Barbara Stühlmeyer
A German scholar who illuminates the musical and theological world of medieval visionary Hildegard of Bingen for a modern audience.
Born 1964 (age 62)·German theologian, musicologist and author·Birthday: November 12·Baby Boomers
Biography
Barbara Stühlmeyer is a quiet force in the world of medieval studies, dedicating her academic life to unpacking the rich legacy of the 12th-century abbess Hildegard of Bingen. Operating as an independent scholar and author, her work bridges theology and musicology with a practitioner's depth; she is also a Benedictine Oblate, living her research within a spiritual tradition. Stühlmeyer's approach is not one of dry archival work but of passionate recovery, translating Hildegard's complex musical notation, symbolic language, and holistic vision into terms that resonate today. She has authored definitive texts and guides on Hildegard's songs, seeing them not as mere historical artifacts but as living expressions of cosmology and faith. Her writing invites readers and listeners into the soundscape of a medieval monastery, arguing for its continued relevance in discussions of ecology, medicine, and art.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Barbara was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Barbara Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Barbara's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Authored the comprehensive handbook 'Die Gesänge der Hildegard von Bingen', a seminal study of the saint's musical oeuvre.
- Serves as a research associate at the Institute for Music at the University of Oldenburg, focusing on medieval music.
- Her work has been instrumental in the practical performance and recording of Hildegard's musical works by ensembles worldwide.
Did You Know?
She is an Oblate of the Order of St. Benedict (OblOSB), meaning she is formally associated with a Benedictine community while living in the world.
Stühlmeyer has also written extensively on the history of the liturgy and its music beyond Hildegard.
She contributes regularly to German Catholic publications and radio programs on topics of faith and culture.
“Hildegard's music is not mere composition; it is a theological language sung into being.”
