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.
