Hildegard von Bingen (1098 -1179): O virtus sapientiae (Antiphon), aus "Symphonia armonie celestium revelationum"

Hildegard of Bingen

Born in 1098 in Bermersheim vor der Höhe (site of her baptismal church) or in Niederhosenbach (former residence of her father Hildebrecht von Hosenbach);

died 17 Sept. 1179 in the Rupertsberg monastery near Bingen am Rhein, Germany

The Latin poem ‘O virtus sapientia’ by Hildegard von Bingen, this universal scholar from the Middle Ages, is a hymn to wisdom, which permeates the whole of creation as a female figure, so to speak. It is reminiscent of the personifications of wisdom in the biblical books of Proverbs 8-9, Ecclesiastes/Sirach 24 and Wisdom of Solomon 7-8.

Neumes in Hildegard's collection of songs and poems ‘Symphonia armonie celestium revelationum’ provide a simple monophonic chorale melody to be sung to this text, often grounded in modern interpretations of drone notes.

Without uttering the quickly abused word God, the poet addresses the living effects of wisdom, which surrounds everything and understands everything and sounds in everything, as if a chorale were travelling through the souls.

Listen here (approx. 3 min.)!


Listening companion:

A melisma on ‘O’ spreads out. It could be compared to the initial letters in the artistically coloured medieval books. It testifies to how important this experienced power of wisdom is to the poet.

The melody circles in a great arc between above and below and ends its path mysteriously incarnationally at the bottom.

Three (trinitarian) origins of this wisdom:
Above: ‘una in altum volat’: here something of the transcendence of wisdom becomes audible in the melody.
Below: ‘terra sudat: the melody plunges into the earthly.

And in between: Spiritual as music, the third wing vibrates in everything everywhere!

‘O sapientia": a simple, poignant conclusion: WISDOM everywhere, everything else becomes relative.

O virtus sapientiae





Quae circuiens circuisti
Comprehendendo omnia
In una via, quae habet vitam

tres alas habens

quarum una in altum volat



et altera de terra sudat


et tertia undique volat.



Laus tibi sit, sicut te decet, o sapientia.

O strength of Wisdom






who, circling, circled, 
enclosing all 
in one lifegiving path,

three wings you have:

one soars to the heights,



one distils its essence upon the earth,

and the third is everywhere.


Praise to you, as is fitting,
O Wisdom

 

Note for music lovers:

Website: Unknown Violin Concertos