Quia ergo femina (Symphonia 12)

For the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
An Antiphon by St. Hildegard of Bingen^[1]

Scivias III.3:
Amor Caelestis.
Rupertsberg MS, fol. 139r.

Quia ergo femina mortem instruxit,    clara virgo illam interemit, et ideo est summa      benedictio in feminea forma pre omni creatura, quia Deus factus est homo in dulcissima et beata virgine.

For since a woman drew up death, a virgin gleaming dashed it down, and therefore is the highest      blessing found in woman’s form before all other creatures. For God was made a human in the sweet and blessed Virgin.

Cum processit factura (Symphonia 13)

For the Octave of the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
An Antiphon by St. Hildegard of Bingen ^[1]

Scivias I.2: The Fall.
Rupertsberg MS,
fol. 4r.

Cum processit factura digiti Dei, formata ad imaginem Dei in ortu mixti sanguinis per peregrinationem casus Ade, elementa susceperunt gaudia in te,  o laudabilis Maria, celo rutilante et in laudibus sonante.

Although the craft of God’s extended finger, created in God’s image, came forth in birth of blood commingled, in pilgrimage exiled by Adam’s fall; the elements received their joys in you, O Mary, worthy of our praise, as heaven gleams with rubied light and echoes gladsome shouts of praise.

O quam magnum miraculum (Symphonia 16)

For the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
An Antiphon by St. Hildegard of Bingen^[1]

Virgin Mary, Queen of Heavens'
Symphony, Scivias III.13
Rupertsberg MS, fol. 229r

O quam magnum miraculum est   quod in subditam femineam formam rex introivit. Hoc Deus fecit quia humilitas super omnia ascendit. Et o quam magna felicitas est in ista forma, quia malicia, que de femina fluxit hanc femina postea      detersit et omnem suavissimum odorem virtutum edificavit ac celum ornavit plus quam terram prius turbavit.

How great the wonder is! Into the female form subdued the King has come. This God has done, for meekness mounts o’er all. And O how great the happiness is in that form, for malice, which from a woman flowed— a woman then this malice wiped      away, and ev’ry sweet perfume of virtues she has raised— the heavens graced far more than e’er the earth in chaos cast.

Alleluia! O virga mediatrix (Symphonia 18)

For the Octave of Easter, an Alleluia-verse for the Virgin
by St. Hildegard of Bingen^[1]

Initial F: Tree of Jesse
Stammheim / Hildesheim
Missal (ca. 1160-70), fol. 146r.
J. Paul Getty Museum

Alleluia! O virga mediatrix, sancta viscera tua mortem superaverunt et venter tuus omnes creaturas     illuminavit in pulcro flore de suavissima integritate clausi pudoris tui orto.

Alleluia! O branch and mediatrix, your sacred flesh has conquered death, your womb the world illumined, all creatures in the bloom of beauty sprung from that exquisite purity of your enclosèd modesty.

Nunc gaudeant materna (Symphonia 67)

For Easter, the Resurrection of the Lord, an Antiphon for the Church
by St. Hildegard of Bingen^[1]

Scivias II.3:
Mother Church & Baptism.
Rupertsberg MS, fol. 51r.

Nunc gaudeant materna viscera      Ecclesie, quia in superna simphonia      filii eius in sinum suum collocati sunt. Unde, o turpissime serpens,      confusus es, quoniam quos tua estimatio      in visceribus      suis habuit nunc fulgent in sanguine      Filii Dei, et ideo laus tibi sit, Rex altissime.        Alleluia.

Now let the womb and heart      of Mother Church rejoice! For in the starry symphony      her children are gathered to her bosom. O vile snake, you are      confounded, for those your hollow jealousy      had thought      it clutched within its guts now sparkle in the blood      of God’s own Son— praise be to you, the highest King!      Alleluia!

O virga ac diadema (Symphonia 20)

For the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes,
A Sequence for the Virgin by St. Hildegard of Bingen^[1]

Virgin Mary, Queen of Heavens'
Symphony. Scivias III.13,
Rupertsberg MS, fol. 229r

1a. O virga ac diadema purpure regis que es in clausura tua sicut lorica: 1b. Tu frondens floruisti in alia vicissitudine quam Adam omne genus        humanum produceret.

1a. O branch and diadem, in royal purple clad, who in your cloister strong stand like a shield: 1b. You burst forth blooming but with buds quite different than Adam’s progeny— th’ entire human race.

O nobilissima viriditas (Symphonia 56)

For the Feast of St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr,
A Responsory for Virgins by St. Hildegard of Bingen ^[1]

Scivias II.5: Virginitas
& the Orders of the Church.
Rupertsberg MS, fol. 66r
(detail)

V. O nobilissima viriditas, que radicas in sole et que in candida serenitate luces in rota quam nulla terrene excellentia     comprehendit: R. Tu circumdata es amplexibus divinorum ministeriorum. V. Tu rubes ut aurora et ardes ut solis flamma. R. Tu circumdata es amplexibus divinorum ministeriorum.

V. O noblest, freshest green, viridity you are, deep rooted in the sun and shining bright in clearest calm within a wheel no earthly excellence can comprehend: R. You are contained within the embraces of the service, the ministries divine. V. As morning’s dawn you blush, as sunny flame you burn. R. You are contained within the embraces of the service, the ministries divine.

O magna res (Symphonia R 407ra)

For the Octave of the Epiphany, a Verse for the Incarnate Word
and His Virgin Mother by St. Hildegard of Bingen ^[1]

Hand of God. Frontispiece,
Uta Codex, ca. 1025.
Munich, Staatsbibliothek
MS Clm 13601, fol. 1v.

1a. O magna res que in nullo constituto latuit,    ita quod non est facta nec creata ab ullo, sed in se ipsa permanet. lb. O vita que surrexisti in aurora, in qua magnus rex      sapientiam que in antiquo apud virum sapientem fuit misericorditer manifestavit, quia mulier per foramen      antiqui perditoris mortem intravit.

1a. O greatness that no creature formed could hide— not made indeed, created not by anyone, within itself abides. 1b. O life that rose upon the dawn, the dayspring when      the mighty King in mercy made his Wisdom known— of old she dwelt together with the sage— for once a woman entered death through the ancient slayer’s      darkened door.

Ave Maria, O auctrix vite (Symphonia 8)

For the First Sunday in Advent, a Responsory for the Virgin
by St. Hildegard of Bingen^[1]

Misericordia Dei
(Mercy of God)
Scivias III.3
Rupertsberg MS,
fol. 139r

V. Ave Maria, o auctrix vite, reedificando salutem, que mortem conturbasti et serpentem contrivisti, ad quem se Eva erexit erecta cervice cum sufflatu superbie. Hunc conculcasti dum de celo Filium Dei genuisti:     R. Quem inspiravit Spiritus Dei.

V. Hail Mary, O authoress of life, rebuilding up salvation’s health, for death you have disturbed, that serpent crushed to whom Eve raised herself, her neck outstretched with puffed-up pride. That serpent’s head you ground to dust when heaven’s Son of God you bore: R. on whom God’s Spirit breathed.