O Jerusalem

Released in 1997 by the ensemble Sequentia, O Jerusalem is a significant entry in the group's multi-year project to record the complete works of the 12th-century visionary and polymath Hildegard von Bingen. The album focuses on the liturgical chants and dramatic compositions that established von Bingen as a singular figure in medieval music, characterized by expansive, soaring melodies that broke away from the traditional, more constrained chant structures of her era.

The ensemble Sequentia, led by Barbara Thornton and Benjamin Bagby, was instrumental in bringing these works to a wider audience during the late 20th century. By utilizing historically informed performance practices and vocal techniques that prioritized the expressive, mystical qualities of the text, the group sought to ground these medieval compositions in their original liturgical context. Upon its release, the recording was widely praised by music critics for its clarity and the ensemble’s commitment to capturing the ecstatic and ethereal nature of von Bingen's unique musical voice.