Berno of Reichenau
Encyclopedia
Berno was the Abbot of Reichenau
from his appointment by Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor
, in 1008. He reformed the Gregorian chant
. He compiled a tonarius, dealing with the organisation of the church chants into ‘tones’ – eight modes
of the Gregorian chant.
Following the reforms initiated under Abbot Immo, who imposed the Benedictine rule at Reichenau, under Berno's enlightened guidance the abbey reached its peak as a centre of learning, with a productive scriptorium
, as a centre of Bendictine monasticism and eleventh-century liturgical and musical reforms in the German churches. At Reichenau he erected the tall western tower and transept that stand today on the island site of Reichenau-Mittelzell. One of his most famous students was Hermann von Reichenau, who transmitted Arabic mathematics and astronomy to central Europe.
Politically the abbot cleaved to his patrons Henry and to Henry III, duke of Bavaria and eventually Emperor
, and wrote many letters and missives to the Hungarian kings Saint Stephen I of Hungary and Peter Orseolo of Hungary, containing various historical information about the Hungarian kingdom of that time useful for the historian. His activity in regard to Hungary was specially important during the reign of Stephen, as his wife was Gisela, the emperor Henry II's sister.
Reichenau Island
Reichenau Island lies in Lake Constance in southern Germany, at approximately . It lies between Gnadensee and Untersee, two parts of Lake Constance, almost due west of the city of Konstanz. The island is connected to the mainland by a causeway that was completed in 1838...
from his appointment by Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry II , also referred to as Saint Henry, Obl.S.B., was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Ottonian dynasty, from his coronation in Rome in 1014 until his death a decade later. He was crowned King of the Germans in 1002 and King of Italy in 1004...
, in 1008. He reformed the Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
. He compiled a tonarius, dealing with the organisation of the church chants into ‘tones’ – eight modes
Musical mode
In the theory of Western music since the ninth century, mode generally refers to a type of scale. This usage, still the most common in recent years, reflects a tradition dating to the middle ages, itself inspired by the theory of ancient Greek music.The word encompasses several additional...
of the Gregorian chant.
Following the reforms initiated under Abbot Immo, who imposed the Benedictine rule at Reichenau, under Berno's enlightened guidance the abbey reached its peak as a centre of learning, with a productive scriptorium
Scriptorium
Scriptorium, literally "a place for writing", is commonly used to refer to a room in medieval European monasteries devoted to the copying of manuscripts by monastic scribes...
, as a centre of Bendictine monasticism and eleventh-century liturgical and musical reforms in the German churches. At Reichenau he erected the tall western tower and transept that stand today on the island site of Reichenau-Mittelzell. One of his most famous students was Hermann von Reichenau, who transmitted Arabic mathematics and astronomy to central Europe.
Politically the abbot cleaved to his patrons Henry and to Henry III, duke of Bavaria and eventually Emperor
Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry III , called the Black or the Pious, was a member of the Salian Dynasty of Holy Roman Emperors...
, and wrote many letters and missives to the Hungarian kings Saint Stephen I of Hungary and Peter Orseolo of Hungary, containing various historical information about the Hungarian kingdom of that time useful for the historian. His activity in regard to Hungary was specially important during the reign of Stephen, as his wife was Gisela, the emperor Henry II's sister.