Music for January: Week Four

O Viridissima Virga: Song to the Virgin
by Hildegard of Bingen

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St Hildegard of Bingen - abbess, writer, philosopher, Christian mystic, visionary, natural historian and polymath -is one of the best-known composers of sacred monophony, as well as the most-recorded in modern history. For Hildegard, music rises almost to the level of a sacrament, channeling the perfection of divine grace from the heavenly choirs. Listen to an example of her unique and glorious music sung here by the Ensemble Canta Filia in the hymn to the Virgin,O Viridissima Virga.
To hear more music by Hildegard of Bingen, visit our Sacred Music page.

1. O viridissima virga,
ave, que in ventoso flabro sciscitationis
sanctorum prodisti.

2. Cum venit tempus quod tu floruisti in ramis tuis,
ave, ave fuit tibi, quia calor solis in te sudavit
sicut odor balsami.

3. Nam in te floruit
pulcher flos qui odorem dedit
omnibus aromatibus que arida erant.

4. Et illa apparuerunt omnia in viriditate plena.

5. Unde celi dederunt rorem super gramen
et omnis terra leta facta est,
quoniam viscera ipsius frumentum
protulerunt et quoniam volucres celi nidos
in ipsa habuerunt.

6. Deinde facta est esca hominibus
et gaudium magnum epulantium.
Unde, o suavis Virgo, in te non deficit ullum gaudium.
 
7. Hec omnia Eva contempsit.

8. Nunc autem laus sit Altissimo.

1. O branch of freshest green,
O hail! Within the windy gusts of saints
upon a quest you swayed and sprouted forth.

2. When it was time, you blossomed in your boughs--
“Hail, hail!” you heard, for in you seeped the sunlight’s warmth
like balsam’s sweet perfume.

3. For in you bloomed
so beautiful a flow’r, whose fragrance wakened
all the spices from their dried-out stupor.

4. They all appeared in full viridity.

5. Then rained the heavens dew upon the grass
and all the earth was cheered,
for from her womb she brought forth fruit
and for the birds up in the sky
have nests in her.

6. Then was prepared that food for humankind,
the greatest joy of feasts!
O Virgin sweet, in you can ne’er fail any joy.

7. All this Eve chose to scorn.

8. But now, let praise ring forth unto the Highest!