Hildegard in the Forest
In this project of the countertenor and composer Aleksandar Jovanovic and the Nyckelharpa player Anna Breger, novel sounds based on the musical chants of Hildegard von Bingen (1098 – 1179) are evolved. Following the lyrics and shape of the music, the melodies are sometimes purely embraced, elaborated with multiple voices or lost in the forest of recorded electronic sounds. Each piece of the excursion is carefully chosen, portraying various forms of musical expression in surrounding soundscapes, suplemented by one contemporary composition.
The highly progressive melodies from the German polymath Hildegard von Bingen have been composed to be sung by the nuns in her abbey. In our novel arrangements for concert performance, we combine aesthetics of medieval music with modern sound explorations as well as including a novel contemporary composition. The recorded sound patterns have been processed and interwoven, inviting the audience to let themselves dive into transformative soundscapes. The power of Hildegard’s music still appeals in modern times, building bridges over nearly a thousand years.