Hildegard of Bingen was the first great female theologian of the Catholic church. She is known for her work as an abbess and frequently defying local bishops to do what she believed right. What most people do not know is that she wrote over 70 chants to be used her religious order. She has had a great impact on music and many of her hymns are still used today.
Born in 1098, Hildegard was the last of 10 children. At the age of three, she claimed to have seen a dazzling light. As she got older, she came to understand it as a divine revelation. she could see geometric forms, human figures, buildings, and whole kinetic scenarios. Alought beautiful, she found these experiences physically exhausting and often was bedridden with debilitating
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It primarily consisted of a single line of melody. Rhythm was also extremely basic due to the thick accents, strange syllable count, and odd long and short vowels that were prominent in the vernacular. The modern music staff consists of eight lines. However, in Hildegard’s time, the staff was only four lines. Hildegard was not like many musicians of her time. She was highly spirited person. She found joy in gorgeous clothing, delicate sounds, vibrant jewels, and delicate aromas. Her music reflected this self-expression. Most songs had a slim range, hovering around the same few notes. Hildegard pushed the boundaries and including adding notes to create large gaps, or leaps, in the notes. She would use the whole octave, not limiting herself to a few notes. Hildegard would also incorporate climatic flourishes to add further drama and dimension to her piece. One of her most interesting ideas was her thoughts on instruments and their meaning. She saw the tambourine’s thin frame as that of a fasting body, giving the tambourine the meaning of discipline. The powerful voice the trumpet had reminded her of the voice of a prophet. (Fierro)
Saint Hildegard of Bingen has greatly influenced music. From adding her personal touches of drama to expanding our views on what instruments mean, her music has affected musicians to this day. Without her use of leaps in notes, music would be very plain and have no character. Her