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| Fig. 1: Hildegard von Bingen self-portrait (Corrêa de Oliveira). |
Why should a
relatively obscure 12th century nun experience a resurgence of interest nearly
a thousand years after her birth? In the course of my research, I came across
nineteen books on Hildegard von Bingen; twelve were written in the 1990s and
five others in the 1980s. Not bad for an "obscure" 12th century nun.
Certainly, part of the interest may be attributed to the rise in the popularity
of Gregorian chant on the record charts in the 1990s. Additionally, Hildegard
von Bingen has also attracted interest from post-feminist writers and holistic
healers.
Today's listeners
appreciate von Bingen's music perhaps for the peace of mind chant can help
create. However, while the quietly whispered Latin phrases sound to us like
mystical incantations, to von Bingen they were words of praise. These are songs
of love and adoration to the God she worshipped. Like the great Gothic
architecture of her time, these songs were used to create a space where the
worship of the supernatural could take place.
Early Life
Little is known
of von Bingen’s family, and she is not known to have commented on the subject.
It is likely that she came from the "illustrious family of Stein, whose
descendants are the present Princes of Salm" (Flanagan 22). Her parents'
names, as recorded by her first biographer (the monk Godfrey of Disibodenberg),
were Hildebert and Mechthilde. Her father served as a soldier in the service of
Meginhard, Count of Spanheim. While the nature of their title and the precise
locations of their lands have not been recorded, their many donations to the
church have been noted and it is through these sources that we can infer their
noble heritage.
Von Bingen is
referred to in several sources as being the tenth child of a noble family. This
had been concluded by her reference to herself as a "tithe child" in
early sources. There was a custom that the tenth child was considered the tithe
child. From the biblical term for giving ten percent of your harvest or wealth
to the church (a tithe), the tithe child would be given over to the church to
be trained for service. By the time the tenth child was born it is likely that
a family would not have the money to provide a sufficient dowry for her.
Von Bingen was
frequently sick as a child, and taking into account the lack of a dowery, the
prospect of marriage was slim. As a result, she was probably seen as something
of a burden, even to her allegedly "highborn" family. There is no
direct evidence regarding the rest of von Bingen's family. Though it is thought
she came from a family of ten children, only eight names, including her own and
that of seven siblings, have been recorded. Two others may have died in
childhood (Lehrman). Given the high mortality rate of children at the time, and
von Bingen's own sickly nature, this is a plausible explanation.
Her environment while
growing up is another area of mystery, as little information of it is known.
Von Bingen, a devout and deeply religious person, related her childhood in
spiritual terms, overlooking the daily routines and occurrences that seem to
fascinate biographers in the modern age. A few hints do give us a peek though.
She had a pet calf of sorts, which suggests an agricultural environment.
Von Bingen’s education
was limited; the nature of which can only be inferred from what we know of her
times. She was taught some reading and writing skills, but only so much as was
relevant to basic religious instruction. She would have likely received a great
deal of instruction via the oral traditions of the times. In a era when most
people were illiterate, stories, songs, and rhyming mnemonic devices were used
to assist in memorization (Lehrman).
While von Bingen
did not go into specifics about her childhood, we have gleaned some insights
from her comments. She did make reference, albeit indirectly, to the lack of
personal space in her childhood, which is something that would have been common
to all classes, including the nobility, during the Medieval Age (Flanagan 25).
When compared to the secluded life and private cells enjoyed in the
monasteries, von Bingen probably found the change of living space dramatic.
Despite this apparent lack of personal space, little Hildegard was often housebound
as a child due to illness, and, as a result, received little exposure to the
outside world. On this subject she is quoted as saying, "I was ignorant of
many outside things because of the frequent illnesses I
suffered" (Flanagan 25). In a way, however, her fragile health helped to
prepare her for a life of seclusion.
Education
Hildegard Von
Bingen entered the church at the age of seven or eight into an abbey that was
opened to the daughters of highborn families. Von Bingen's origins with the
upper classes of society would have a significant impact on her personality and
was a contributing factor in her psychological makeup which allowed her to so
forcibly exert her power and opinions in the very male dominated society of 12th century Europe.
Von Bingen was
given over to the care of Jutta, who was the sister of Count Meginhard, in
whose army von Bingen's father fought. Jutta lived as an anchoress (a monk or
nun who never left their cell or monastic building) at Disenberg in the Diocese
of Speyer. She was part of an order of nuns located at the Benedictine
monastery of Mount St. Disibode. Jutta came from noble stock herself as were
all the nuns and novitiates at this particular abbey (Mershman).
Even at this
young age it was noticed that von Bingen, though often sick, was
"high-strung, keenly intelligent . . . uncannily able to foretell coming
events" (Beer 16). She received some basic instruction in Latin, probably
as part of her religious instruction. While certainly an intelligent woman, von
Bingen's frequent illnesses may have resulted in her receiving less formal
education than other women of her class. She never felt confident with her
level of literacy and, in later years, often employed a secretary to record her
words in proper grammar (Mershman).
Once under the
care of Jutta, von Bingen began to become accustomed to Benedictine ways. The
Benedictines were a monastic order whose daily rituals followed a routine of
work and worship. They had certain dietary requirements that had to be
observed. Fish and fowl were permissible, but not meat from a four-footed
animal. Mealtimes and the menu were prescribed by the order and took into
account fasting days or feast days when fish was the only meat that could be
eaten.
The calendar was
full of special days of observation and the diet adjusted so. Allowances were
made for the diets of the very young, old, or sick. While local varieties of
fruits and vegetables differed from one region to the next, it was otherwise a
simple and unchanging menu. Monotonous, to be sure, but the communal lifestyle
ensured a steady, plentiful supply. A circumstance that was often better than
for many in Europe at the time (Mershman).
The time spent
alone, due to her illnesses, fostered von Bingen's studious nature. During her
periods of recuperation she would have been freed from the strict schedule of
the abbey, which allowed her to spend extra time developing her talents in art,
music, and medicine. In fact, her illnesses also inspired her art. Her
manuscript illuminations included symbolism taken from the visions that were
caused by her migraine headaches (Beer 23).
In the Church
Von Bingen became
a Benedictine nun when she was near eighteen years old. After Jutta dies in
1136, von Bingen was held in high enough esteem to take her place as leader of
her sister nuns, about twelve in all (Fox 7). Von Bingen now entered a very
creative period of her life. Her literary output consists of nine books and
more than seventy poems. The first book, Scivias (Know the Ways)
contained both von Bingen's words of wisdom and hand-painted illuminations. In
addition to artwork for illuminated manuscripts she wrote extensively on
medicine and matters of health and sexuality, including the first medical
description of a female orgasm (Mershman). Von Bingen also had extensive
correspondence with a broad range of people.
As previously stated,
due to her rudimentary education Hildegard von Bingen employed a secretary to
assist her. Two are most noteworthy, a young Benedictine monk named Volmar and
her trusted assistant, a sister nun, Richardis von Stade. When reading her
letters we must allow for the fact that von Bingen's weak grammatical skills
were compensated for by her secretaries (Beer 25). Nonetheless, the broad range
of her talents is indicative of a very literate person. She is, however, as
known for her powerful visions (likely due to migraine headaches) as she is for
her music.
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Hildegard von
Bingen chaffed under the control of Abbot Kuno of the monastery of Mount St.
Disibode (St. Disibodenberg, see fig. 2, above). After her recognition by Pope
Eugenius III she began to attract many more new members of her order. In time
the need for larger space and autonomy to run her community persuaded von
Bingen in 1151 to move her community to Rupertsburg where she became an abbess
and was beholden only to the Archbishop of Mainz, superseded the local control
of such church officials like Abbot Kuno. This move provoked strife between the
to communities of Benedictine Monks and Nuns, which was further aggravated by
other disagreements. The friction continued for thirty-three years, at times
spurred on by von Bingen's own uncompromising attitude. She died in September
1179, and was honored as a saint almost immediately and later canonized in 1233
(Newman 15).
Her Visions
Hildegard's von
Bingen's visions form the central basis for her mystique; indeed, her visions
are part of her legacy as a Catholic saint. They provide a divine voice to her
muse that is hard to critique; however, there is a pathological explanation for
her visions - migraine headaches. Dr. Oliver Sacks, the noted Professor of
Neurology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, provides us
with three presumptions we must acknowledge while investigating the medical
reasons for her visions.
- There is no such thing as valid spiritual experience. Speaking in tongues, dream visions, prayer, etc., are invalid experiences.
- There is no such thing as valid psychic experience.
- Given that the first two experiences are true, there is spiritual realm(s) and/or no interaction between the spiritual and the physical that cannot be explained solely in physical terms
Sacks goes on to
explain further that the "experience represents a hysterical or psychotic
ecstasy, the effects of intoxication, or an epileptic or migrainous
manifestation." Von Bingen's medicinal writings indicate she
had knowledge of herbs and spices (like nutmeg) which are capable of producing
mild hallucinogenic effects.
Because of the
great deal of correspondence left behind by von Bingen we know that she
suffered from migraine headaches, which she described (as part of her visions)
in detail. Points of light which move in wave-like patterns or as
"shimmering circles of light" are typical of the visions inflicted on
migraine sufferers and described by von Bingen herself (Sacks 1). Von Bingen
describes the condition in the following passage:
"From my infancy up to the present time, I being more than seventy years
of age, I have always seen this light in my spirit and not with external eyes,
nor with any thoughts of my heart nor with help from the senses. But my outward
eyes remain open and the other corporeal senses retain their activity. The
light which I see is not located but yet is more brilliant than the sun, nor
can I examine its height, length, or breadth, and I name it the "cloud of
the living light." And as sun, moon, and the stars are reflected in water,
so the writings, sayings, virtues, and works of men shine in it before me.
Likewise I see, hear, and understand almost in a moment and I set down what I
thus learn." (Singer)
From the above
quote it can be inferred that von Bingen did not fall into a trance-like state
when visited by her visions, but rather was awake and alert. This accounts for
how she was able to keep her visions a secret until she was ready to discuss
them with church elders. While we regard von Bingen and her visions with some
mystery, she recounted her experiences in a very matter-of-fact manner, without
the passion and fervor we accord to such visionaries. This stems, one can
conjecture, from the very pragmatic approach she took to her duties and what
she perceived as her calling. Other such "visionaries," like von
Bingen's contemporary Elisabeth of Shönau, would become incapacitated during a
vision and be incapable of performing any other functions (Beer 28).
Von Bingen felt a divine calling to set the visions, and her interpretations of those visions, down in a book. The Scivias (shorten from the Latin 'Scito vias Domini' meaning 'Know the Ways of the Lord') was her first volume of a trilogy relating her 'mystic' visions and wisdom (Beer 29). Interlaced throughout the Scivias are numerous "visios," her illuminated artwork, which integrated visual images she claimed to receive in her visions. Pope Eugenius received a selection of the Scivias circa 1147-48. So impressed was he by it, the pope said the work was "divinely inspired" and gave her the Church's authorization to complete it.
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| Fig. 3: Sample of von Bingen's artwork (von Bingen, "Hildegard of Bingen Mandala"). |
Fig. 3, above, is a sample of Hildegard von Bingen's manuscript illumination artwork. The migraine sufferer's "circles of light" are plainly seen here in a piece evocative of a Far Eastern mandala. We can infer, from the distance of 900 years, pathological reasons for Hildegard's visions and the inspirations for her illuminations. Nevertheless, this does not take away from the beauty of her work nor its significance to the devout.
Her
Music
Hildegard von
Bingen's music was inspired by the daily performance of the Daily Office. The
Divine Office is a Catholic term for a liturgical prayer, which is sung eight
times a day. For almost four hours every day von Bingen and her sister nuns
chanted. In her monastic world, von Bingen had everything she needed to develop
her musical skills," A scriptorium where experienced copyists could pen
her music; a skilled and practiced performing body to sing it; and occasions
for the performance of her music-the liturgy" (Fierro).
Von Bingen
assembled her collected body of compositions into a cycle called The
Symphony of the Harmony of the Heavenly Revelations. This title reflects
not only the divine aspect of her work, but its benefice as well. Von Bingen
felt that music was a way for the believer to recover the unity of our body,
mind, and soul in our relationship with God (Fierro). Seventy plus compositions
contained in the cycle represent what we know of her as a composer.
After her move
away from the monastery of Mount St. Disibode, von Bingen began to compose more,
and for other monasteries as well. She wrote not only worship music, but also
songs celebrating the lives of various saints and moral drama as well. Her Play
of Virtues features vocal parts for the Devil, patriarchs and prophets, the
soul, and even a part as abstract as "The Knowledge of God." This is
a type of morality play. Imagine the classic medieval morality play Everyman
set to music and that's the general idea (von Bingen 119).
The various
compositions can be categorized as follows (Fierro):
- Antiphons: A melody sung before and after a psalm, her largest category of pieces.
- Responsories: Chant with music and lyrics performed after a scripture lesson, alternates between solo and group responses. Her second largest category.
- Sequences: Sung between the alleluia and gospel during mass. Hildegard's sequences were non-rhyming dramatic pieces and poems.
- Hymns: Devotional pieces composed with or without melodic repetition.
There are stylistic elements that are
characteristic of von Bingen's music, which have been commented on by
musicologist Marianne Pfau (Fierro).
- Soaring: Compared to the chants of her contemporaries Hildegard employed a wide vocal range.
- Leaps: Plainchant usually never employed intervals larger than a second or third. Hildegard's music vaults upward and downward with wide intervals of fifths and fourths.
- Contour: Rapid ascents in the melodies with a slow, falling decline. Her melodies were more "angular than her contemporaries" (Fierro).
- Dramatic Flourishes: "Hildegard's chants contrast neumatic and melismatic passages. Neumatic passages are organized with two or three notes per syllable. Melismatic passages use three or more notes per syllable. Hildegard often uses melismatic or decorative passages to articulate form, to animate the line, to create agile, supple melodies and to separate sections of pieces. Combined with an ascending passage at the end of the piece, Hildegard uses melismas to anticipate the joy we will experience in arriving at our final celestial destiny" (Fierro).
The song, “O Virga Ac Diadema” (Praise for the Mother) on Richard Souther’s album Vision: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen (Angel Records, 1994) has many of the classic elements of Gregorian Chant that mark this period. Click on the clip above to hear this song.
The song seems
composed especially for the range of the female voice and the as the verses are
sung together at the polyphonic peak of the piece. Melismatic organum
structures the song in a manner that reminded me of the Gothic cathedrals of
Hildegard's time. The higher voices stretching skywards like the flying
buttresses that supported the cathedrals' great walls. Latin, as foreign to our
ears as it probably was to many German serfs, enhances the mystic quality of
the song. Not being able to comprehend the words, we turn inwards in
contemplation, considering the emotional reaction the music provokes in us.
In making her
music more accessible, Hildegard did not write her lyrics in the proper Latin
used by the Church. Instead she wrote in the vulgate, a more common form of
Latin, practical in use and more widely understood (Foil).
Musical
instruments were probably not frequent guests during the performance of the
Divine Office in von Bingen’s lifetime. We do know, however, that she included
some instruments to remind the worshipper of certain virtues (Fierro).
- Tambourine: The taut skin of the tambourine inspires us to keep to a fast and maintain our discipline.
- Flute: The sound of this wind instrument was to remind us of the Holy Spirit.
- Trumpet: The powerful, clear sound to remind us of the prophets.
- Strings: The sound of the soul as it strives for the light.
- Harp: The "instrument of heavenly blessedness (Fierro)." It evokes our heavenly origins.
- Psaltery: A plucked instrument played on the top and bottom strings reminded one of the union of heaven and earth.
- Organ: The harmonies it can play create a sense of community.
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| Fig. 5: One of von Bingen's compositions in her own handwriting (Fierro). |
The composition
style has elements similar to modern notation yet is less developed.
Certainly, chant required a less complicated notation language than the vocal
gymnastics of Baroque orchestras several hundred years later.
Von Bingen, in
addition to being one of the first composers to sign her name to her works,
also employed the use of a musical signature. Described as "a melodic leap
of a fifth followed by a leap of a fourth upwards," it serves as a kind of
musical fingerprint, as in the following notation (Lehrman). See fig. 6, below:
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| Fig. 6: The notation for von Bingen's musical "signature" (Lehrman). |
We can hear this musical signature in "O Euchari In Leta Via" (Vision), from Richard Souther's album, Vison: The Music of Hildegard of Bingen, which opens with this sequence of notes.
Conclusion
Hildegard von
Bingen’s life has many facets for us to study. Doctors read her works on
medicines and health, poets read her words, artists study her manuscript
illuminations, historians read her voluminous correspondence, feminists and the
religious study her life, and, of course, musicians study her music. She
remains relevant today because the passions that drove her life, and the way
she expressed them, are timeless aspects of the human character. In passion as
well as with art, both must always find expression.
In the end, von Bingen;s life reveals a character study in the strength and force of will of the human psyche. In the depths of the Middle Ages, a woman plagued by chronic pain and living in a male dominated world expressed her love and devotion to God through a prism of many talents. With pen, in song, in art, and in music, Hildegard von Bingen called out to her world in a voice that reaches our own nearly a thousand years later.
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