Search - Hildegard von Bingen, Oxford Camerata, Robert Evans :: Hildegard von Bingen: Heavenly Revelations

Delightfully pure

vic spicer | 04/01/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"for someone interested in early music this is a good place to start- von bingen's visions speak to us across nine centuries.liner notes are minimal, as is the case with most NAXOS titles, but lyrics in latin and english are provided, which is nice.oxford camerata is amazing- many of the solo sections for female voice soar with great beauty. the choice of recording location (chapel of hertford college, oxford) adds a tiny bit of acoustic abience without being distracting.how can you go wrong at the price?"

STERENCE SINGS FOR EUCHARIUS AND DISIBOD

DAVID BRYSON | Glossop Derbyshire England | 01/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It was a distressing surprise to find that my Oxford Companion to Music does not even contain an entry for Hildegard of Bingen. I had half-heard some broadcast discussion of her a few years back, but anything I know about her really comes from the liner notes with this disc, fortunately among the better specimens of their kind that I have encountered recently.Hildegard was abbess of a distinctly upmarket Benedictine convent located near Bingen-am-Rhein in the early 12th century. She was clearly a formidable woman, being a seer and visionary consulted by Popes and potentates, a writer on scientific matters and a poet and composer as well. This disc contains 55 minutes or so of selections from her `Symphony of the Harmony of Divine Revelations', a collection of poems in her own highly individual and vigorous version of the Latin of the time, set to her own music. The music has a distant resemblance to the Gregorian chant, believed to have originated around the 8th century. It is all monody, though some of the numbers are accompanied by a sustained background note, originating exactly where and how I could not be sure. The music contains some flourishes that would have been out of place in the plainsong but which seem natural enough in the context of her spiritual-carnal imagery. This can be downright weird here and there. My recollection is still boggling at Nunc sit laus Deo
In forma pulchre tonsure
Viriliter operante`Now let there be praise to God in the form of a beautiful tonsure working in manly mode'.There is an excerpt from her musical morality-drama the Ordo Virtutum, in which an assemblage of Virtues battle with the devil for control of a woman's soul, but most of the numbers are in praise of either the Trinity, the Blessed Virgin, or saints Eucharius and Disibod. I have not in my life so far encountered anyone named after these saints, but one of the admirable Oxford Camerata rejoices in the first name Sterence, so I suppose there may be some Eucharii and Disibods out there too. The words are given in full, with English translation, both absolute essentials as far as this music is concerned. The liner note is admirably honest in refusing to take a critical position regarding the real quality and worth of such unfamiliar stuff, and I propose to follow its example. I bought this disc for curiosity, for my own education and out of a general wish to support the production of out-of-the-way music. Rating it in the matters where I feel competent to rate it, I am happy to report that the singing is of the highest order of professionalism, exactly what one has come to expect from any Summerly production, and that the recording is admirable too."

Outstanding music and performances!

Amadeus 888 | London | 08/31/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The music in this CD is simply outstanding! I was very surpised when I bought this CD and discovered that it surpasses many other more "colourful" recordings of Hildegard's music (regardless of the price.)



For those who are not interested in aesthetic, artistic or musical merit but who are simply looking for "relaxing" music for contemplation, meditation etc, I am very pleased to say that this is probably the most relaxing and peaceful music I've ever heard (and I've tried many.) Its healing effect on my mind and nervous system is almost instant and that in a very balanced and harmonious way.



Highly higly highly recommended.



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