Hildegard von Bingen

Paper Summary:

Hildegard von Bingen, born in Bockelheim, Germany in 1098, made a significant impact on the twelfth century church through leadership and writing, and yet she is perhaps best known for the amazing works of music that she produced. This paper examines influences that helped to shape von Bingen into the figure that many refer to as St. Hildegard. Through examining important events, celestial visages and important influences, the paper shows how von Bingen was inspired to create some of the most hauntingly beautiful pieces of music that have emerged from Christianity throughout its two thousand year history.

From the Paper:

"von Bingen was deeply moved to create music because of her religious beliefs about what musical expression was. From von Bingen's perspective, music was one of the ways to most appropriately worship God. Before the fall of Adam, von Bingen surmised that Adam's voice was pure and would be lifted up in worship of God and would be joined by hosts of angels. After the fall, von Bingen concluded that musical instruments were invented to enable man to worship God in an appropriate manner. These influences were reflected in her music and helped to craft a musical style that was inspiring and moving. It is precisely the element of worship as a component of music that inspired her to write the lines of the Devil without music."

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