Hildegard von Bingen Essentials

A German religious figure, mystic, scientist, writer, philosopher, and, most importantly, composer, Hildegard von Bingen was one of the most prolific and influential auteurs of the Medieval period—remarkable for a time when women had little public presence. A master of space and temporality, Hildegard wrote gripping monophony (single-melody compositions), such as “Symphonia virginum: O dulcissime amator.” Much of this beautiful music was written to have a liturgical function, such as her melodious antiphons (“Antiphon: Studium divinitatis”) and sequences (“Sequence: O ignis spiritus paracliti”), which were meant to be recited during worship.