Anna Rubin
for six-part women's a capella chorus
ca.10'00"
Hildegard's Prologue (1996) was commissioned by the Urban Sky Consort, of Pittsburgh for 6-part women's a capella chorus 1998 as part of the 900th Anniversary of Hildegard’s birth. I chose the text from the writings of Hildegard von Bingen, the celebrated abbess, and visionary who composed for the nuns of her monastery as well as acting as physician and diplomat. Both English and Latin are used. Many consonant dyads and triads are used in the piece with roving tonics, creating a sense of suspended harmonic motion.