“TUNC TU CLAMAS CLARA VOCE”: MARIOLOGICAL ALLUSION AND THE MUSIC OF ST. HILDEGARD OF BINGEN

Abstract

Hildegard’s Mariology, most overtly expressed through her sixteen Marian plainchants, has received close attention by scholars over the years. Nevertheless, unanswered questions remain concerning her Mariology as well as the musical manifestations of her devotion to Mary. This thesis seeks to fill a void in this area of Hildegard research by introducing a new lens—Mariological allusion—by means of which new aspects of Hildegard’s Mariology in her music may be discovered and explored. First, an investigation of Mariological allusion in the twelfth century, particularly as it is channeled through the theme of Mary’s voice, demonstrates its prevalence in medieval culture. Secondly, case studies, including select compositions by Hildegard of Bingen, manifest applications of Mariological allusion to female saints through musical intertextuality. Finally, Hildegard of Bingen’s liturgical drama, Ordo virtutum, illustrates the presence of Mariological allusion, a work which brings together themes from the previous chapters by showcasing both a twelfth-century focus on Mary’s voice and applications of Mariological allusion to the women in Hildegard’s community. Ultimately, the lens of Mariological allusion is employed in this thesis both as a means of reassessing and recontextualizing Mariology in the music of Hildegard of Bingen, and to provide a new mode of inquiry for future studies of the intersections of medieval plainchant with Marian devotion.