Hildegard was a 12th-century abbess in the German city of Bingen. She was also something of a Renaissance woman — though well before the Renaissance period. She was known for her spiritual visions, which she recorded by means of poetry, drawings, and musical compositions, which were performed by the nuns in her abbey. This recording of her music was released in the early 1980s and ushered in a global resurgence of interest in Hildegard, which eventually resulted in many recordings and performances of her music. This one, with its spare and ethereal textures and which features the stunning soprano soloist Emma Kirkby, is the place to start.