I first heard of Hildegard Von Bingen years ago while taking a music appreciation class in college, and immediately I was hooked on this prodigy's work. Recently, I saw this album at the public library and checked it out. While it's still beautiful and relaxing, I couldn't fully appreciate Richard Souther's effort. His music gives it a mystical, relaxing feel, but is dismissed as too new-age. It takes away the sacredness from Hildegard's original purpose for those songs: to elevate the listener into communion with a higher being. The music, although adds to the mystical beauty, makes it mundane. I like the album, I'll still buy it, but it doesn't fulfill my needs (I go for what Hildegard aimed for). It's just a nice album to listen to when I'm stressed and need to relax.