Voices Found

  Laus Trinitat i, Praise to You, HolyTrinity VF 105 About Hildegard Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), a German Abbess, founded and led two Benedictine  monasteries in the Rhine valley.  In 1126 she was Magistra of Disibodenberg,  where she led women of a predominantly men’s monastery. Hildegard established two monasteries for women, the first in 1150 at Rupertsberg, and at Eibigen in 1165. A prolific writer,  she wrote  treatises on theology, medicine, and botany. More famously, she  wrote poetry and chants for  the daily offices.  With much fear, she had visions of God from childhood on,  which she kept secret. Eventually she described them and supervised their illuminations.  In 1147-48 at the Synod of Triers, Pope Eugenius approved her words and confirmed her visions were revelations of the Holy Spirit. With that affirmation, she proceeded to preach and teach widely along the Rhine.  She is celebrated as a Mystic and Scho...

Chant to the Four Winds  Voices Found #52 One of the blessings of  convening the Voices Found committees was sharing our  diverse musical traditions. Each member brought unique gifts that have enriched the Voices Found hymnal supplement.  Bishop  Carol  Gallagher contributed “ Chant to the Four Winds,” from a Native American tradition. This chant is a song of welcome that gathers all believers to worship, to celebrate the Spirit of Life.  Chant to the Four Winds   Refrain  Come Great Creator! Come Life Giver!  Come to this sacred place! Come and be with us.  Verse 1 Welcome cousins from the East! And bring your gifts, Rising sun and gentle waters, Soaring Eagle, new vision. Refrain   Verse 2 Welcome cousins from the South! And bring your gifts Our rich mother earth, innocence and love! Refrain Verse 3 Welcome cousins from the West! And bring your gifts Thunder drum and wind, oceans and strong hearts. ...

A Song of the Holy Spirit Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was the first woman to  compose  liturgical song  for the Western Church.  Her chants are  preserved  in two codices or manuscripts .  Below you see a facsimile edition of one, the Dendermonde Codex that Hildegard produced in her Abbey in Rudesheim.    She sent it to an Abbey in Belgium where it survived several  transfers and wars.  It   is now preserved in the Abbey of Saints Peter and Paul in Dendermonde, Belgium. Here you can see the original notation for Hildegard's antiphon 15,   De Spiritu Sancto. A facsimile of the  Dendermonde Codex Hildegard wrote:   Antiphon 15 De Spiritu Sancto Spiritus Sanctus vivificans vita Movens omnia, et radix est in omni creatura Ac omnia de immunditia abluit Tergens crimina, ac laudabilis vita, Suscitans et resuscitano  omnia.  In the early twentieth century, nuns of the Hildegard Abbey ...