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
3) The Concert Calendar.
The music of Thomas Tomkins is featured this coming Sunday at Choral Evensong.
My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vine with her tender grapes give a sweet smell. Arise my love, my fair one, and come away.
Song of Solomon 2: 10-13
Click to go to a wide selection of music by Tomkins.
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Patrick Wedd will perform Olivier Messiaen, L'Ascension, on the 1980 Wilhelm organ, on Ascension Thursday, May 29, 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")
A complete performance takes around 27 minutes.
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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Click to go to the Introit (Viri Galilaei) for the Mass of the Ascension in Gregorian Chant.
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Charles Tournemire, L'orgue mystique: Easter Cycle, Op. 56: Nos. 22 qnd 23
Performance on the 4-manual 1890 Cavaillé-Coll organ of the former Abbey of Saint-Ouen, Rouen
Mass of the 5th Sunday after Easter:
Prelude for the Introit [YouTube]
Offertory [YouTube]
Elevation [YouTube]
Communion [YouTube]
Grave, Fugue Libre and Postlude [YouTube]
Mass of the Feast of the Ascension
Prelude for the Introit [YouTube]
Offertory [YouTube]
Elevation [YouTube]
Communion [YouTube]
Paraphrases on a Choral [YouTube]
Click for the entire performance of L'Orgue mystique by Georges Delvallée.
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Click to go to Bach Cantatas for Online Listening.
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, 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:
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, Auf Christi Himmelfahrt allein / On Christ's ascension [journey to heaven] alone, Cantata 128, with performances by Gardiner, Leonhardt and Leusink.