Theodore Baierl, The Ascension, private collection, c.1918
As they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight [NRSV, Acts 1:9].
The Ascension of the Lord
May 17, 2012
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L'Ascension ("The Ascension") is a piece for orchestra, composed by Olivier Messiaen in 1932-33. Messiaen described it as "4 meditations for orchestra".
The orchestral piece is in four brief sections:
Olivier Messiaen: L'Ascension, Four meditations for orchestra:
Performance of Leopold Stowkowski and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra [Grooveshark]
Performance of l'Orchestre de l'Opéra Bastille, Myung-Wung Chung conducting [musicMe]
The orchestral piece is in four brief sections:
- Majesté du Christ demandant sa gloire à son Père ("The majesty of Christ demanding its glory of the Father")
- Alleluias sereins d’une âme qui désire le ciel ("Serene alleluias of a soul that longs for heaven")
- Alleluia sur la trompette, alleluia sur la cymbale ("Alleluia on the trumpet, alleluia on the cymbal")
- Prière du Christ montant vers son Père ("Prayer of Christ ascending towards his Father")
Olivier Messiaen: L'Ascension, Four meditations for orchestra:
Performance of Leopold Stowkowski and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra [Grooveshark]
Performance of l'Orchestre de l'Opéra Bastille, Myung-Wung Chung conducting [musicMe]
Organ version:
In 1933-34, Messiaen made a version for solo organ. The first, second and fourth movements are arrangements of the orchestral pieces, but Messiaen composed a new third movement, Transports de joie d'une âme devant la gloire du Christ qui est la sienne ("Ecstasies of a soul before the glory of Christ, which is its own glory"), usually just known as Transports de joie
Olivier Messiaen, L'Ascension, Four meditations for organ:
Click on the name to go to performances by Charles Krigbaum, Hans-Ola Ericsson, Thomas Trotter and Olivier Latry.
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John Singleton Copley, Ascension, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 1775
Patrick Gowers, Viri Galilaei, was commissioned for the ordination of Richard Harries as Bishop of Oxford in St. Paul's Cathedral in 1987.
Alleluya.
And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up: behold,
two men stood by them in white apparel: which said unto them.
Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?
In like manner as ye have seen him going up into heaven, so shall he come again.
God is gone up with a merry noise; and the Lord with the sound of the trumpet.
Christ to highest heaven ascending, led captivity captive.
Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?
In like manner as ye have seen him going up into heaven, so shall he come again.
God is gone up with a merry noise; and the Lord with the sound of the trumpet.
Christ to highest heaven ascending, led captivity captive.
Sing ye to the Lord, who ascended to the heaven of heavens, to the sunrising.
See the Conqueror mounts in triumph,
See the King in royal state Riding on the clouds his chariot
To his heavenly palace gate;
Hark! the choirs of angel voices
Joyful Alleluyas sing,
And the portals high are lifted
To receive their heavenly King.
See the Conqueror mounts in triumph,
See the King in royal state Riding on the clouds his chariot
To his heavenly palace gate;
Hark! the choirs of angel voices
Joyful Alleluyas sing,
And the portals high are lifted
To receive their heavenly King.
Patrick Gowers
Performance of the Choir of St. Paul's Cathedral; Andrew Lucas, organ; John Scott, conducting [YouTube]
Click to download Viri Galilaei, performed by the Choir of St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on the eve of the Ascension 2005.
Performance of the St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral Choir, Edinburgh; Matthew Owens conducting. [BNQ; BM] (info)
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Gerald Finzi
God is gone up with a triumphant shout:
The Lord with sounding Trumpets' melodies:
Sing Praise, sing Praise, sing Praise, sing Praises out,
Unto our King sing praise seraphic wise!
Lift up your Heads, ye lasting Doors, they sing,
And let the King of Glory enter in.
Methinks I see Heaven's sparkling courtiers fly,
In flakes of Glory down him to attend,
And hear Heart-cramping notes of Melody
Surround his Chariot as it did ascend;
Mixing their Music, making ev'ry string
More to enravish as they this tune sing.
Edward Taylor
The Lord with sounding Trumpets' melodies:
Sing Praise, sing Praise, sing Praise, sing Praises out,
Unto our King sing praise seraphic wise!
Lift up your Heads, ye lasting Doors, they sing,
And let the King of Glory enter in.
Methinks I see Heaven's sparkling courtiers fly,
In flakes of Glory down him to attend,
And hear Heart-cramping notes of Melody
Surround his Chariot as it did ascend;
Mixing their Music, making ev'ry string
More to enravish as they this tune sing.
Edward Taylor
To listen to Gerald Finzi, God is gone up, performed by the Pacific Chorale, conducted by Jon Alexander with Mary Preston playing the 2009 C.B. Fisk Opus 130 organ of the Segerstrom Concert Hall of the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa, CA., click here, then click on "0920 Hour 1," then hold button and slide to 10:33 (10 minutes and 33 seconds).
Performance of the Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge. (At 3:23, after Stanford's Justorum animae.) [YouTube]
Performance of the Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge, Christopher Robinson conducting. [NML] (info)
Performance of the Wells Cathedral Choir, Malcolm Archer conducting [YouTube]
Performance of the Stanford Chamber Chorale and University Organist Robert Huw Morgan, Stephen M. Sano conducting [YouTube]
Performance of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir; Richard Elliott, organist; Mack Wilberg conducting [YouTube]
Performance of the Christ Church Cathedral Ottawa Choir of Men and Boys at St. John's College Chapel in Cambridge [YouTube]
Click to download a version by the Halifax Choral Society.
Performance of the Finzi Singers, Paul Spicer conducting. [BNQ; BM] (info)
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Missa Viri Galilaei (with Motet) performed by La Chapelle royale and the Ensemble Organum, Philippe Herreweghe conducting. [YouTube]
Viri Galilaei, quid statis aspicientes in caelum?
Hic Jesus, qui assumptus est a vobis in caelum,
sic veniet quemadmodum vidistis eum euntem in caelum. Alleluia.
Hic Jesus, qui assumptus est a vobis in caelum,
sic veniet quemadmodum vidistis eum euntem in caelum. Alleluia.
Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up to heaven?
This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven,
shall come again in the same way as you have seen him go to heaven.
Alleluia.
This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven,
shall come again in the same way as you have seen him go to heaven.
Alleluia.
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Mass of the Feast of the Ascension
Prelude for the Introit [YouTube]
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William Blake, The Ascension, Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery, San Marino, California,, 1803-05
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen /
Praise God in his kingdoms (Himmelfahrts-Oratorium / Ascension Oratorio) Cantata 11, with performances by Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Herreweghe, Leusink, Parrott and Richter.
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Auf Christi Himmelfahrt allein / On Christ's ascension [journey to heaven] alone, Cantata 128, with performances by Gardiner, Leonhardt and Leusink.