mezzo-soprano, flute, piano and percussion

Commission: Productions Fiolûtröniq

Premiere: April 5, 2018, Perspectives d’Hildegarde, Espace Aline-Letendre — Église du Gesù, Montréal (Québec)

Hildegard von Bingen was a visionary figure of the Middle Ages. Her knowledge of science, art and spirituality greatly inspired the writing of “O Virtus “ (poetry written by von Bingen).I was particularly motivated by her writings on music, which she considered “the mirror of the harmony of the celestial spheres and the angelic choirs”. I also wanted to reflect her desire for simplicity and freedom. von Bingen preached simplicity and endeavoured to respond to the spiritual needs of her contemporaries, exacerbated by the vision of an ever richer and more powerful Church. On the artistic side, her music evokes a rhythmic freedom with ever-changing motifs. This is why I wanted the work to be very simple and uncluttered, and why the piece leaves the musicians free to interpretation.