L'Ascension

Development#

The work’s earliest sketches (in short-score format) are described as dating from May of 1932 and were written in the composer’s residence, 13 villa Danube in Paris. He completed the work in Neuchâtel during July of that year and began orchestrating it in July of the following year in Monaco. At the time of writing, Messiaen had been teaching at the Schola Cantorum de Paris and had already published a handful of pieces, however, he was mostly known as an organist. He was appointed as titular organist of La Sainte-Trinité following the death of Charles Quef in 1931 and was a former pupil of Marcel Dupré, Charles-Marie Widor, and Paul Dukas. Messiaen had previously written two un-commissioned symphonic meditations and was also working on his third, Hymne au Saint Sacrement.

Controversies#

According to rumour, due to a dispute between Messiaen and the Alphonse Leduc company, Messiaen offered to arrange the work for organ mostly to appease them and to expand profits from the highly-demanding global organ scene. It was published in 1934, with the actual orchestral version following in 1948 (previously, only a copyist’s hire-score was available). The organ version continues to be more popular than the orchestral original.

Instrumentation#

The work is scored for the following instruments: Woodwinds :3 flutes :2 oboes :1 cor anglais :2 clarinets in A and B :1 bass clarinet in B :3 bassoons Brass :4 horns :3 trumpets :3 trombones :1 tuba Percussion :timpani (3) :triangle :cymbals :tambourine :bass drum Strings :violins I, II :violas :cellos :double Basses

I. Majesté du Christ demandant sa gloire à son Père#

Père, l’heure est venue, glorifie ton Fils, afin que ton Fils te glorifie. (Jean 17:1) “Father, the hour has come, glorify Thy Son, so Your Son may glorify Thee. (John 17:1)” The movement is an opening chorale in E major which is scored for the winds and brass sections alone.

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 (“Outbursts of joy from a soul before the glory of Christ which is its own glory”), usually just known as Transports de joie. (). The first performance of the organ version was given by the composer himself on January 29, 1935, at the church of Saint-Antoine-des-Quinze-Vingts in Paris.

References#

*Kennedy, Michael (2006), The Oxford Dictionary of Music, 985 pages,

External links#

• L’Ascension pour orchestre played by the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Antoni Wit, synchronised with its sheet music
• L’Ascension pour orgue played by Olivier Messiaen himself at the organ of Sainte-Trinité, 9th arrondissement of Paris, synchronised with its sheet music