The Choir's first recording made 100 years ago
September 1, 1910, Choir director Evan Stephens stepped up to the podium in the Tabernacle, lifted
his baton and the Choir of 300 began to sing. That first recording of a large choir in all of
America was, indeed, a moment for the history books. There were no microphones, no digital
amplification equipment and the music was laid down on to a wax disc kept warm by a single light bulb.
Two giant horns two feet wide at the opening and five feet long captured the sound of not only the
choir but the organ, too. A sound technician from Columbia Recordings, Alexander Hausman, tried
placing the horns, shipped by train from the East, in several locations in the Tabernacle finally
stringing a rope from one end of the balcony to the other and suspending them in front of the Choir,
one facing the sopranos and altos, the other the tenors and basses. The choir was packed tightly
together which required that the women remove their hats! In that first session, the Choir recorded
twelve tracks - an incredible effort by any standards - and some of them were good enough to press
into records.
If truth be known, Columbia Records who had sent the lone technician to Salt Lake to make the
recording expected the effort to fail. It didn't. From that September day came a recording tradition
unmatched in American choral history.
Richard E Turley, Jr., Assistant Church Historian and Recorder, has chronicled that first effort in
a must-read article. Click here for the full story
And Still They Sing
One hundred years is a lot of singing by a lot of singers. It's a lot of sheet music; some of the
hand-written pieces of the early 1900s are still in use today. That's why this year's celebration of
recording history - 10 decades - is more than just music. It's the compilation of hundreds of
singular musical moments beamed by satellite, captured on disc and on television to a grateful
listening audience. Without question, the new CD collection--100: Celebrating a Century of
Recording Excellence--is more than music; it's a march through time and place that every
listener will want to own.
The Choir's incredible music calls up moments that are theirs alone, the stuff history is made of.
Soaked to the skin by torrents of rain at Mount Rushmore in 1962 for the first ever satellite
transmission - and they sang; standing shoulder-to-shoulder on a cramped Hollywood stage to receive
a Grammy in 1959--and they sang; riding a float down Pennsylvania Avenue in 1981 bundled for
below-zero temperatures - and they sang; clustered under umbrellas at New York's Rockefeller Center
in 2003 until the cameras started to roll and then with raindrops abounding, they sang.
That's why the recent collection 100: Celebrating a Century of Recording Excellence is more
than a compilation of favorite songs. It's a representation of what has become more than music from
America's highly recognizable choral icon; it is a voice of grandeur and majesty for the world.
No wonder the Choir sings with such passion! In the words of the John Williams song often sung the
Choir: "And the dream goes on."
Click here to read the New York Times article about 100.
Heavensong named "Album of the Year"
Heavensong, the Choir's album released earlier this year is just that - music that is out of
this world. With a variety of classical, spiritual and original compositions, this recording quickly
climbed to the top of charts including Billboard Magazine's Crossover Chart where it was number one
with such music legends as Sting and Andre Bocelli right behind. It's no wonder that the LDS
Booksellers in early August awarded it Album of the Year for 2010.
The LDS Booksellers Association is a non-profit organization comprised of retail and wholesale
businesses that deal primarily in LDS books and related products.
This is not the first time the Choir has received that distinction for one of its albums.
Heavensong seems to have had a mission. It was designed, says Music Director Mack Wilberg,
with music of contemplation and light. There seems to be a particular need for that kind of music in
today's sometimes-harsh, sometimes-depressing world. Music can be a powerful ally amid the turmoil.
With its power to lighten and enlighten the mind and the soul, it can take us to a better place." No
question, that's what has happened with Heavensong.
The recording includes both familiar and less familiar pieces creating a collection that is
seamless. "The Prayer," featuring 15-time Grammy winner and mentor to many artists David Foster, has
received the most attention but the other pieces are quickly becoming favorites. The very titles
speak a measure of peace: "The Shepherd," "Sheep May Safely Graze, " "Brother James's Air, " "O Lord
Most Holy, " "Be Thou My Vision, " "Pavane, " "O Light of Life, " "O Lord God, " "Jesus Joy of Man's
Desiring, " "Meditation, " "The Lord Is My Shepherd, " "I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes, " "Alleluia" and
"Benediction."
Music and the Spoken Word voted into National Radio
Hall of Fame
Click here to read the
announcement on the RHOF website.
On Wednesday, August 4, word was received that Music and the Spoken Word has been voted into
the National Radio Hall of Fame.
“We are extremely pleased that the Music and the Spoken Word broadcast has been voted into the
National Radio Hall of Fame,” said Mac Christensen, President of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. “We
thank the Radio Hall of Fame and all of our listeners who honored us in this way.” The Choir is
featured along with its companion volunteer ensemble, the Orchestra at Temple Square, on Music and
the Spoken Word, the longest continuous network radio broadcast in the world. Choir Music Director
Mack Wilberg added, “This is especially significant for us, not only because of the very talented
individuals who were also nominated with us in the National—Pioneer category, but also because the
selection was determined by vote of the American listening public.”
Gregg Garber, vice-president and general manager of Bonneville Distribution which distributes the
weekly half-hour show to radio and TV stations across the country and around the world, said, “The
same popularity that has made Music and the Spoken Word a radio mainstay for more than 80
years has
produced this vote which will now put the show in the National Radio Hall of Fame. We couldn’t be
happier.” The broadcast originates on radio station KSL-AM and FM in Salt Lake City, Utah.
An official from the National Radio Hall of Fame notified Choir President Christensen of the award
by phone. The Choir and the honorees in the other categories will be inducted into
the Hall of Fame in November, 2010 in a two-hour radio broadcast emanating from Chicago
Attention Customers Who Purchased 100 prior to 7/22/2010
Click here for information about
obtaining a corrected version of the
bonus disc for
100: Celebrating a Century of Recording Excellence.
Choir Marks 100 Years of Recording History
One hundred years ago, September 1, 1910, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir laid down its very first
recording– “Let the Mountains Shout for Joy” using the famed Tabernacle as its “studio.” The event
began a long history of recordings unmatched by any other artist in U.S. history. This year the
Choir celebrates its remarkable recording history in a landmark collection that includes a
compilation of its most requested songs as well as a snapshot of historic moments on both audio and
video.
The three disc celebratory set—100: Celebrating a Century of Recording Excellence—features
two audio discs with all-time favorites including “Consider the Lilies,” “Come, Thou Fount of Every
Blessing,” “Climb Every Mountain,” Grammy-award-winner “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and the
Choir’s
first-ever CD recording of Mack Wilberg’s arrangement of “Danny Boy” and “Betelehemu,” a Nigerian
folk song which usually brings the house down on tour. The popular songs were recorded in the
Tabernacle-turned recording studio with blankets covering the wooden benches to boost the sound.
A bonus disc with 11 historic videos and 6 vintage audio selections includes the first recording in
1910, the first electrical recording in 1927 by the Victor Talking Machine Company, and videos of
the Choir singing at Mount Rushmore in 1962, at the Reagan Inaugural in 1981 and in Jerusalem in
1992.
In the past 100 years the Choir has recorded more than 175 albums with five gold records and two
platinum. This new one is the 33rd recording project of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir since
establishing its own label in 2003.
In addition, the theme of this year's Pioneer Day Commemoration Concert on Friday, July 16 will be
a
celebration of one
hundred years of recording. Click here for ticket information.
What's Next? - A CD featuring the Men of the Choir
What do you do for an encore after Heavensong, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's recently
released and highly acclaimed CD that hit number one on Billboard's Classical Crossover chart? You
release a whole "new" recording sound featuring the men in the Choir singing such favorites as the
African-American folk song, "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," the beloved hymn, "Brightly
Beams our Father's Mercy," the anthem, "Fight the Good Fight," and the Josh Groban hit, "You Raise
Me Up."
The new CD promises to add another dimension to the Choir's already deep and lustrous shelf of
recordings. It will be released in early 2011.
The week of May 17 the men in the Choir - all 180 of them - will be recording the 16 pieces to be
included in CD repertoire. Several of the numbers have been presented on Music and the Spoken
Word broadcasts in recent weeks and others will be included in weeks to come. So keep your ear
tuned for those you will want to hear again and again. Certainly the upcoming CD will feature some
of the pieces stirring your soul including "The Morning Trumpet," "Lullaby" by Billy Joel, "Hush
Little Baby and "Non Nobis Domine" from Henry V. There will be new arrangements by Mack
Wilberg and one by new associate music director, Ryan Murphy.
Those wishing to attend the regular Thursday rehearsal the week of May 17 will be steered to the
North Visitor's Center for a showing of the PBS Special, "America's Choir" which has won rave
reviews for its unique portrayal of the Choir and its tours, concerts, rehearsals, and broadcasts.
That night the Tabernacle will be a recording studio and closed to the public.
Choir on Facebook: Fans Have Doubled in One Year!
For fans of the Choir and Orchestra, another great place—in addition to our our weekly newsletter,
Choir Notes, (signup information is to the right under "Headlines")—to find out the latest
news and information is on the Choir’s official Facebook page. Packed with performance schedules,
upcoming events and even exclusive videos and new content, the Choir and Orchestra’s Facebook page
has everything you need to stay up-to-date with the Choir.
More than just a place to learn about the Choir, you can also interact with other fans of the Choir
and Orchestra and even get access to some of the Choir’s biggest fans on Facebook. In fact, members
of the Choir and Orchestra also frequent the Choir’s fan page so you never know who you’ll run into
on Facebook.
The number of fans following the Choir on Facebook has doubled in the last year! There are fans
from throughout the United States and sizeable numbers of fans from all over the world! There are
hundreds of posts on the site each week and thousands of fans visit the site frequently.
If you’re not a member of Facebook, don’t worry. It’s easy and it’s free to join. Simply visit facebook.com and set up your profile. Then,
type
Mormon Tabernacle Choir into the search field and click on the link that says “Become a Fan.”
You’ll join the 32,000 and counting fans who are instantly updated on everything that’s being added
to the Choir’s Facebook page, and you’ll never miss an opportunity to win!
Video for Easter Week
And What is it We Shall Hope For?
from the 2008 Easter Performance of
The Redeemer
by Tabernacle Organist
Emeritus Robert Cundick
(Available on DVD.
Click here for more information.)
Choir No. 1 Yet Again: Heavensong tops Billboard chart
Choir’s new album, Heavensong, reached No. 1 on
Billboard’s Classical Crossover chart this week.
The album is unlike anything the Choir has recorded before, and includes a choral arrangement of
the
hit song, "The Prayer," by Grammy Award winner David Foster. "We particularly enjoyed working with
our friend, David Foster," said Choir Music Director Mack Wilberg. "We're very pleased to see the
music's popularity and hope that many more people will have the chance to enjoy this music."
Click here to read the press release from
Deseret Book.
Heavensong says it all!
Put away the New Year's resolutions and the myriads of plans for the next decade. The way to
begin
2010 is with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's newest release -- Heavensong: Music of
Contemplation
and Light. Recorded live in the Tabernacle in early September 2009 this new CD officially
went
on sale January 5, though some sneaked-a-peek for Christmas.
This is music that promises to calm the soul, speak to the heart and cushion the inevitable bumps
along the way in the months and years ahead. It may be just the antidote to weeks of frazzled
holidays
and cold winter months, not to mention the burdens of staring at a new decade. And this CD is
different
from many well-loved recordings of the Choir. Words like "soft," "soothing yet
engaging
," "sublime," "relaxing," "mellow" and "uplifting"
seem
just right to describe how this new CD sounds - and feels.
Heavensong is the just the right name.
These 15 selections include six Mack Wilberg compositions--two with original text by David
Warner--familiar
melodies from John Rutter and Johann Sebastian Bach, and a new choral arrangement of "The
Prayer"
written by award winning producer and pianist, David Foster in collaboration with Carole Bayer
Sager.
Foster spent a Saturday recording live with the Choir and Orchestra in the Tabernacle, a first for
him.
Of the Choir, he said recently, "It's always been a goal of mine to work with the Mormon
Tabernacle
Choir...They are truly one of the greatest choirs in the world."
Much of the new CD is familiar but titles may not be.
Click here
for
samples of each song.
The titles you'll find are: "The Shepherd;" "Sheep May Safely Graze;"
"Brother James's
Air;" "O Lord Most Holy;" "Be Thou My Vision;" "Pavane;" "O
Light of Life;"
"O Lord God;" "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring;" "Meditation (from
Thais);"
"The Lord Is My Shepherd;" "I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes;" "The Prayer (from
Quest
for Camelot);" "Alleluia;" and "Benediction."
Choir opens “Boot Camp” for 78 singers
Nearly 400 hopeful singers submitted applications for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the 2009 call
for new members. Of those who applied, 78 were accepted. The Choir had not auditioned in two
years
so the group applying and those accepted were both large numbers.
Now, these singers enter an intensive 16-week training period. On Tuesday each week they will sing
as members of the Temple Square Chorale which culminates with a concert in April. The Chorale will
also feature members of the Choir who joined in 2007. Ryan Murphy, associate director of the
Mormon
Tabernacle Choir will conduct the Chorale rehearsal sessions and performances. On Thursdays, they
will attend Choir Training School—sort of a graduate course in choral singing. Required attendance
is 100% of the Tuesdays and Thursdays for the 16 weeks.
Cherilyn Wirthin, who is in charge of the Choir Training School, explains it’s “boot camp” with an
intense schedule but short- lived. The purpose is to get people ready to sing in the Choir.
Essentially, the Training School and Chorale provide a “run-up” to full Choir participation and a
final check to insure the singers are a good match for the Choir. The goal is to introduce new
voices to the choir “in a homogenous way.”
“When we send new members up into the loft, we want them to know how to be good choir members,” she
explains. Everything from policies and procedures to music is covered in the three months of
training. As part of the two-evenings a week schedule, vocal coach Rebecca Wilberg will address
pedagogy, issues related to voice, and basic singing techniques and Tabernacle organists Bonnie
Goodliffe and Linda Margetts will cover what is expected in Thursday night practices and Sunday
performances from music theory to music notation. How to sing correctly in the ensembles is
emphasized as are expectations for participation in the ensemble.
“Once we send them up into the loft, we’re counting on them to apply what they’ve learned,” Wirthin
explains. “We hope that once they have had the Choir training, they will sing responsibly, blend,
listen, and read accurately, all in the spirit of becoming part of the team.”
Historical Roster:
Click here for a
comprehensive list of all who have served in the
Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple
Square.
Check this site often for information about all
the activities of the Choir,
the Chorale and the Orchestra. You'll find
details about performances, rehearsals,
recordings, auditions and tours and much more.
Sign up on our mailing
list to receive earliest notification of
distribution dates for concert tickets and
performance information.
Click here
to
go to the
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Performing Arts Family Internet Resources Site (an internal administrative
website for members of the Choir, Orchestra, and Bells on Temple Square only).
The Choir's first recording made 100 years ago
Music and the Spoken Word voted into National Radio
Hall of Fame
What's Next? - A CD featuring the Men of the Choir
Heavensong says it all!
Choir opens “Boot Camp” for 78 singers
