Good books about Hildegard de Bingen?

Question:I am writing a term paper on the medieval composer Hildegard de Bingen. My goal is to write about what made her style so unique etc. and how it was that she was so successful in a world where women as composers were looked down upon. Any good books for research that you know of?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I am writing a term paper on the medieval composer Hildegard de Bingen. My goal is to write about what made her style so unique etc. and how it was that she was so successful in a world where women as composers were looked down upon. Any good books for research that you know of?

Her own books that she wrote are good. My Google search revealed several good sources. The Catholic Encyclopedia on line on Hymnody and Hymnology gives a very thorough run down of music history, but only gives Hildegard a name without expounding her unique and outstanding achievements on page 14 of 16 ( 2nd last writing page as the Bibliography is on p. 16) (?Example of the paternalistic bias?) The Wikipedia is excellent also. One 38 page article gives many examples from her works. I have to present her myself at a study group. Libraries seem short on material.

A good place to start is the Grove Dictionary entry on Hildegard of Bingen. There, you will find a wealth of information on the composer, as well as a bibliography from which you may select books.