Universität Wien

160070 PS Hildegard, Herrad and Heloise: Women Composers in the Latin Middle Ages (2024W)

6.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 16 - Musikwissenschaft und Sprachwissenschaft
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle
Tu 29.10. 15:00-16:30 Seminarraum 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3A-O1-31

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 25 participants
Language: German

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 08.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3A-O1-31
  • Tuesday 15.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3A-O1-31
  • Tuesday 22.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3A-O1-31
  • Tuesday 05.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3A-O1-31
  • Tuesday 12.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3A-O1-31
  • Tuesday 19.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3A-O1-31
  • Tuesday 26.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3A-O1-31
  • Tuesday 03.12. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3A-O1-31
  • Tuesday 10.12. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3A-O1-31
  • Tuesday 17.12. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3A-O1-31
  • Tuesday 07.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3A-O1-31
  • Tuesday 14.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3A-O1-31
  • Tuesday 21.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3A-O1-31
  • Tuesday 28.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 Musikwissenschaft UniCampus Hof 9, 3A-O1-31

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) is perhaps the most important female composer of the 12th century in the Latin West. Nevertheless, she was by no means the only woman who dedicated herself to the collection, dissemination and performance of chants in her religious community. Less well known in musicological circles is Herrad von Landsberg (around 1130-1195), who performed not only monophonic but also polyphonic chants in her encyclopaedic work Hortus deliciarum (‘Garden of Delicacies’). At the same time, Heloisa (ca. 1095 - 1164) maintained one of the most intensive relationships of the twelfth century with the scholastic teacher and intellectual, Petrus Abaelardus. The relationship was unsanctioned and Abaelardus was castrated. Furthermore, Heloisa's exact role in the production of new poetic compositions is disputed (Wulfstan). Nevertheless, the relatively well-documented role of these three women in 12th-century musical production provides a useful basis for examining three main areas, which are also the main learning objectives of the seminar. First, the wide range of surviving chants and songs provides good material for musical, textual and theological analyses. These skills are, of course, useful not only as a guide to the music and culture of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, but also beyond. Second, the collections of song material will be examined to illuminate the various ways in which song and chant permeated the work of these women, whether in visionary texts, encyclopaedias or letters. Third and finally, we will consider the writings of these women in the broader historical context of the 12th century, gaining new insights into the networks they developed over the course of their lives.

Assessment and permitted materials

You can find helpful details about how to prepare a proseminar essay (10-15 pages) in the Institute of Musicology's booklet on writing skills:
https://musikwissenschaft.univie.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/i_musikwissenschaft/Studium/RichtlinienSchriftlicheArbeiten.pdf

We will also practice spoken forms of communication such as an oral presentation which will be related to the topic of the Proseminar essay and thus provide an opportunity in class for discussion and feedback.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

It is not necessary to have any previous knowledge of notation, the liturgy or Latin. We will cover all these points in the Proseminar!

Examination topics

The topic of the Proseminar essay will be discussed in office hours or otherwise with Jeremy Llewellyn. It can be based on the materials we discuss in class, or else on a specifc interest of the participants. The submission deadline for the Proseminar essay will be given at the beginning of semester.

Reading list

Introductory Literature (further literature will be given in the first classes of the Proseminar)
• Klaper, Michael, and Lorenz Welker. Lieder : Faksimile Riesencodex (Hs. 2) der Hessischen Landesbibliothek Wiesbaden, fol. 466 - 481v. Wiesbaden: Reichert, 1998.
• Stühlmeyer, Barbara, Benediktinerinnenabtei St. Hildegard, and Benediktinerinnenkloster. Lieder. Beuron: Beuroner Kunstverlag, 2012.
• Kruckenberg, Lori, ‚Literacy and Learning in the Lives of Women Religious of Medieval Germany’ in Bain, Jennifer. The Cambridge Companion to Hildegard of Bingen. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2021, S. 52-83.
• Wulstan, David. “Novi Modulaminis Melos: The Music of Heloise and Abelard.” Plainsong & Medieval Music 11, no. 1 (2002): 1–23.

Association in the course directory

BA: PRO, HIS-V1, FRE

Last modified: Su 06.10.2024 14:46