Hendrick van Balen, Holy Trinity, Sint-Jacobskerk, Antwerp, 1620s
God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places [NRSV, Ephesians 1:20].
Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
Sixth Sunday of Easter / Ascension Thursday
Click to go immediately to:
1) The Music Programme Homepage
2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist, Eucharistie chantée and Evensong
3) The Concert Calendar.
Georg Böhm
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Patrick Wedd will perform Olivier Messiaen, L'Ascension, on the 1980 Wilhelm organ, on Ascension Thursday, May 9, at 1:00 pm, following the 12:15 liturgy. Admission free. Continue below to listen online to orchestral and organ versions of l'Ascension.
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:
- 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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The music for Choral Eucharist on Ascension Thursday is by Hans Leo Hassler. Click to go to a selection of Hassler's music.
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Theodore Baierl, The Ascension, private collection, c.1918
Click to go to music for the Ascension composed by Palestrina, Gowers and Finzi.
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Performance on the 4-manual 1890 Cavaillé-Coll organ of the former Abbey of Saint-Ouen, Rouen
Benjamin West, Ascension, 1801
Bach Cantatas for Rogate (6th Sunday of Easter):
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Wahrlich, wahrlich, ich sage euch /Truly, truly, I say to you, Cantata 86, with performances by Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Leusink and Rilling.
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen / Praise God in his kingdoms, Cantata 11, with performances by Gardiner, Harnoncourt, 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.
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Wahrlich, wahrlich, ich sage euch /Truly, truly, I say to you, Cantata 86, with performances by Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Leusink and Rilling.
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Bisher habt ihr nichts gebeten in meinem Namen / Until now you have asked nothing in my name, Cantata 87, with performances by Harnoncourt and Leusink.
Bach Cantatas for the Ascension:
Bach Cantatas for the Ascension:
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen / Praise God in his kingdoms, Cantata 11, with performances by Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Leusink , Parrott and Richter.
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Wer da gläubet und getauft wird /Whoever believes and is baptised, Cantata 37, with performances by Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Koopman and Leusink.
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen / God ascends with shouts of joy, Cantata 43, with performances by Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Herreweghe, Koopman, Leusink and Suzuki.
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen / God ascends with shouts of joy, Cantata 43, with performances by Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Herreweghe, Koopman, Leusink and Suzuki.
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.