This section of the Church Music site provides choirs, youth, children, and families with music in addition to what is found in the Hymns or Children’s Songbook. Sheet music is available for music published in Church magazines. Seminary music is available as downloadable MP3s, with sheet music for some of the songs. As resources are available, we will continue to add music in various languages and formats.

1. Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky-tacky,
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes, all the same.
There’s a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they’re all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same.

2. And the people in the houses
All go to the university,
And they all get put in boxes,
And they come out, all the same.
And there’s doctors and there’s lawyers
And business executives,
And they’re all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same.

3. And they all play on the golf-course,
And drink their Martinis dry,
And they all have pretty children,
And the children go to school.
And the children go to summer camp
And then to the university,
Where they are put in boxes
And they come out all the same.

4. And the boys go into business,
And marry, and raise a family,
In boxes made of ticky-tacky,
And they all look just the same.
There’s a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they’re all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same.

That there is other music that can truly complement the nature of our services is clear. But perhaps part of the reason there has been more focus on keeping with the hymns is because of the pop music problem, etc. that started creeping in esp. during the late 80s/early 90s. And, again, what is “inspirational” to some may not be worshipful, or subjectively inspirational to the lay listener.

Our ward choir is allowed to sing other worshipful songs besides hymns. The local leaders have some leeway in determining what is appropriate. But the hymns definitely keep us within approved boundaries.

Just as it is to be expected that our sacrament services contain doctrinal sermons which lift us toward God, so should it be expected that our music reinforce such experiences. It is inconsistent that an inspiring sermon should be preceded or followed by music which is trite and banal. The obligation is as great for the one as for the other.
Moreover, music in the Church should never be self-subsisting; to be effective it must be closely associated with the rest of the service, and it follows that Church musicians are therefore involved in serving, not in being served. Musical selection and performance should be such that the highest possibilities of the service may be realized; music should be more carefully selected and as well prepared as a thoughtfully and prayerfully prepared sermon. Musical messages should coincide with the theme of the meeting or sermon, necessitating that selections be made after that theme is established.
Music in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is on an exciting threshold; its obligation is great, but the rewards not only for those directly involved in it but for the entire membership are manifold. The God whom we worship deserves nothing less than our best efforts—in serving Him and in praising His name.

from Ralph Woodward’s article, “Choral Music in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”

I just don’t know what to make of the first two paragraphs of the article. I have felt the Spirit (or at least I thought I did) strongly when listening to orchestra concerts, jazz concerts, band concerts, choir performances and even the radio on the way home from somewhere and they weren’t playing something out of the hymnbook at the time. In fact, many times they were playing music I had never heard before.

I do agree that good hymns are an excellent way of bringing the Spirit, I just don’t see why that means you have to rule out other forms of music as potentially spiritual (if you don’t see what I mean, read the first two paragraphs of the Ensign article again — it really seems to be implying that there are no other forms of spiritual music).

Having said all this, I do feel someone exonerated for all the times I forgot to bring any interesting prelude music for sacrament meeting and turned to the hymn book. I guess I was being obedient without even knowing it.

For example, a choir I was in sang in a stake music fireside last year. It was actually more like a performance for us (although we did do some mini-talks). This stake has such a music fireside EVERY MONTH. It was fantastic to see a stake care that much about music! And guess what? We sang a wide variety of songs (spirituals, love songs, a crazy Shakespeare piece….). And guess what else? Those in attendance were allowed to applaud. In the chapel. On a Sunday night. Oh, and we had bongo drums for one of our pieces. And we even swayed to (try to) look like we really knew how to sing a spiritual. (Did I mention this was in the chapel?) You can’t convince me that our leaders are boring and restrictive and limiting us, nor that we can’t develop our musical intelligence in our Church. Just talk to someone who can do something and DO SOMETHING. Let’s not make such a big deal about nothing. Church meetings are not the only place we can sing and explore the musical horizons available to us.

SO, does anyone else have any examples of Church music activities that can get us out of our usual Sunday mode?

On the other hand, I have found that you can look at the story with a little more levity if you imagine that it was Mr. Bean at the organ.