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A Conductor’s Guide to the

Music of Hildegard von Bingen

KATIE GARDINER

ildegard von Bingen (1098–1179) is a behemoth figure in the his-
tory of medieval Germany for her roles as seer, scientist, religious

H leader, writer, preacher, exorcist, playwright, naturalist, poet, and
composer. She is extraordinary for the spiritual guidance she was able to pro-
vide to powerful religious and political leaders, as well as for her prolific cre-
ative, scientific, musical, and theological output. Preparing and performing
Hildegard’s music provides an ensemble with the opportunity to sing substan-

tive, vocally demanding repertoire that has a unique texture and style and
belongs to a different tradition than much of the repertoire performed by
ensembles today. For the contemporary conductor, one of the primary chal-

lenges associated with this repertoire is deciding which notation and edition to
use. This article surveys the current types of notation and editions available for
the music of Hildegard von Bingen, describes the challenges and benefits asso-
ciated with each resource, and provides information on performance practice
with the aim of equipping ensemble leaders and singers with the tools to bring

this repertoire to life.

Katie Gardiner
Professor of the Practice and Director of Choirs
College of the Holy Cross
Assistant Professor of Music
Boston Conservatory at Berklee
kgardiner@berklee.edu

CHORAL JOURNAL May 2025 Volume 65 Number 8 19