Hildegard von Bingen was truly a woman ahead of her time. A visionary in every sense of the word, this famed 12th-century Benedictine nun was a Christian mystic, composer, philosopher, playwright, poet, naturalist, scientist, physician, herbalist and ecological activist. In a staggering performance, Barbara Sukowa portrays von Bingen’s fierce determination to expand the responsibilities of women within the order, even as she fends off outrage from...

Jarman made his feature directorial debut with this interpretation of the life of St. Sebastiane. The Roman martyr is exiled to an all-male colony and tortured in this visually stylish and gorgeously photographed film. Sebastiane caused a stir for its frank homoerotic content, but was equally noteworthy for presenting its dialogue entirely in Latin. Music by Brian Eno.

"Gregorian chant is monodic, modal and in free rhythm. It has a single melodic line, without harmonic or polyphonic elements." -- from container.

"Within a decade of taking up his post as Thomaskantor in Leipzig in 1723, Bach was becoming ever more frustrated with the Saxon city's civic politics. Never one to compromise, he had clashed with the authorities almost from the word go. In August 1730 complaints that he had been neglecting his duties led him to submit a 'brief but highly necessary draft of a well-appointed church music' to the Leipzig council. Inter alia, he pointed out that he did...