Hildegards Visions

American composers Frank Ferko and Stephen Paulus confirm the influence of a medieval mystic, Hildegard of Bingen, upon their contemporary art.

Hildegard believed music to be the highest form of human activity, a mirror of the celestial resonance of angel choirs and the harmony of the heavenly spheres. Why shouldn’t composers today be inspired by her example?

Listen to the program

Complete Show 1 hr 28 Min

Program Broadcast dates:

August 01, 2005

Links and Resources:

Art work of Hildegard von Bingen
Printable program listings

Music played in the program

FRANK FERKO: The Hildegard Organ Cycle (The Origin of Life; The Construction of the World; Articulation of the body; The Meaning of History; The Effect of Love; The End of Time) –Frank Ferko (1994 Lively-Fulcher/Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church, Washington, DC) Arsis CD-101

HILDEGARD OF BINGEN: Hymn, O magne pater –Barbara Thornton, soprano. DHM CD077378

STEPHEN PAULUS: Visions of Hildegard, Part 1 (The Man in the Blue Sapphire; The Seeress; Viriditas; The Cosmic Wheel; Creation’s Glory) –Robert Shaw Festival Singers, Ann Howard Jones, conductor; Norman Mackenzie (1978 Moeller/Wieuca Road Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA) MPR Archive (recorded 6/28/92)

This program was originally issued as #9837 in September 1998.