Date of Award

5-7-2016

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Music (BMu)

Department

Music

First Advisor

Dr. Marie Sumner Lott

Abstract

Sappho and Hildegard of Bingen were both extraordinary composers who excelled in the artistic, philosophical, and literary worlds of their time. They were motivated and inspired by divine belief and will, and they devoted their lives to religious expression through art. This essay focuses on Sappho’s and Hildegard of Bingen’s contributions to the development of the spiritual and cultural expression of their societies through lyrical compositions and musical innovations. Comparisons between Sappho’s poems and Hildegard’s sequences and antiphons reveal the similarities and differences between their musical styles and religious beliefs. Through the analysis of Sappho’s and Hildegard’s lives and work, this essay endeavors to remind us that artistic women who are characterized by persistence, hard work, and will may become a source of inspiration for audiences across the world, and contribute to the cultural elevation of human societies.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.57709/8683485

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