The Cambridge Companion to Hildegard of Bingen

This volume explores the extraordinary life and works of Hildegard of Bingen, medieval writer, composer, visionary, and monastic founder.

Jennifer Bain (Edited by)

9781108457811, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 4 November 2021

350 pages
23 x 15.2 x 1.9 cm, 0.52 kg

'… all the chapters are well researched and well written and serve the purpose announced by the editor. There are enough references to secondary literature that the reader can pursue the literature on any of the subjects treated. One of the strengths of the volume is the way it never loses sight of Hildegard the Benedictine.' Hugh Feiss, American Benedictine Review

This specially commissioned collection of thirteen essays explores the life and works of Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), monastic founder, leader of a community of nuns, composer, active correspondent, and writer of religious visions, theological treatises, sermons, and scientific and medical texts. Aimed at advanced university students and new Hildegard researchers, the essays provide a broad context for Hildegard's life and monastic setting, and offer comprehensive discussions on each of the main areas of her output. Engagingly written by experts in medieval history, theology, German literature, musicology, and the history of medicine, the essays are grounded in Hildegard's twelfth-century context, and investigate her output within its monastic and liturgical environments, her reputation during and after her life, and the materiality of the transmission of her works, considering aspects of manuscript layout, illumination, and scribal practices at her Rupertsberg monastery.

Introduction to the Cambridge Companion to Hildegard of Bingen Jennifer Bain
Part I. Life and Monastic Context: 1. The life of Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) Michael Embach
2. Living and working in a twelfth-century women's monastic community Alison Beach
3. Literacy and learning in the lives of women religious of medieval Germany Lori Kruckenberg
Part II. Writings and Reputation: 4. Hildegard of Bingen's theology James Ginther
5. Reading Hildegard of Bingen's letters Christopher Fletcher
6. Hildegard of Bingen and the patriarchs, preaching greenness Peter Loewen
7. Hildegard of Bingen: Illness and healing Faith Wallis
8. The Pentachronon and Hildegard of Bingen's reputation as prophet Magda Hayton
9. The context and reception of Hildegard of Bingen's visions Wendy Love Anderson
Part III. Music, Manuscripts, Illuminations and Scribes: 10. Music, liturgy and intertextuality in Hildegard of Bingen's chant repertory Jennifer Bain
11. The Ordo virtutum and Benedictine monasticism Alison Altstatt
12. Picturing Hildegard of Bingen's sight: Illuminating her visions Nathaniel Campbell
13. Hildegard of Bingen and her scribes Margot Fassler.

Subject Areas: History of medicine [MBX], Gender studies, gender groups [JFSJ], Theology [HRLB], Medieval history [HBLC1], European history [HBJD], Medieval & Renaissance music [c 1000 to c 1600 AVGC2], Theory of music & musicology [AVA]