Page 29 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained

EARLY MUSIC 1000–1400 27

See also: Le jeu de Robin et de Marion 32–35 ■ Messe de Notre Dame 36–37 ■
Missa l’homme armé 42 ■ The Wreckers 232–239 ■ blue cathedral 326

chant repertory of the church
year, studied the playing of the
psaltery (a stringed instrument),
and learned to write Latin. Like
Jutta, Hildegard professed to be
divinely inspired, claiming to have Heaven was opened and a
“never learned neumes, or any fiery light of exceeding
other part of music.” While the brilliance came and
truth of this assertion is unknown, permeated my whole brain …
it may have been an attempt to and immediately I knew the
disassociate herself and Jutta from meaning of the exposition Hildegard of Bingen
an education that ordinarily would of the Scriptures.
not have been available to women. Hildegard of Bingen Born in 1098 as the youngest
For women in the 12th century, to child in a large family of
profess knowledge of the trivium lesser nobility, Hildegard
(the rhetorical arts) or quadrivium spent her early childhood in
(the sciences and music theory) Bermersheim, south of Mainz,
or to provide interpretation of the in Germany. She suffered
Bible might be considered a direct from ill health, and even
threat to male authority. becomes more expressive and before the age of five began
animated, the sweeping vocal to see visions, drawing the
Magnum opus lines of Humilitas (Humility), Fede family’s attention to her
The earliest extant morality (Faith), and Spes (Hope) inspiring spiritual acuity by predicting
play, and one of the first musical the sister Virtues to respond the color of an unborn calf.
At about the age of eight,
dramas to be recorded, Hildegard’s with ardor. However, the original she was placed in the care of
most well-known work, Ordo notation is little more than the Jutta of Sponheim, a visionary
Virtutum (“The play of the Virtues”), barest of bones: recordings with who lived as a recluse in a
contains more than 80 melodies fiddles, flute, and harmonized hermitage near the abbey
that form a musical drama most accompaniments represent at Disibodenberg.
likely intended to be performed by the modern interpretation of The women’s hermitage
the nuns of Hildegard’s order. The this sketch. was later opened to monastic
play calls for a cast of more than aspirants, and at the age of
20 singing roles and concerns Writings and divinity 14 Hildegard devoted her life
the struggle for a soul (Anima) Hildegard’s letters reveal her to God as a Benedictine nun.
between 17 “Virtues” (Humility status as “seer and mystic,” which On the death of Jutta in 1136,
is the Queen of the Virtues) and allowed her not just the freedom and at the age of 38, Hildegard
their adversary, Diabolus (the to offer stern advice (even to the was elected to lead the
Devil). Diabolus, perhaps originally pope) but opportunities for musical religious community. She
performed this role until her
spoken by Hildegard’s friend expression. She often emphasized death in 1179 but also found
and scribe Volmar, lacks all the transcendent origin of her time to write three volumes
harmony and articulates in works. Music connected her to of visionary theology, scientific
spoken interjections. a lost Eden, before Adam and Eve works, and religious verse.
The accompanying melodies precipitated the Fall of humankind
in the manuscript indicate when by eating the forbidden fruit. She Other key work
the Virtues sing as a chorus and envisaged her texts being at the
gives more florid music to the solo service of the music, so that “those c.1150s Symphonia armonie
voices. As the Virtues step forward who hear might be taught about celestium revelationum
to introduce themselves, the music inward things.” ■

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