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"Ah, how every Catholic singer for many hundreds of years has looked forward to Ascension, that he might sing the impossibly beautiful introit Viri Galilaei!

If you do not hear this today or Sunday, you are missing out a glorious example of how it is that Gregorian chant created and sustained so much beauty and majesty in the world.



"Ye people of Galilee, why are you gazing in astonishment at the sky? Alleluia. Just as you have seen him ascend into heaven, so, in like manner, shall he return, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. All nations, clap your hands; shout unto God with a voice of joy."

I won't attempt to offer my own commentary, except to note the very act of 'ascending to' written into the dramatic opening line, and to observe the final three alleluias, the second of which reaches to the heavens. Instead I'll quote the incomparable Johner:

When we met the Saviour at Christmas, we greeted Him with the seventh mode. The motive dc ed dd over the accented syllable of Galilaei, reminds us also of nobis in the Introit for the third Christmas Mass.


On Bethlehem's fields once the angels sang; today we again hear angels. They seem to have a special preference for the seventh mode in plainsong. Their words are addressed to the Apostles, who find it impossible to turn their eyes away from heaven, whither their dearest Lord and Master has ascended. And here the angels do not say, as the Acts of the Apostles report: "Why stand you looking up to heaven?" but: Quid admiramini aspicientes-—"Why wonder you, looking up to heaven?"


The melody calls for an easy and joyous rendition... In the rendition, this climacus, and all the alleluia in fact, demand a most hearty rendition. Our joy should be voiced wholeheartedly. The rhythmic motive over admiramini, dedc c (4 plus 1), runs through the entire piece, recurring over aspici-(entes), vidistis e-(um), (ascenden)- tem in cae—and over the second caelum. After the accented syllable of aspicientes the melody sinks a fifth. This makes the following line, expressing the heavenward gaze of the disciples, more effective.


In the second phrase, the melody moves lightly about c. Nevertheless quemadmodum and ita veniet are brought well to the fore. Special gravity and majesty are produced by the pause on c. The quiet second alleluia forms a contrast to the enthusiastic first alleluia, while the third strikes a mean between the other two."


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