Reginold of Eichstätt
Reginold of Eichstätt was Bishop of Eichstätt from 966 to 991, much 'admired as a poet, musician, scholar and orator' and indeed 'the leading musician of his age'.
He had travelled in the East, and his knowledge of the classical languages Latin, Greek and Hebrew enabled him to create religious works that found widespread popularity. In particular, his Historia of Saint Nicholas was 'artistically exceptional' and 'swept the world like a catchy new tune', as innovation had been subdued under Charlemagne but was just beginning to take off once again. He demonstrated his linguistic versatility by switching from language to language within the text. This Historia also earned Reginold the bishopric, which was awarded to him by the Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great. The plainchant music, however, was written in neumes which are inherently ambiguous, so no definitive modern version exists. Reginold also composed Historiae in honour of Saint Willibald, Winibald and Saint Blaise.
