In the fall of 1996, Jocelyn Montgomery and co-producer Heidrun Reshoeft took a trip along the Rhine river valley to explore the historical sites of Hildegard von Bingen's life: Disibodenberg, the convent Hildegard entered at the age of eight; Eibingen, the second convent she founded, where today nuns still live and work in the monastic daily routine of Hildegard's time; Rupertsberg in Bingen, where in her late 40's Hildegard founded her own convent, and lived and worked until her death in 1179. It is at the monastery after a performance of Hildegard's songs by Jocelyn that the idea of producing an album of Hildegard's music from a unique, modern perspective takes shape.
In 1998, David Lynch completed work on a new album by Jocelyn Montgomery. The album is based on 12th century verses by Hildegard von Bingen. The album was released in the US on August 25, 1998.
