Hildegard von Bingen: The Symphony of the Harmony of Celestial Revelations

“For Hildegard, it seems music
was a way for mortals to experience something of heavenly, or spiritual ecstasy, and it is
perhaps this desire which we can most clearly empathise with today. Hers is a
creative spirit which soars high, as much in our own time as in her own.” -
Stevie Wishart
Sinfonye is an ensemble acclaimed
for their daring and innovative approach to medieval music. With members of The
Oxford Girls’ Choir, girls aged12-18 years, the group sings the exquisite
compositions of Hildegard von Bingen (see page 10). Accompanying the
performance is a visual presentation of the 12th century composer’s visions and
illuminations, and extracts from her written work (on herself, music, creation,
Eve and Mary) read in modern translation.
The group’s director, Stevie
Wishart: “The desire to realise something of the creative genius of Hildegard
von Bingen has evolved since I formed Sinfonye in 1987. Throughout my formative
musical years I was daunted by the apparent dearth of female contributors. It
seemed a natural development as an active performer and composer to seek out repertoires
sung, inspired or composed by women, and so we have been performing Hildegard’s
music since the early 90s.”
With the advent of the 90’s
Hildegard-revival, many musicians have attempted to interpret her work.
However, apart from a shared enthusiasm for this remarkable composer, perhaps,
Wishart’s fresh and original approach has little in common with them. As a
musicologist and medievalist, she went back to the original manuscripts. She
studied medieval music, as well as other archaic musical traditions, and
explored several methods of transcription and assimilation. She works as much
as possible within the aural processes of rote learning. In this way the group
gains a great deal of collective experience in rehearsal. “The result is very
“unconducted”, not because of any untidiness (the ensemble is excellent
throughout), but because of the combined senses of freedom and unity. The
expressiveness seems born of an understanding jointly achieved, an approach
that serves Hildegard well: her work has a personal intensity that perhaps
should be expected from a mystic of ecstatic visions” (Early Music).
With The Symphony of the Harmony
of Celestial Revelations, Sinfonye and the Oxford Girls’ Choir give us a
quintessential Hildegard experience.

Sinfonye: Stevie Wishart ( Voice, hurdy-gurdy) and Vivien Ellis (Solo voice); in članice
Members of The Oxford Girls Choir: E. Levy, V. Couper,  C. Franks; actress: Nataša Matjašec

With the
generous support of The British Council – Slovenia.
Sponsored by British
Airways
Special
thanks to: župniku Jožetu Kokalju in patru Silvu Šinkovcu