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pitch, accuracy, and a refined vocal quality seemed to er), which involves an added voice to the plainchant that
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all be priorities of medieval vocal production. For the sings the text parallel to the original voice by remaining
modern ensemble director, prioritizing text expression, on the final or singing at a parallel fourth, fifth, or octave,
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vocal flexibility, clear and focused pitches, a spectrum of with both voices moving at the same speed. Instruments
vowel colors, and a full sound riding on breath would can also be used to provide a foundation and variety.
serve both the singers and the music. There are some general references to instruments and
harmonic simultaneities recorded in Hildegard’s extant
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letters and treatises. Medieval instruments that existed
Performing Hildegard during Hildegard’s life include the vielle, harp, portative
While the manuscript and Lieder editions can be ex- organ, drums, wind instruments, and drone instruments
cellent performing or reference resources, for many en- such as the symphonia or bagpipes. Hildegard’s own
sembles, a modern transcription will likely be the most words are tantalizing in their reference to instruments:
practical means of sharing the musical material with
the singers. The ensemble director can cross-reference And so the holy prophets, inspired by the spir-
a modern transcription against a manuscript source or its which they had received were called for this
Lieder and write some of the neume information into the purpose: not only to compose songs and canti-
score. See Figure 5 on the next page for an example. cles (by which the hearts of the listeners would
The liturgical function (antiphon) and the correspond- be inflamed) but also to construct various kinds
ing folios in the manuscripts (R = Riesencodex) are next of musical instruments to enhance these songs
to the title in Figure 5. Stemmed notes represent virga; of praise with melodic strains. Thereby, both
unstemmed, puncta; small notes represent liquesence. through the form and quality of the instru-
Slur groupings (representing compound neume con- ments, as well as through the meaning of the
structions) and beamed notes (representing cascading words which accompany them, those who hear
puncta) are considered a single rhythmic gesture and might be taught, as we said above, about inward
are grouped together for clarity and do not imply a pro- things, since they have been admonished and
portional relationship to another note value. The mor- aroused by outward things[.] They accompa-
dent symbol represents quilismata, and the trill symbol, nied their singing with instruments played with
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pressis. In the medieval era, there was no standardized the flexing of the fingers, recalling in this way
pitch as we know it today, and it is completely reason- Adam, who was formed by God’s finger, which
able, and sometimes necessary, to transpose the piece to is the holy spirit. 53
suit your ensemble. To develop phrase shape and pacing,
it is helpful to intone the chant by singing the text on This passage is part of an elaborate metaphor about the
one pitch. Teaching by rote or leading from within the importance of music in the lives of Hildegard and her
ensemble without the assistance of a piano doubling the nuns. In her spiritual text Scivias, Hildegard describes
vocal line will facilitate musicality and expressivity and another vision involving female figures, one outfitted as
develop in singers an awareness of unified sound and a warrior, with people playing instruments all around
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tuning. them. In an image from Liber Divinorum Operum (see the
Experimenting with drones and organum can be a opening page of this article, page 18) depicting the “City
valuable exercise for the ensemble to experience singing of God in Salvation History,” various instruments can
within a mode. One effective technique is to have one be seen in the heavenly cloud, as well as the trumpet rep-
section of the ensemble maintain the resting tone (or resenting the prophets sharing the word of God with the
added octaves/fifths) on a hum or a vowel while the rest city. The allusion to instruments in her writing does not
of the ensemble sings the chant. In extant letters, Hilde- imply the explicit use of instruments in practice; it does,
gard references the practice of organum (not in connec- however, indicate that Hildegard had an understanding
tion to the music she and her nuns were making, howev- of musical instruments that went beyond biblical schol-

CHORAL JOURNAL May 2025 Volume 65 Number 8 27