Comments on: Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert

By: Jared Kelley

Jared Kelley — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:39:06 +0000

Having been in your ward towards the end of your stint as Bishop, I can attest that you did stick out during the hymns, but in a good way. I must say that I enjoyed that rendition of “O Holy Night.” I fact, I probably listened to it 10 times consecutively (internet replay can be great). Can you tell me, is there a recording of this rendition for sale? Thanks

By: Eric Huntsman

Eric Huntsman — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 02:12:13 +0000

“Now could you please speculate on policies and how guests are chosen?” Not if I want to keep my Choir insurance policy current! People ask why I look so happy singing in the broadcast—it is because I am not scoutmaster and not on the high council!

By: Alison Moore Smith

Alison Moore Smith — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 22:56:05 +0000

Good stuff, Eric. Now could you please speculate on policies and how guests are chosen?

By: m&m

m&m — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 09:10:23 +0000

The thing I like most about singing with choirs is the ability it gives you to be more than yourself.

Hard not to think of the line, “And saints and angels sing.”

By: Matt W.'s wife

Matt W.'s wife — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 06:25:28 +0000

The thing I like most about singing with choirs is the ability it gives you to be more than yourself. Your sound is greater in emotional and spiritual power. There is almost an electrifying feeling in creating music with someone else. There is a beauty in feeling your voice meld into someone elses to make a better sound than your own individually. You couple that with a true exertion towards and an attitude of praise to God, and a power accompanies it. There is no better feeling for me in worship than singing Mack Wilberg’s arrangements with a group of Saints when not just musically, but spiritually we have reached the climax together. Choral music just rocks.

By: Eric Huntsman

Eric Huntsman — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 05:30:11 +0000

Singing in the Tabernacle is completely different from singing in the Conference Center. The amazing, although sometimes quirky, acoustics of the older building make hearing the orchestra easier. In the Conference Center all of the sound is electronically reproduced and balanced. We have monitors (speakers) positioned around the loft, which enable us to hear not only the orchestra but the rest of the Choir (without electronic amplification, we could literally not hear the women across the loft).

The distance between the conductor and the Choir is an issue, but surprisingly one that we adjust to rather easily or at least intuitively. We just learn to focus on the tiny little figure directing so far away. And the orchestra knows that it cannot be quite on top of the director’s beat because the Choir will always be a bit behind it due to the distance. This familiarity is one of the reasons that even professional orchestras just cannot rival our own orchestra when it comes to accompanying us on our own turf (the other reason is that I maintain that they play with the spirit as much as we try to sing with it!).

As to your question, the Tabernacle is easier AND preferred. The only thing the Conference Center has over our home building is the excitement of such a large audience. Well, also air conditioning in the summer!

By: Hunter

Hunter — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:35:45 +0000

Thanks for this. And thanks for the reminder that the common spitirual theme for so many of us during Christmas — whether professional or volunteer — is the sacred music.

I’m glad to hear that you have worked through that feeling of being inconsequential in such a large ensemble. In my experience, singing in a choir of more than about 80 voices becomes a frustrating thing because when there are so many voices, my individual voice seems to make no difference. But, you obviously have worked through that. And having high caliber singers and directors certainly makes a difference!

My question relates to this issue of largeness: How in the world can you hear (and stay with) the Orchestra when they are So. Far. Away. In both the Tabernacle and the Conference Center, the Orchestra appears to be about a half a football field in front of you. I don’t understand how you can function as a group. But you obviously do. Is the Orchestra miked back to you guys? (And which building is easier to sing in? The Tabernacle with its live — but erratic — acoustic, or the Conference Center with its cavernous black hole?)

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:26:16 +0000

Very interesting, Eric. Every Mormon knows about the Choir, but very few know any of the details … until now! I’ve never seen one of the Christmas concerts live. I’ll obviously have to remedy that next year.

By: Eric Huntsman

Eric Huntsman — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:55:03 +0000

“How on earth does a group that large sing those runs of 16th notes with such clarity!?”

We cheat. Half the section singing a melisma actually is singing “do-do-do-do” while the other half is doing the straight vowel. The other trick is to make sure that we accent the first note of every measure, just as conductor would emphasize the downbeat with a good ictus.

I think more to the point in a song such as “For Unto Us a Child is Born” is the shaping of lines. Dr. Wilberg is constantly pushing us to sing through melodic lines, swelling to the high point rather than singing note-by-note. Dr. Jessop has a similar emphasis, and he was the one who had earlier turned the Choir around in that regard. He used to always talk about singing “strong-weak, strong-weak” or taking care on two and three syllable words to not put equal emphasis on each.

There are some funny results of this kind of training. I am the only person in my ward who sings hymns “strong-weak, strong-weak” and swells on phrases. Of course, I already stick out in my ward (or the ward I visit for my “pick-up sacrament meeting” when my Choir schedule causes me to miss my meetings). This just makes me sound even more different!

By: Mark B.

Mark B. — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:34:21 +0000

Speaking of choral music being the ultimate team sport, I was impressed (again) with the singing of the “For Unto Us a Child is Born” at the Christmas devotional.

How on earth does a group that large sing those runs of 16th notes with such clarity!?