Ascendo ad Patrem

General information

Motet for Ascension.
Source of text is John 20:17 (the 1st antiphon at Vespers), often followed by words drawn from John 15:26 & 16:22.

Settings by composers

• Blasius Ammon SAATB or ATTBB (antiphon only)
• Jacobus Clemens non Papa SATTB (As second part of Ascendens Christus in altum)
• Jacob Handl SSATBB (Adds "Elevatis manibus …")
• Hans Leo Hassler SSAAT or SATTB (2nd part "Et dum assumptus …")
• Jean Maillard SATBarB (Adds "Nisi ego abiero …")
• Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina SATTB (Adds "Et dum assumptus…", then 2nd part "Ego rogabo …")
• Hieronymus Praetorius SSATTB (Adds "Et dum assumptus … mittam vobis Spiritum Sanctum et gaudebit …")
• Samuel Scheidt SSAATTBB (Adds "Et dum assumptus …")
• Ludwig Senfl, probably SATB (antiphon only)

Text and translations

Latin text 20:17b  Ascendo ad Patrem meum et Patrem vestrum, Deum meum et Deum vestrum. Alleluia. Variant 1 (Hassler, Palestrina, Praetorius, Scheidt) Et dum assumptus fuero a vobis, 15:26  mittam vobis Spiritum [Sanctum] veritatis 16:22  et gaudebit cor vestrum. Alleluia. Variant 2, added after "cor vestrum. Alleluia." (Palestrina) 14:16  Ego rogabo Patrem et alium Paracletum dabit vobis, Spiritum veritati 16:22  et gaudebit cor vestrum. Alleluia. Variant 3 (Handl) Elevatis manibus benedixit eis et ferebatur in coelum. Alleluia. Variant 4 (Maillard) 16:7 Nisi ego abiero paracletus non veniet et dum assumptus fuero mittam vobis eum. Alleluia

English translation 20:17b  I ascend unto my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. Alleluia. Variant 1 And when I am taken up from you, 15:26  I will send to you the [Holy] Spirit of truth, and your heart will rejoice. Alleluia. Variant 2 14:16  I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, the Spirit of truth and your heart will rejoice. Alleluia. Variant 3 He blessed them with raised hands and was carried into heaven. Alleluia. Variant 4 Unless I go away, the advocate will not come, and when I am assumed, I will send him to you. Alleluia