Over the last nine years there has been an amazing outpouring of scholarly activity on the life and work of Hildegard of Bingen. Yet, despite this, or perhaps for this very reason, there is still clearly a place for an introductory book on Hildegard which presents her life and writings in the context of her times.
I have taken the opportunity offered by this second edition—published in the year of the 900th anniversary of Hildegard’s birth—to correct some errors of fact or emphasis, detected partly by myself and partly by vigilant reviewers. I have also reconsidered some aspects of the story in the light of the discovery of new information, and the appearance of critical editions of Hildegard’s works, though some of these are still wanting—notably the medico-scientific writings and the correspondence. I have also updated the citations of primary sources from the older, often inadequate, texts to the new critical editions where they exist, and have in addition, included references to important secondary studies on particular aspects of Hildegard’s thought which have subsequently appeared. To this end I have replaced a section, ‘The Works of Hildegard’, which nine years ago had perforce to refer to a number of unpublished manuscripts, with a select bibliography of both primary and secondary sources. A discography, distinguishing the recordings which seek to reproduce the style of Hildegard’s time from more modern departures using Hildegard as a starting point for what are essentially new compositions, is also provided. Such material may be consulted by those interested in further exploring this fascinating subject for themselves. Some may even be inspired to produce more specialized studies—a hope which I expressed in the Preface to the first edition of this book, and which has already been amply realized.
Proper acknowledgment of the intellectual and personal debts I have incurred over the last decade would require several pages. Suffice it to say that these studies have brought me into contact with an international circle of students of Hildegard whose generosity, intellectual liveliness and mutual support have made my investigations not only a challenge but a delight.
Sabina Flanagan
Adelaide, 1997