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Hildegard von Bingen: O Ignee Spiritus

Hildegard von Bingen (ca. 1098–1179) was a Benedictine abbess, writer, composer, philosopher and scientist. Her spirituality was based on the idea of umbra viventis lucis (the reflection of the living Light).

This piece also contains some beautiful light imagery, for example in the line et eius lucerna est desiderium (and desire is its [=the soul’s] lamp), in which the first syllable of the word lucerna is sung on the highest note of the phrase, creating a shining effect in the melody as well.