Ascendo ad Patrem

General information

Motet for Ascension.
Source of text is John 20:17 (the 1st antiphon at Vespers), often followed by a 2nd part drawing from John 15:26 & 16:22.

Settings by composers

• Blasius Ammon SAATB or ATTBB (antiphon only)
• Jacob Handl SSATBB (Adds "Elevatis manibus…")
• Hans Leo Hassler SSAAT & SATTB (2nda pars "Et dum assumptus…")
• Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina SATTB (thru "…et dum … cor vestrum, alleluia." with 2nd part "Ego rogabo …")
• Hieronymus Praetorius SSATTB ("Et dum assumptus... mittam vobis Spiritum Sanctum et gaudebit...")
• Samuel Scheidt SSAATTBB (2nda pars "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. 2nda pars 1 Et dum assumptus fuero a vobis, 15:26  mittam vobis Spiritum veritatis 16:22  et gaudebit cor vestrum, alleluia. 2nda pars 2, added after "cor vestrum, alleluia." 14:16  Ego rogabo Patrem et alium Paracletum dabit vobis, Spiritum veritatis… 2nda pars 3 Elevatis manibus benedixit eis et ferebatur in coelum. Alleluia.

English translation 20:17b  I ascend unto my Father and your Father, to my God and your God, alleluia. And when I am taken up from you, 15:26  I will send to you the Spirit of truth, and your heart will rejoice, alleluia. Variant 1 14:16  I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, the Spirit of truth… Variant 2