Hildegard von Bingen
THE SACRED FIRE
Heather Lee & Kim Cunio
A
T
M
O
S
P
H
E
R
E
S
The Sacred Fire
A new realisation of the music of Hildegard of Bingen
And it came to pass in the eleven hundred and forty-first year of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, Son of
God, when I was forty-two years and seven months old, that the heavens were opened and a blinding
light of exceptional brilliance flowed through my entire brain. And so it kindled my whole heart and
breast like a flame, not burning but warming.
(HILDEGARD VON BINGEN, Scivias)
Hildegard of Bingen was an undoubted visionary. She had transcendental experiences throughout her
life, and these experiences informed her worship and her sense of the world. In the medieval
environment, it was seen as possible to have a direct link with the angels and the Holy Spirit;
and it is this sense of wonder that The Sacred Fire seeks to explore.
In the last decade there have been many recordings of the music of Hildegard, ranging from the
historically informed works of ensembles such as Sequentia, to a number of adventurous fusion
recordings that have sought to combine this wonderful music with all sorts of modern sounds.
The Sacred Fire is both of these. It is faithful in a historical sense, but is also musically adventurous.
This is not the flippant adventure of those who combine a keyboard or hastily composed chord
scheme with the original music, but the result of an exacting realisation process.
Left | Hildegard von Bingen, Nine Ranks of Angels
2
3
Hildegard’s life
Hildegard’s life is momentous for the quality and diversity of her work in the spheres of natural
history, medicine, cosmology, music and poetry at a time when most educated women rarely wrote
Alongside this realm of practical worship, Hildegard had visionary experiences. These started when
she was a child, and were accompanied by many periods of poor health. In 1141 this escalated,
giving Hildegard the inspiration to write her first major visionary work, Scivias (Sci Vias Domini, or
Know the Ways of the Lord). Her visions pertained to all manner of religious texts and precepts,
or acted in the public sphere. Hildegard was born into a rich family, and was not given to the church
accompanied by the repeated command: ‘O fragile one, ash of ash, and corruption of corruption, say
in the standard manner of becoming a nun, but enclosed, apparently for life, in the cell of an
and write what you see and hear.’
anchoress attached to a Benedictine monastery at Disibodenberg. This occurred at the age of eight. It
was such a radical proposition that it was common for the parents to have a funeral ceremony for the
child, whom they would not expect to ever see again. It must have been a profound experience for
this child to move into a stone room, to grow into a woman in this small world, accompanied by
constant ritual.
In her youth Hildegard shared a cell with Jutta. Jutta was the daughter of a nobleman, a worldly-wise
and skilled woman who was well versed in the practical skills of reading, writing and singing. As
Hildegard’s first biographer and former secretary, the monk Godfrey, wrote: ‘[Jutta] carefully
Hildegard soon became known as an expert on theological matters, a remarkable feat for a woman
with no formal education. As she became a more public figure, her visions changed in character from
being associated with a light, to an ability to understand without any human teaching the writings of
the prophets, the evangelists and of other holy men and certain philosophers.
While it was still very difficult for women to actively preach and teach, it was possible for them to
write, though they usually did so through a male scribe. Moreover Hildegard wrote in Latin, a
language that could only be read by the clergy, a language of which she had only a limited mastery.
introduced her to the habit of humility and innocence. She taught her the Psalms of David and
It is incredible that Hildegard, against the wishes of the Abbot at Disibodenberg, set up a convent for
showed her how to give praise on the ten-stringed psaltery’ (Vita Sanctae Hildegardis, Book 1).
her order of sisters at Rupertsberg, near Bingen, in 1152. Despite the difficulties of starting a new
community, this was a place that greatly increased her creative output, dedicated to the Virgin and
As a young woman Hildegard read text and music, and possibly played the stringed psaltery.
the Holy Spirit as well as to St Rupert. During this period she wrote a great deal of music, and it
Hildegard led a Benedictine life, which had regular prayer times from the middle of the night to the
reflected her idea that music should mirror the sound of the heavenly spheres, with her sisters singing
following evening, with a strong ethos of keeping the mind and body occupied through work.
like angelic choirs. By the time of her death in 1179 Hildegard was a formidable figure in every
Jutta was to remain a principal figure in Hildegard’s life, and their small cell became increasingly
sphere of life. Her last letter to Abbot Ludwig, in 1174, shows her state of mind clearly:
known. Women joined them, and when Hildegard was an adult their cell became more a small
Now, put on the armour of heaven like a valiant knight, and wash away the deeds of your foolish youth.
convent linked to the nearby monastery. When Jutta died in 1136, Hildegard was seen as the obvious
In the angelic vestment of the monk’s habit, labour strenuously at noon, before the day ends, so that you
successor to lead this women’s community.
will be received joyfully into the company of angels in the heavenly tabernacles.
4
5
Music
Hildegard is best known for her Ordo Virtutum (Play of the Virtues), a work which shows many of the
elements of modern dramatic poetry and opera. Ordo Virtutum is deeply related to Scivias, her first
major theological work, and involves a cast of allegorical characters similar to those in the morality
plays which came to be fairly widespread in the Church. Within a biblical idiom Hildegard invented a
plot to weave morality, nature and instinct together.
In this play the conflicts are between the forces that shape our spiritual destiny. The soul is the
Dendermonde, Belgium, and the Riesenkodex, in the collection of the Hessen State Library in
Wiesbaden. One important piece in this collection is O vis aeternitatis, the first entry in the Wiesbaden
manuscript, written with the notion of profunda altudine (profound height, a term she invented). It
encapsulates the mysteries contained in her writing, conveyed through a combination of solo and
responsorial singing.
These works represent a microcosm of height and change within the history of Church music.
Though dedicated to the ideals of purity and reverence to the high godly orders of the Church, they
protagonist, affected by The Virtues on one side, and the base world symbolised by The Devil on the
also played a part in the disintegration of Church music and modality. Their nature is to change
other. Because these forces are personalised, they seem somehow easier to comprehend and more
emphasis, to write new melodies not based on the established canon of Gregorian chant, and to
direct in nature. The music ends with victory after loss, for the soul initially loses itself to the devil,
write mostly for a force composed of women, whose voices had only filled the fringes of the Church’s
only then calling for help to the virtues, who aid it and draw it up above, to immortality. In its heart
musical history.
this music represents Hildegard’s own triumphs.
It is easy to forget how radical this must have been in the medieval world. Women were still largely
As Barbara Thornton of Sequentia put it: ‘Her creations must be seen as resulting from her personal,
seen as a lowly creation of spirit, as having an embodied weakness, or corruption, related to the flesh.
mystical experiences of God’s revealed realm, and any musical concept of Ordo Virtutum must
Hildegard had faith in the transformative mystical qualities of her order, and her music is empowering
acknowledge this astounding proposition.’
as well as transcendental. This is the result of a great sense of identity gained through spiritual
As well as this sacred drama, Hildegard set over 70 of her poems to music; these are now known
practice and worship, that Hildegard and her sisters must have shared.
collectively as Symphonia armoniae caelestium revelationum. Written for her sisters at Rupertsberg,
Hildegard wrote 77 pieces of music, all imbued with religious zeal, all relating to liturgical belief. They
these pieces were intended to mirror the godliness of the creation on Earth, not in itself a new
are in the forms of the day: antiphons, sequences, hymns and responsories. They directly relate to the
concept, but embellished by Hildegard in her wish to recreate the sounds of the heavenly spheres (an
life Hildegard led, and were used in the worship of her order. The subjects befit her life: the Virgin
almost Pythagorean concept), and an angelic choir.
Mary, the angels, the Apostles, John the Baptist, the saints, including St Rupert, and the major figures
These works were mostly composed between 1151 and 1158, a highly productive period for
of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost.
Hildegard during which she also wrote treatises on natural science and the healing arts. The two
These works were composed not for a class of professional singer, but for a nun or monastic
main sources for her music are a manuscript held in the Abbey of St Peter and St Paul in
community singer indoctrinated into the Benedictine philosophies of constant prayer, transformation
6
7
and physical work. Vocal nuance was as natural as possible and the vocal tone in this realisation
allowed communication of the textual meaning.
This music should be approached with a knowledge of the conventions of Hildegard’s time. Though
it is possible to reproduce what Hildegard wrote on the page, a little embellishment is possible, and
indeed more in line with what may have actually been heard at the heavenly convent of Rupertsberg.
This inspired us to make a new realisation.
Realisation
A realisation is an artistic process, which seeks to rebuild the music of a given period or time. It is very
different to a reconstruction, which comes from the position of having a definitive sound to work
with. Literal representations of Hildegard’s music have already been recorded, due to a general
consensus as to how her surviving scores should sound. This recording is quite different as it is
unashamedly speculative. Most researchers agree that there is no way of knowing whether medieval
scores were the end product of the music, or just the beginning. This can be posed as a question:
were the neumatic scores of Hildegard’s time an exact replica of what was played, or a clue as to its
sound? We can easily ask this question of the Baroque figured bass, the modern song chart, and
many other music forms.
the officially sanctioned music of Pope Gregory – Gregorian Chant). It consists of one melodic line
without the harmony that was starting to develop in Europe at the time, particularly in French
musical centres such as Notre Dame. The melodic line in Hildegard’s music is largely sacrosanct and
should be treated in a similar manner to other Christian liturgical music. What is less clear is the role
of instruments or instrumental music. References are made to the psaltery in the writings of both
Hildegard and her scribe Godfrey, and many instruments were played in Hildegard’s time.
Performance ensembles have responded to this with a surprising amount of accompaniment and
interpretative new composition, something that this project also embraces.
A recent example is contained in the Sequentia recordings of Hildegard’s music. Sequentia (founded
in 1977) have recorded more of Hildegard’s music than any other ensemble. Such realisations occur in
the majority of their recordings. For example the notes on the Elizabeth Gaver realisation in Voice of the
Blood speak of a piece ‘weaving together both freely and in a stately structure some of the most tender
of Hildegard’s 8th-mode gestures. As this mode in the 12th century was thought to be most indicative
of the state of blessedness, bestowing upon the listener inner peace and meditative quiet, its effect is
to offer comfort.’ In other words a new piece was written to convey these notions of Hildegard.
Realisation is a legitimate process, but in order for such a realisation to be valid it must fulfil a
few criteria:
Another major question pertains to the vocal sound. Were the women’s voices at Rupertsberg
schooled in a modern classical sense? Were they capable of the projection that a modern opera singer
can achieve? In both cases the answer is probably no. These were singers who did many other things
• It must be played on an instrument of the time, or at least on a related instrument.
besides singing. Nevertheless, it can also be argued that the best singers in Europe went to the
Church in medieval times, and that the music itself needed a broad technical ability. These women
sang a great deal, almost every day, and the performance capabilities of the order must have
developed over time.
• It must work within the defined modal and melodic relationships of the time.
The performance, and in this case the realisation, of Hildegard’s work raises a number of significant
points. This music is directly related to the plainchant of the codified Christian liturgy (taken to mean
8
• It must be composed according to the melodic and ornamental precepts of the time and of the
original work.
• It must be created in full awareness of the process of realisation.
After choosing repertoire, a new realisation was written for each piece, leaving space for instrumental
lines and countermelody. This led to a consideration of how best to accompany this music.
9
Rhythm and accompaniment
There is no way of knowing exactly what the neumes of Hildegard meant to the medieval performer,
or what was the exact time duration of the music. All we do know for certain is that the melodies,
and some description of their ornamentation, have been preserved.
paraphrasing the main motifs or responses of a piece. An example is the realisation of O Ierusalem,
where at the end of each responsory section, the last phrase is echoed by the taragotto, which
repeats and highlights the cadence. Another device used in this project is the echoing of the main
line of a phrase, just after its sounding. This gives an implied harmony, as the two melodies weave
together. This is sometimes called word echoing or ghosting.
Hildegard’s music unfolded in a free and languid sense of time. There was great fear in the medieval
world about the polluting effect of rhythmic music, a concept that originated in the Old Testament,
Another important device is the use of suspensions. Suspensions function as decorations of a scale,
but which was also prevalent in much ancient writing. A study of later Christian manuscripts shows
and they offer the opportunity to illuminate the meaning of a text. The recording of O vis aeternitatis
that rhythm did enter Church music, though the process was carefully managed. By the early 13th
uses a suspended fourth in many cadences, as well as providing tonal colour by playing the root of
century the motet and the conductus had appeared, and the music of composers such as Léonin and
the mode, in this case E. Suspensions are placed into the drone accompaniment, providing a melodic
Pérotin was receiving great acclaim. Rhythmic modes were invented that placed rhythm firmly into
impetus that is always wholly within the mode of the song. Unlike most modern suspensions, these
the world of God’s creation. A broad division was made between secular and sacred rhythm. Secular
do not resolve to another note. In most modern music, a suspended fourth resolves to a major or
music had an imperfect two- or four-beat rhythmic pulse, while the music of the Church was written
minor third, a sixth resolves to a fifth, and a ninth resolves to the octave. In this project, suspensions
in the pulse of three, which symbolised the Trinity.
In The Sacred Fire, rhythm was used on a number of the newly-composed instrumental pieces, though
not on the vocal music.
A similar process of examination was followed regarding the use of accompaniment. We know that
Hildegard wrote wholly within the modes of perfection – the great church modes. The points of
stability and consonance in modal melody were the octave, the fourth and the fifth, the intervals that
create sustained and beautiful dissonance.
Ornamentation
When I first sang the antiphons of Hildegard ten years ago with composer Kim Cunio, I was
immediately struck by its resonances with some music of the Near East, in particular parts of the
Indian subcontinent, Persia and Iraq. This is not a similarity that can be traced through direct lines of
best reflected the Godly order on earth – these intervals are known as ‘perfect’ to this day. Hildegard
communication, although indirect lines did move from the Arabic world to Al Andalus (the seat of
favoured the leap of a fifth for melodic emphasis, after which she would often ascend to an octave
Islam in Europe, now in modern Spain), into Europe, where they influenced the great flowering of
above the original note.
Western secular medieval music.
One of the innovations of this project was the use of accompanying phrases. The logical point for
It is rather a similarity of ethos, spirit and innovation. Both early Near Eastern music and the music of
accompaniment was to provide a respite between vocal lines. In this case it was written by
Hildegard radically altered the understanding of what was vocally possible.
10
11
In Hildegard’s case it was the triumph of new composition for the woman’s voice. Her works paid
Countermelodies were played by the taragotto, a modern medieval-styled reed instrument, and the
homage to the canon of liturgical music, but reworked it to show the woman’s ability and range. This
Japanese bamboo flute, the shakuhachi. The choice of players reflected this, and an ensemble of
was new music that moved from the comfortable octave range of Gregorian chant, to the wild limits
leading traditional players was formed.
of the soprano voice. Leaps are commonplace with Hildegard, and her lines move higher and higher,
often leaping to the octave or tenth of the scale, a device rarely heard in her time. The range of
Hildegard’s music is close to two octaves, and this extended range provides much greater
opportunity for virtuosity.
Finally harmony was added. Organum, the first great medieval harmonic language, was the only
realistic choice. Organum reinforces a melody by having another version of it sung or played either
up a fifth or down a fourth. In later times organum was shunned due to a perception of its having a
‘bare’ sound, but in this context it is anything but bare, especially in O Ierusalem and in the choral
The culture of melodic embellishment in Near Eastern music informed our realisation process. In
sections of Patriarchs, Prophets and Virtues and O ignis spiritus. Texture was also developed in this
much Persian and Arabic music, the melodies can seem quite simple at their first listening. What
project, something best reflected in the Patriarchs, Prophets and Virtues from Ordo Virtutum. The piece
brings them to life is an exquisite sense of subtlety, where many notes in a phrase have their own
ends with the choir singing in organum, the soprano voice soaring above it, and the taragotto
departures or musical ornaments, which contain their own beauty.
playing above voice and choir – another manifestation of the Trinity, a triplum, where three lines
work together.
The role of text and melody in Near Eastern music is very similar to that of the music of Hildegard.
The melody supports the revelation of the text, and is set within a scale that has divine or semi-divine
A number of new pieces were written for the project. Some are modal works played by an
implications. The great difference is the relationship between melody and time. In Near Eastern music
instrumental ensemble, to accompany spoken words from the writings of Hildegard. Others are
free and rhythmic time co-exist, and rhythm is something to be delighted in. Our project
instrumental pieces realised in different ways.
experimented with the relationship between tempo, ornament and rhythm. Many of the pieces on
In the case of O beatissime Ruperte, the original vocal line was given to an ensemble of gittern (a
this recording are considerably slower than on other recordings. However, the use of Near Eastern
medieval plucked-string instrument), reed organ and taragotto. A radical turn was the setting of this
ornamental techniques allowed the music a space in which to grow, as in the newly-composed The
melody to a three-pulse, kept by the Persian daff, a large frame drum with metal beads.
Sacred Fire, which explored ornament itself as the primary mode of melody and accompaniment.
New instruments and pieces
The choice of instruments reflected and embellished this process. A large percussion kit included a
mass of tuned gongs, cymbals and bells. The bowed sounds of the medieval vielle were substituted
In Dance of Ecstasy, a new piece was written from a number of modal fragments favoured by
Hildegard. This was pure conjecture of what ensembles of the time may have played. In this case the
gittern was replaced with a Turkish baglama (a seven-stringed plucked-string instrument with
moveable frets). The Iranian zarb was the perfect rhythmic choice.
by the kamanche from Persia. A drone was added to many pieces on the Western reed organ, the
The Ordo Virtutum medley displayed another process. Audrey Ekdahl Davidson from the Hildegard
North Indian harmonium and, on one piece, Caritas abundat, on the South Indian tampurah.
Publishing Company wrote a number of small refrains based on Hildegard’s music for inclusion in a
12
13
performance of Ordo Virtutum. These were rewritten in additive rhythm (with each bar given a
different time signature). The piece was arranged with a strong homage to South Indian (Carnatic)
music, and is played on the tavil, a South Indian temple drum, accompanied an ensemble of organ,
CD1
1
O Fragile One
0’57
Hildegard von Bingen, Scivias
gittern, taragotto and kamanche.
Rebecca Frith voice, Tunji Beier bells
These realisations are at their heart an aesthetic statement, an attempt to take us into the soundworld
of the Benedictine nun. They use the musical devices of the time in a poetic manner. It is hoped that
This is a profound statement of what happened during Hildegard’s life. It placed her as an
they complement the work of Hildegard of Bingen, and take us into a space of introspection, a place
instrument of God, of service to humanity, despite her frail and weak disposition. A medieval bell
where the needs of the soul are addressed.
begins the intonation.
O fragile one, ash of ash, and corruption of corruption, say and write what you see and hear.
Heather Lee
Modern editions consulted during this project
2
The Sacred Fire
Ekdahl Davidson, Audrey (ed.), Ordo Virtutum Hildegard von Bingen, Bryn Mawr, Hildegard Publishing Company, 1991.
Kim Cunio
Grant, Stephen, Editions of Hildegard von Bingen, Melbourne, unpublished, 2004.
In D Aeolian mode
Jeffreys, Catherine, O Ierusalem, Melbourne, unpublished, 1991.
2’18
Heather Lee soprano, Jamal Alrekabi kamanche, Tim Constable gongs
Page, Christopher (ed.), Abbess Hildegard von Bingen Sequences and Hymns, England, Antico Church Music, 1982.
Richer, Marianne (ed.), Hildegard von Bingen: Symphonia armoniae caelestium revelationum, Vol I-V, Bryn Mawr,
Hildegard Publishing Company, 1991.
This newly written piece brings us into the world of this project, and introduces the incredible
References
small, played between the knees with a loose bow. Delicate lines are passed from voice to the
Baird, J. and Ehrman R., The Letters of Hildegard von Bingen, New York, Oxford University Press, 1994.
kamanche, and back, with a deep resonance provided by the gongs.
Flanagan, Sabina, Hildegard of Bingen: A Visionary Life, London, Routledge, 1989.
Flanagan, Sabina, Secrets of God: Writings of Hildegard of Bingen, London, Shambhala, 1996.
Thornton, Barbara, ‘Hildegard von Bingen’s Spiritual Compositions’, in Canticles of Ecstasy [CD liner notes], Deutsche
Harmonia Mundi 05472 77320 2, 1994.
Thornton, Barbara, ‘Ursula and Ecclesia: Myths and Meaning’, in Voice of the Blood [CD liner notes], Deutsche
Harmonia Mundi 05472 77346 2, 1995.
sound of the Persian kamanche. The kamanche is a four-stringed instrument, very light and
3
O pastor animarum
3’14
Hildegard von Bingen
Antiphon for the Creator No. 61. In G Dorian mode
Heather Lee soprano, Tim Constable gongs
This haunting piece shows the range of Hildegard’s melody. It is a tender plea to the divine for
inspiration and intervention in our lives.
14
15
4
O pastor animarum et o prima vox,
O Shepherd of souls, you of first voice,
perquam omnes creati sumus.
by whom we all are fashioned,
Nunc tibi placeat ut digneris
be willing to liberate us
nos liberare de miseriis et languoribus nostris.
from our weakness and sadness.
5
O quam mirabilis
6’47
Hildegard von Bingen
Antiphon for the Creator, R. fol. 466. In A Mixolydian mode
Heather Lee soprano, Bronwyn Kirkpatrick shakuhachi, Kim Cunio harmonium, Tunji Beier cymbals
Verse
4’45
O vis aeternitatis
O power of eternity,
que omnia ordinasti in corde tuo,
you who have ordered all things in your heart:
per Verbum tuum omnia creata sunt
through your word all things are created
sicut voluisti,
as you have willed,
et ipsum Verbum tuum
and your word itself
induit carnem
puts on flesh
in formatione illa
in the form
que educta est de Adam.
that is drawn from Adam.
O quam mirabilis
Oh, how wondrous
est prescientia divini pectoris
is the prescience of the divine heart
que prescivit omnem creaturam.
who knew every creature before it was made.
Et sic indumenta ipsius
And so those garments
Nam cum Deus inspexit faciem hominis
For when God looked on the face of man
a maxima dolore
are wiped clean
quem formavit omnia opera sua
whom he formed, he saw all his works
abstersa sunt.
by great pain.
in eadem forma hominis integra aspexit.
complete in that same human form.
O quam mirabilis est inspiratio
Oh, how wonderful is the holy breath
que hominem sic suscitavit.
that brought man thus to life.
6
Refrain
7’04
Verse
O quam magna est benignitas salvatoris,
Oh, how great is the saviour’s kindness,
qui omnia liberavit
who freed all things
per incarnationem suam,
by that incarnation
Hildegard von Bingen
quam divinitas expiravit
which divinity breathed out,
Antiphon, responsory for the Trinity. R. fol. 466. In Hidden E mode
sine vinculo peccati.
unchained by sin.
O vis aeternitatis
[18’18]
Heather Lee soprano, Kim Cunio baritone, harmonium, Jamal Alrekabi kamanche,
Paul Jarman taragotto
16
7
Refrain
6’29
Gloria Patri et Filio
Glory to the Father and to the Son
et Spiritui Sancto.
and to the Holy Spirit.
17
8
Ordo Virtutum medley
4’03
Recomposition of Hildegard fragments first recomposed by Audrey Ekdahl Davidson.
In E Phrygian mode
Kim Cunio reed organ, Llew Kiek gittern, Jamal Alrekabi kamanche, Paul Jarman taragotto,
Tunji Beier tavil
Ordo Virtutum, The Play of the Virtues, is probably Hildegard’s most striking work. This medley
contains a series of modal fragments derived from Hildegard’s music, rewritten with a number of
variations. The rhythm in this piece is additive, freely changing, in the manner of speech, and
extensive ornamentation has been added. All instruments play the same tune, though they have
different points of emphasis. This piece is a precursor to an indepth exploration of the beginning
of Ordo Virtutum in the second disc.
And It Came to Pass
5’12
Hildegard von Bingen, Scivias
In A Phrygian mode
Rebecca Frith voice, Kim Cunio reed organ, Jamal Alrekabi kamanche, Paul Jarman taragotto,
Tunji Beier bells, cymbals
And it came to pass in the eleven hundred and forty-first year of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, Son of
God, when I was forty-two years and seven months old, that the heavens were opened and a blinding
light of exceptional brilliance flowed through my entire brain. And so it kindled my whole heart and
breast like a flame, not burning but warming.
18
[15’32]
Hildegard von Bingen
Sequence for the Holy Spirit. R. fol. 471. In F Aeolian mode
Heather Lee soprano, Cantillation chorus, Jamal Alrekabi kamanche, Kim Cunio harmonium,
Paul Virag conductor
Kim Cunio
9
O ignis spiritus
This masterful work alternates between solo voice and responsory, and in this realisation a modal
refrain is added on the kamanche. This piece, like a number of Hildegard’s, is concerned with the
great metaphorical fire, and as it moves towards its conclusion the choir moves into organum to
further glorify the great fire of light that cuts through all obscurations.
10 Verses I– IV
5’58
O ignis Spiritus Paracliti,
vita vite omnis creature,
sanctus es vivificando formas.
O fire of the Paraclete Spirit,
the life in every creature’s life,
you are holy in giving life to forms.
Sanctus es ungendo
periculose fractos;
sanctus es tergendo
fetida vulnera.
You are holy in anointing
the dangerously stricken;
you are holy in wiping
fetid wounds.
O spiraculum sanctitatis,
O ignis caritatis.
O dulcis gustus in pectoribus
et infusio cordium
in bono odore virtutum.
O vent of holiness,
O fire of love.
O sweet taste in our breast
and fragrance of virtues
flooding our hearts.
O fons purissime,
in quo consideratur
quod Deus alienos colligit
et perditos requirit.
O purest of fountains,
in whom is shown
that God gathers together those who are far,
and finds those who are lost.
19
11 Verses V–VIII
5’25
O lorica vite
et spes compaginis
membrorum omnium
et o cingulum honestatis,
salva beatos.
O breastplate of life
and great binding hope
to all the members [of Ecclesia].
O sword belt of honour,
save the blessed.
Custodi eos
qui carcerati sunt ab inimico,
et solve ligatos,
quos divina vis salvare vult.
Guard those souls
whom the enemy has taken,
release all those captives
that the divine power wills to save.
O iter fortissimum
quod penetravit omnia;
in altissimis et in terrenis,
et in omnibus abyssis
tu omnes componis et colligis.
O most constant path
reaching to the heart of all things;
in heaven and earth,
and in every abyss
you call us all together.
De te nubes fluunt,
ether volat,
lapides humorem habent,
aque rivulos educunt,
et terra viriditatem sudat.
You make the clouds issue forth,
and the high airs fly,
you give the stones their presence,
you bring forth the water’s streams,
and make the earth sweat with green things.
12 Verses IX–X
20
Indeed, you always teach the learned,
those whom the inspiration of Wisdom
has made glad.
Unde laus tibi sit,
qui es sonus laudis,
et gaudium vite,
And so all praise be to you,
you who are the very sound of praise,
and the bliss in life,
you who are hope and the greatest honour,
giving the gifts of light.
13 O beatissime Ruperte
2’02
Hildegard von Bingen
Antiphon for Saint Rupert, R. fol. 471. Recomposed and played as an instrumental piece.
In D Aeolian mode
Kim Cunio reed organ, Llew Kiek gittern, Paul Jarman taragotto, Tunji Beier daff
This piece is one of the radical departures of the project. The antiphon was set to a rhythmic
three-pulse, something of which there is no record at the time. The ensemble plays the vocal
tune with a sense of acceleration and wonder, to personalise the virtues of this little-known saint
who was so inspirational to Hildegard: ‘O great, auspicious Rupert, you who blossomed in life,
you who were free from the vice of the devil. You left this pained world, now help us in the
memory of God, Alleluia.’ The Persian daff drives the rhythm forward, and at the end of the
4’09
Tu etiam semper educis doctos
per inspirationem Sapientie
letificatos.
spes et honor fortissimus
dans premia lucis.
piece, the penultimate phrase is heard in two places with a brief canonic burst.
14 Caritas abundat
6’59
Hildegard von Bingen
Antiphon to the Holy Spirit No. 16. In D Dorian mode
Heather Lee soprano, Kim Cunio baritone, tampurah, Jamal Alrekabi kamanche,
Paul Jarman taragotto, Tim Constable gongs
The Holy Spirit is Karitas, a female figure who came to Hildegard in repeated visionary
experiences. Karitas is a divine feminine energy that can bring peace and love to all. This is an
energy that is divine, fiery, omnipresent and imbued with virtue, a force that can help the mortal
to soar to the heavens, beyond their bodies, into the cosmos. To support this visionary
21
experience the last two lines are sung twice. The first time, the female voice sings down the
O Ierusalem aurea civitas
fourth while the male voice and taragotto take the original melody in organum. The second time
Hildegard von Bingen
all are in octaves to glorify this great force. The Indian tampurah provides a luscious and
Sequence to St Rupert, R. 474-475. In G mode
providential drone to exemplify the sense of wonder.
Heather Lee soprano, Mina Kanaridis soprano, Paul Jarman taragotto, Kim Cunio reed organ
Caritas abundat in omnia,
Karitas abounds in all beings,
O Ierusalem is one of Hildegard’s master works. It is on a scale otherwise unknown in her work,
de imis excellentissima
most excellent, from the depths to high
and has a grand textual and musical narrative. There are two main themes in the work. The first is
super sidera,
above the stars,
Jerusalem, the city of Gold, the mythological place where all is pure, where the spiritual kingdom
atque amantissima in omnia.
most loving in all things.
Quia summo regi osculum pacis dedit.
For to the highest king she gives the kiss of peace.
of God is still cherished. The second is St Rupert, the patron saint of Rupertsberg, a little-known
figure apart from Hildegard’s own writings. Rupert, a blessed man, is described as an embodiment
of peace, renouncing the worldly life to help others. Rupert is significant because the act of
CD2
1
Dance of Ecstasy
glorifying him also glorifies the women’s community at Rupertsberg. As the work builds, the
boundaries between the two images blur, Jerusalem and Rupert are mentioned together, and
2’53
Rupert becomes a small part in the foundations of the physical and mystical Jerusalem.
Kim Cunio
Newly composed piece based on Hildegard’s modal fragments. In C Phrygian mode
Kim Cunio reed organ, Llew Kiek baglama, Jamal Alrekabi kamanche, Paul Jarman taragotto,
2
Verses 1– IV
9’15
O Ierusalem, aurea civitas
O Jerusalem, city of gold,
ornata regis purpura,
graced with royal purple,
This newly composed piece is another great adventure. It takes individual fragments of
O edificatio summe bonitatis,
edifice of utmost bounty,
Hildegard’s writing and weaves them with new phrases to make an instrumental realisation that
que es lux numquam obscurata.
your light is never darkened.
could never have been played in Rupertsberg. It explores the lines of communication between
Tu enim es ornata
Your beauty shines
East and West, and the intonation is much more Near Eastern, a sound that may well have
in aurora et in calore solis.
in the dawn light and the sun’s blaze.
reached parts of Europe in the 12th and 13th centuries. The dance features the Turkish baglama,
O beata puericia,
O blessed childhood,
a seven-stringed instrument with moveable frets.
que rutilas in aurora,
sparkling in the dawn,
et o laudabilis adolescentia,
And admirable time of youth,
que ardes in sole –
flaming in sunlight –
Tunji Beier zarb
22
[23’19]
23
3
Nam tu, o nobilis Ruperte,
in his sicut gemma fulsisti,
unde non potes abscondi
stultis hominibus:
sicut nec mons valli celatur.
In these, noble Rupert,
you gleamed like a gem,
so that you cannot be obscured
by fools,
just as the valley cannot hide the mountain.
et quoniam in filio dei ornaris,
and because you are made beautiful in
cum nullam maculam habes.
the Son of God, and have no blemish.
Quod vas decorum tu es, o Ruperte,
What a beautiful vessel you are, Rupert,
qui in puericia
you who in your childhood
et in adolescentia tua
and youth
Fenestre tue, Ierusalem,
cum topazio et saphiro
specialter sunt decorate.
In quibus dum fulges, O Ruperte,
non potes abscondi tepidis moribus:
sicut nec mons valli,
coronatus rosis, liliis et purpura,
in vera ostensione.
Jerusalem, your windows
are adorned wondrously
with topaz and sapphire.
As your brightness, Rupert, shines in them,
you cannot be obscured by the moribund,
just as the valley cannot hide the mountain,
crowned with roses, lilies and purple
in a true vision.
ad deum anhelasti, in timore dei,
thirsted for God, in fear of God,
et in amplexione caritatis,
and in the embrace of love,
et in suavissimo odore bonorum operum!
and in the sweetest perfume of holy works!
O tener flos campi
et o dulcis viriditas pomi,
et o sarcina sine medulla,
que non flectit pectora in crimina!
O vas nobile,
quod non est pollutum,
nec devatorum
in saltatione antique spelunce,
et quod non est maceratum
in vulneribus antiqui perditoris –
O tender flower of the field
and sweet green of the apple,
O fruit with no bitter core,
enticing no heart into crime!
O noble vessel,
that remains free from stain,
not consumed
in the dance in the ancient cave,
not destroyed
in the attacks of the ancient plunderer –
Verses V–VI
In te symphonizat spiritus sanctus,
quia angelicis choris associaris,
24
4
3’33
The Holy Spirit makes music in you,
for you belong to the chorus of angels,
5
Verses VII–VIII
4’01
O Ierusalem, fundamentum tuum
O Jerusalem, your foundations
positum est cum torrentibus lapidibus
are set with burning stones,
quod est cum publicanis et peccatoribus
that is, with publicans and sinners
qui perdite oves erant,
who were the lost sheep
sed per filium dei invente
but, found by the son of God,
ad te cucurrerunt
rushed to you
et in te positi sunt.
and have found their place in you.
Deinde muri tui
Thus your walls
fulminant vivis lapidibus
flash with living stones
qui per summum studium
which, through the highest exercise
bone voluntatis
of good will,
quasi nubes in celo volaverunt.
soared like clouds in the heavens.
Verses IX–X
Et ita turres tui, O Ierusalem
rutilant et candent per ruborem,
6’30
And so your towers, O Jerusalem
shine red and white through the redness
25
6
et per candorem sanctorum
et per omnia ornata membra Dei,
que tibi non desunt, o Ierusalem.
and whiteness of the saints,
and through all the limbs of God made beautiful,
of which you lack none, O Jerusalem.
Unde vos, o ornate, et o coronati,
qui habitatis in Ierusalem,
et o tu, Ruperte,
qui es socius eorum in hac habitatione,
succurrite nobis famulantibus,
et in exilio laborantibus.
So all you who, adorned and crowned,
reside in Jerusalem,
and you, Rupert,
their friend in this habitation,
come to the aid of us servants
who labour in exile.
Who Are These?
Patriarchs, Prophets and Virtues
[9’55]
Hildegard von Bingen
Ordo Virtutum: Prologue, R. fol. 478-481. In D mode
Heather Lee soprano, Cantillation chorus, Paul Jarman taragotto, Kim Cunio harmonium, conductor
This major work, written in 1151, is one of the first musical dramatic works in Western history.
The text has strong and emotional connotations throughout and the music is highly original,
moving from the tonic to the fifth and up to the octave in most of the pieces. It was classed as
an ordo (a rite) by Hildegard, which gives a clue to its performance. It is not meant to be
understood in just an intellectual capacity; it is more an active ritual, where each performer and
listener has the opportunity to relive the moral struggle to which Ordo Virtutum refers. The work
strikingly refers to souls imprisoned in bodies, a highly developed cosmological understanding
that is beyond a mere morality play.
3’32
Hildegard von Bingen
Ordo Virtutum: Prologue. In D Aeolian mode
Rebecca Frith voice, Kim Cunio reed organ, Jamal Alrekabi kamanche, Paul Jarman taragotto,
Tunji Beier bells, cymbals
The opening section of the Ordo Virtutum, the Play of the Virtues, is explored in great detail in
this project. On this second disc it is heard as a reading [6], as a vocal piece [7-8] and as an
instrumental track [10], to show how many permutations are possible with this music. Here, two
completely different voices enter the stage, the Patriarchs and Prophets, and the Virtues, who set
up a great contest for the soul, and indeed the whole of humanity, that is at the core of this work.
A simple four-note refrain punctuates the spoken word, and soars towards the heavens. Later we
hear the same text sung in the original Latin, but for now the immediacy of its meaning in English
is striking. We are meant to be arrested, as we must be before a meeting with the devil, which
comes later in this work. (The English text is printed next to the Latin in the next track.)
7
Prologue
5’28
Patriarchs and Prophets:
Qui sunt hi, qui ut nubes?
Who are these who come like the clouds?
Virtues:
O antiqui sancti,
quid admiramini in nobis?
Verbum Dei clarescit
in forma hominis,
et ideo fulgemus cum illo,
edificantes membra sui pulcri corporis.
You, holy ones of old,
why do you marvel at us?
The word of God grows bright
in the shape of man,
and thus we shine with him,
building up the limbs of his beautiful body.
Patriarchs and Prophets:
Nos sumus radices
26
We are the roots
27
8
9
et vos rami,
and you, the branches,
fructus viventis oculi,
the fruit of the living eye,
et nos umbra in illo fuimus.
and we were shadowed in him.
10 Ordo Virtutum – Instrumental Prologue
1’33
Hildegard von Bingen
R. fol. 478-481. In D Aeolian mode
Reprise
4’26
Kim Cunio reed organ, Llew Kiek gittern, Paul Jarman taragotto, Tunji Beier frame drum
De Spiritu Sancto
4’58
We return to the start of Ordo Virtutum for the last time. The free and languid sections of ‘Patriarchs,
Prophets and Virtues’ have now been set to an additive rhythm that matches the neumatic phrase
Hildegard von Bingen
Antiphon to the Holy Spirit, R. fol. 466. Sung in G Aeolian mode
Heather Lee soprano, Jamal Alrekabi kamanche, Kim Cunio reed organ, Tim Constable gongs
This antiphon shows Hildegard as a visionary composer. It is consistently high in the voice, and
makes technical demands on the singer throughout the piece. Every main phrase starts with this
lengths with changeable time signatures. It is surprising how natural this music sounds in an
instrumental context, proving what a difference instrumentation and tempo make to the realisation
process, as the sombreness of the original is now imbued with a transcendental quality.
11 The Soul
leap of a fifth, followed by an ascending scale up to the octave. In this treatment the mysteries
Hildegard von Bingen
have been heightened by the use of musica ficta (feigned music) – the use of an accidental note
Vision 4: 103. In A Phrygian mode
2’53
(outside the scale), to make the music more beautiful and to distance the piece from the intervals
Rebecca Frith voice, Kim Cunio reed organ, Jamal Alrekabi kamanche, Paul Jarman taragotto,
of darkness, including the diminished fifth, the interval of the devil.
Tunji Beier bells, cymbals
Spiritus sanctus vivificans vita,
The Holy Spirit, life-giving life,
The visions of Hildegard are startling for their clarity and lucidity, placing humanity firmly within
movens omnia
moving all things,
the divine order, and offering great hope for the salvation of the individual, through their own
et radix est in omni creatura
is the root of all creation,
divine spark. Some are very grounded, relating to matters on the physical plane; this vision,
ac omnia de immunditia abluit,
washing away all impurities,
however, connects humanity through the soul to the greatest of powers.
tergens crimina
clearing all accusations
ac ungit vulnera,
and anointing wounds,
et sic est fulgens ac laudabilis vita,
and is thus shining life, worthy of praise,
suscitans et resuscitans omnia.
awakening and re-awakening all things.
Et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
World without end. Amen.
The soul surrounds the human body with flesh and blood to fulfil its function,
just as the blowing of the wind ripens fruit on earth.
We recognise God through our fiery soul
and our body functions through the sacred spirit.
28
The soul is the lady of the house,
29
God has formed the human body only that the soul may live in it.
quia calor solis in te sudavit
because the heat of the sun sweated in you
No-one can see the soul, as no-one can see God.
sicut odor balsami.
like a fragrance of balsam.
The soul is from God,
Nam in te floruit pulcher flos
From you came a beautiful flower
body and soul exist
qui odorem dedit omnibus aromatibus
which gave perfume to all the herbs
as a work of God
que arida erant.
that were dry.
everywhere, in every respect.
Et illa apparuerunt omnia
And these all appeared
in viriditate plena.
in their full greenness.
Unde celi dederunt rorem super gramen
Then the heavens sent down dew onto the grass
et omnis terra leta facta est,
and all the earth was made joyful,
quoniam viscera ipsius
because its womb
frumentum protulerunt,
brought forth grain,
Et quoniam volucres celi
and because the birds of heaven
nidos in ipsa habuerunt.
built their nests in it.
is a great instrument of the divine, and Hildegard’s joyful belief in this shows in this soaring work.
Deinde facta est esca hominibus,
Thus food was made for man,
The end of the piece, starting with Deinde facta est, expresses incredible rapture, yet is written
et gaudium magnum epulantium;
and great was the rejoicing of those who ate;
with great tenderness. A conception of great subtlety.
unde, o suavis Virgo,
Hence, sweet Virgin,
in te non deficit ullum gaudium.
in you no joy is ever lacking.
Hec omnia Eva contempsit.
Eve rejected all this.
Nunc autem laus sit Altissimo.
But now let us give praise to the Highest.
12 O viridissima virga
10’01
Hildegard von Bingen
Sequence for the Virgin, R. fol. 407. Sung in G mode
Heather Lee soprano, Bronwyn Kirkpatrick shakuhachi, Kim Cunio harmonium, Tunji Beier cymbals
In this piece Hildegard takes the image of the Virgin Mary, and makes it crucial to the renewal of
all humanity. It is the fertility and radiating love of the Virgin that allow all of earth to function,
and bring a divine link from God through humanity to the animal and vegetable kingdoms. Mary
30
O viridissima virga ave,
Hail, O greenest branch,
que in ventoso flabro sciscitationis
born in the sweet airs
sanctorum prodisti.
of the saints’ prayers.
Cum venit tempus
Now the time is come
quod tu floruisti in ramis tuis;
for your branches to blossom;
ave, ave fuit tibi,
hail, hail to you,
31
The ensemble
Heather Lee soprano
Kim Cunio baritone, reed organ, harmonium, tampurah, conductor
Mina Kanaridis soprano
Rebecca Frith voice
Cantillation choir
Jamal Alrekabi kamanche
Paul Jarman taragotto
Bronwyn Kirkpatrick shakuhachi
Llew Kiek gittern, baglama
Tunji Beier daff, zarb, frame drum, tavil, cymbals, bells
Timothy Constable gongs
Paul Virag conductor CD1 0-@
Heather Lee is regularly in demand as a recording artist and is often heard on movie and
documentary soundtracks. She performs in numerous ensembles including Oscar and Marigold, and
Sefarad; her own ensemble, DIVA sings the Divine, performs at festivals around Australia. She has been
involved in many broadcasts on ABC Radio National and Classic FM, and has contributed to radio and
television documentaries on subjects such as mystical and early music.
In 2004 Heather Lee was a peer advisor to the Australia Council for the Arts’ Music Board in vocal,
choral and multicultural music. Her previous album, Sweet Dreams: Lullabies from around the world,
was released on ABC Classics in 2005. Future projects include a recording of Mozart in the Czech
Republic, a recording of the music of the Indian mystic Rabindranath Tagore for ABC Classics, and an
ongoing investigation into sacred music from around the world, with composer Kim Cunio.
Kim Cunio
Kim Cunio has studied with a number of Australia’s finest musicians including Australian composer
Nigel Butterley, conductor Eric Clapham, and jazz guitar legend
Heather Lee
Ike Isaacs. He has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in
Heather Lee is a concert singer and soloist who has performed
in many venues around Australia.
composition, and is currently completing a Doctorate in
intercultural composition. His work with the ABC has seen him
compose and produce music projects for CD, radio and
She has appeared with leading arts organisations and festivals
including the Victoria State Opera, Queensland Symphony
Orchestra and the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane
International Arts Festivals. She performs a range of styles: early
music, opera and contemporary music, and is known for her
improvisation and ornamentation in many styles of music. She
has a Master’s degree in voice and is currently completing her
Doctorate in music.
32
television. He is one of Australia’s most accomplished researching
composers and was awarded an ABC Golden Manuscript
Award in 2004, in recognition of his work with traditional and
Islamic music.
Kim Cunio has also worked as an academic, and many of his
commissions have a serious research component, where he
combines anthropological work with transcription. He takes the
33
position of being a participant observer in such work, and is at the forefront of an international push
to preserve the dying art of Eastern Jewish (mizrachi) music. Kim Cunio plays a large number of
traditional instruments, and has had a number of ancient instruments specially reconstructed.
Recent commissions include The Temple Project, a realisation process setting ancient psalms and
biblical texts to Baghdadian Jewish chant on replica instruments; Tomorrow’s Islam, a commission to
write music reflective of contemporary, modernist Islamic thinkers; and Buddha Realms, a response to
the diversity of Buddhist music, written as a response to transcriptions of Buddhist players and
singers. His music has been played around the world including performances at the White House, the
United Nations, and at festivals in a number of countries, and his list of commissioning organisations
is significant, including the Sydney 2000 Olympics, Art Gallery of NSW, National Gallery of Victoria,
Maritime Museum, Melbourne International Arts Festival, Foundation for Universal Sacred Music
(USA) and many others. A number of his projects have been funded by the Australia Council for the
Arts, and his touring has been funded by the Commonwealth Government. Kim Cunio is published
by ABC Music Publishing.
Executive Producers Robert Patterson, Lyle Chan
Recording Producer Kim Cunio
Recording Engineer Andrew Dixon
Mastering Virginia Read
Consulting Engineer Phil Snow
Project Coordination Alison Johnston
Editorial and Production Manager Hilary Shrubb
Publications Editor Natalie Shea
Booklet Design Imagecorp Pty Ltd
Cover Image Photolibrary.com
All Photos of Heather and Kim Avalon Studios
Translations Kim Cunio and Natalie Shea
Recorded in February 2006 at the Eugene Goosens Hall in the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation’s Ultimo Centre, Sydney.
Dedicated to all those who have taken the monastic vow.
With thanks to Dr Constant Mews, Stephen Grant, Dr Helen De Zubicaray, Prof. Mike Atherton, Paul Virag,
Pat and Sim Symons, Andrew Dixon, Virginia Read and all the players.
Cantillation
Sopranos
Altos
Tenors
Basses
Mina Kanaridis
Anne Farrell
Philip Chu
Corin Bone
Belinda Montgomery
Judy Herskovits
James Renwick
Craig Everingham
Jane Sheldon
Natalie Shea
Raff Wilson
Ben Macpherson
The research for this project was funded by the Australia Council for the Arts.
For more information on Kim Cunio and Heather Lee: www.lotusfoot.com
Contact: oscarmarigold@optusnet.com.au
 2007 Australian Broadcasting Corporation © 2007 Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Distributed in Australia and New Zealand by
Universal Music Group, under exclusive licence. Made in Australia. All rights of the owner of copyright reserved. Any copying, renting,
lending, diffusion, public performance or broadcast of this record without the authority of the copyright owner is prohibited.
34
35