Lux Vivens:the music of Hildegard von Bingen PGD Mammoth Records, Baronial 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 -- main soloist Catherine Shroeder, Champeaux CSM 006. "Their particular manner of vocalizing early medieval music - set apart from scholarly research equally a basis for the estimation - is remarkable: harmonic intonation, crisp and fluent phrasing, discerning use of various vocal ornaments similar I oasis't heard anybody else capable of. " -Thou. Spaink (personal communication)
• Hildegard von Bingen, Sequences and Antiphons (Monk and Abbess) on BMG Goad (09026-68329-2) -- performed past Judith Malafronte
• Bison Tales has recently released two recordings of Hildegard's music and spoken word by Ellen Oak. Ellen Oak has been studying and performing the life and work of Hildegard for more than a decade.
• Harmony of Sky
• Sounding the Living Light
• Hildegard of Bingen Canticles of Ecstasy DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI 12/94 Sequentia - first-class
• DES77051 Hildegard of Bingen Ordo Virturum Vol i DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI four/90 1:29 DDD Sequentia - a scrap weird, not for the faint of heart.
• 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 5/97 Sequentia
• CHW41 Hildegard Antiphons and Songs CHRYSALIS 11/93
• CHW74584 Hildegard Hildegard & Her Time CHRYSALIS three/93
• HYP66039 Hildegard of Bingen Plumage on the Exhale of God HYPERION ii/88 Emma Kirkby/Page/Gothic Voices
• DES05472-77346-two Hildegard Voice of the Blood DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI, Sequentia
• 11,000 Virgins, Chants for the Banquet of St. Ursula HARMONIA MUNDI Us 1997 Anonymous4
• Voices of Angels 1997 Voices of Ascension.

Spider web Resources

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

Glossary

Manifestly.chant or evidently.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-eastward-rik, ke-'ler-ik\ adj (1583)

1: hands moved to often unreasonable or excessive anger: hot-tempered

ii: ANGRY, IRATE

an.ti.phon \'ant-east-fen, -,faÈn\ n

[LL antiphona Ð more than at Anthem] (1500)

1: a psalm, canticle, or verse sung responsively

2: a verse usu. from Scripture said or sung before and after a anthem, psalm, or psalm verse as function of the liturgy

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

1: BLOODRED

2a: consisting of or relating to blood

b: SANGUINARY 1

c: of the complexion: Scarlet

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

4: CONFIDENT, OPTIMISTIC

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

i: resembling, consisting of, or producing the sense of humour phlegm

ii: 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 than at GALL] (14c)

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

b: BLACK BILE

c: Affective

2a: depression of spirits: DEJECTION

b: a pensive mood

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Terminal modified: x/17/98
Created: 2/15/95

Kristina Lerman, [email protected]

chatfieldpeding.blogspot.com

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

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