1 Jan 1152 Jahr - 12th C. Ordo virutum

Beschreibung:

Written by Hildegard of Bingen (1099-1179)
The first known composer of a morality play, who spent more than forty years as an abbess in southern Germany

She was the 10th child, offered to the Church at the age of 8 -- spared her the dangers of childbearing, while still affording her an education

Recorded visions of God in illuminated manuscripts, as well as writing books on theology, medicine, and the physical sciences
She was an active poet and composer, writing more than 150 monophonic melodies

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90 minute morality play (like a medieval musical)
Precursor to 17th C. opera
82 chant-like melodies that rely heavily on a group of melodic formulas

Instruments provide drone or heterophonic accompaniment
Strings = Soul’s struggle back to light
Flute = presence of God
Bells = rejoicing

Most elaborate form of medieval music

All parts played by women (done in an abbey) except for devil who was played by the male priest in the abbey

Focuses on 16 virtues (all characters) -- virtues assigned simplest, most syllabic passages to chorus of Virtues
Knowledge of God, Humility, Discipline, Compassion, Mercy, Victory (has very high notes and melismatic line), Discretion, Patience, Charity, Obedience, Faith, Hope, Chastity, Innocence, World-Rejection, and Heavenly Love

Characters of piece represent the soul

Character that plays the devil doesn’t sing
God took the gift of song away from the devil

Humility (to Victory)
Hypodorian Mode