Part Two
By Robb Cundick
Then came an even more detailed and interesting acquisition:
a 400-page account of the history of the Choir between 1949
and 1965 that Deb Gehris (who provides most of the pictures
for my articles) shared with me. She found it among materials
that belonged to former Choir secretary Alice Swenson. I began
reading a few pages each night and became engrossed in this
window into the past. I also read a book about the Choir published
during our 50th year of broadcasting, Jeffrey Calman
and William I. Kaufman’s, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
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Choir
member Brian Roberts examines the National Medal of
Arts, while David
Gehris tries it on for size. The prestigious medal was
awarded to the Choir
in November.
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Consistency
through the Years
All in all I spent several weeks immersed in the Choir’s history
and it was fascinating! Above all, I learned that – while the
faces may change – the mission of the Choir and the experiences
of its singers have remained remarkably consistent. For instance,
consider the following quotation:
“This choir is and should be a great auxiliary to the cause
of Zion. By means of its perfection in the glorious realm of
song, it may unstop the ears of thousands now deaf to the truth,
soften their stony hearts, and inspire precious souls with a
love for that which is divine. Thus removing prejudice, dispelling
ignorance and shedding forth the precious light of heaven to
tens of thousands who have been, and are still, misled concerning
us.”
Or this one:
“We would like so much to have every one of you glow with the
Spirit of God. We would like you to breathe the Spirit as we
expect the missionary to, so filled with the Spirit that when
you come into the halls, the people will feel there is something
different about you.... We would like you to have that power
with you in such measure that wherever you go you will be recognized
as a superior group – as a group that has an unusual influence
with you. We expect you to break down the obstacles in the
difficult areas where the missionaries have not been able to
enter.”
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Choir
President Mac Christensen and Conductor Craig Jessop
accept the award
inducting Music and the Spoken Word into the National
Association of
Broadcasters' Hall of Fame.
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Both of these quotations sound familiar to present-day Choir
members, for we have heard similar expressions from President
Hinckley and others. But these words were uttered long ago;
the first quotation is over a hundred years old – taken from
a First Presidency letter dated Feb. 14, 1895 (Wilford Woodruff,
George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith). Apostle Mark E. Peterson
spoke the second just before the Choir’s departure on the “Grand
American Tour” in the autumn of 1958.
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The
exhibit at the Museum of Church History and Art displays
Choir uniforms
through the years. In the foreground is the overcoat,
gloves and hat that
helped beat back those freezing temperatures at the
2002 Winter Olympics.
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A
New Perspective
As I mentioned above, this has been a remarkable year of celebration,
including our Northeastern tour, many awards, and the upcoming
anniversary events themselves. But after having read so much
about what has gone before, I have gained a new perspective
on the meaning of such occasions.
When six members of the Choir staff traveled to Washington,
D.C. to receive the Medal of Arts, it must have felt a bit strange
to be just six representing so many. People kept asking, “Where's
the Choir? Did you bring them all?” In a larger sense, so
it is for the 300+ of us who are sharing the honors of the 75th
anniversary. “Where is the rest of the Choir?” Over four thousand
people have served through the years and are equally as deserving
of these honors as we.
Where are they today? While many have passed beyond the veil,
many are serving in their wards and stakes, or on missions,
or perhaps spending their final years looking back from a chair
in a rest home. But their days in the Choir were every bit
as significant and meaningful as ours. Let me share a few things
I have learned about them.
A
String of “Firsts”
Of course, we know that the Choir didn’t begin in 1929 (if
you haven’t taken “MTC 101,” the Choir traces its origin to
the first pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley in 1847).
I have often wondered how busy things were before the broadcast
era and I learned that in the early years the Choir only performed
a couple of concerts a year (besides their participation in
General Conference). Then, under Evan Stephens at the turn
of the century, they began to sing at weekly Sunday afternoon
“inspirational meetings” in the Tabernacle.
The advent of the radio broadcast must have brought about a
huge change in focus and time demands as it catapulted the Choir
to national – and eventually worldwide – fame. Though the first
program was held on a Monday afternoon (July 15, 1929), the
day and time weren’t always fixed at first. Tabernacle Organist
Dr. Frank Asper, upon his retirement in 1965, reminisced that
one of his mentors, Tracy Y. Cannon, had gone all over town
imploring employers to let Choir members off work so they could
attend the broadcasts. He also recalled how a 7,000-pound velvet
curtain was hung before the Choir to help deaden the reverberation
of the Tabernacle. The problem of getting off work was resolved
in 1932 when CBS took over from NBC and the broadcast moved
to Sundays.
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Dressed
in this red-lined cape, Tabernacle Organist Alexander
Schreiner made
for a dashing sight on the streets of Salt Lake City.
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But the nationwide broadcast was just one of a string of “firsts”
in which the Choir enjoyed a prominent role:
* In 1940 Dr. Harvey Fletcher performed a dramatic demonstration
of the invention of stereophonic sound before a distinguished
audience of scientists, patrons of the arts, and newsmen in
New York City's Carnegie Hall. There were no performers on
stage – only a set of speakers. A recording of the Choir figured
prominently in that demonstration.
- In
1945 the Choir participated in a nationally-broadcast memorial
service for President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- In
1953 the Choir made a fast friend of the famous newscaster
Lowell Thomas when they recorded a segment for his production
of the first Cinerama movie, “This is Cinerama.”
- On
April 20, 1954 the Choir appeared on nationwide television
for the first time as part of Edward R. Murrow’s “See It Now”
program.
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Choir
members thoroughly enjoyed dressing in period costume
and
"experiencing" the first broadcast of Music
and the Spoken Word.
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- In
1955, on their first tour of Europe, the Choir became the
first American choir or orchestra since the advent of the
Iron Curtain to be allowed to pass through the East Zone of
Germany and perform in Berlin. Choir officials were pleasantly
surprised when permission was granted by the Soviets; it had
not been expected and was considered a miracle at the time.
- In
1962 the Choir made its first trip by airplane, flying to
South Dakota to use Mount Rushmore as a backdrop for their
performance on the first formal worldwide television broadcast
over the new Telstar satellite. Estimated viewership for
that program was over 300 million.
- The
first taping for a television version of the broadcast was
held Tuesday, December 15, 1958. It was only broadcast locally
– on Sunday, December 20 at 3 PM on KSL television. The first
live telecast came on October 14, 1962; but it was still more
of a test. The television broadcast wasn’t sent outside the
Salt Lake area until February 10, 1963 when it was broadcast
in another (unnamed) city.
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Today's
Choir has many wardrobe options.
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Reaching
Ever Higher
The above examples demonstrate that the challenges and opportunities
experienced by the present Choir are but new links in a long
chain of such events. And as the Choir has moved forward to
face each new test, the focus has always been on striving to
improve, and reaching ever higher.
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The
Choir performs aboard the ocean liner, Saxonia, on its
way to Europe in
1955.
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Consider these quotes from our leaders throughout the years:
“All those called to this work should be faithful in their
attendance, and should give hearty and cheerful aid to the conductors;
complying as far as possible with the plans and movements deemed
necessary to the Choir’s proper advancements toward perfection
in the ‘divine art’ which cannot be attained without united
effort and perfect discipline.” Letter from the First Presidency,
1895.
“Remember this: success is never final. That which you could
do in the past isn't nearly as significant as that which you
can do or do better. This is the conclusion of a great triumph
and achievement, but only the beginning of great and meaningful
things yet to come and continued service for this great Choir.”
Elder Richard L. Evans after the Grand American Tour in 1958.
“Your history, my friends, is ahead of you. You have a wonderful
past. There are yet undone things to be accomplished.” Assistant
Director Jay Welch at a rehearsal in 1961.
“We must try to do better. That's the only thing we can do.
The past is history. The future we can make.” Choir Director
Richard Condie, Sept. 16, 1962.
“This Choir is great but it must get even better!” Paraphrasing
what President Hinckley has expressed many times in recent years.
I love these quotes because they show how our leaders have
always kept the Choir’s focus on the future and what must be
done to successfully climb the next mountain.
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In
1962, Mount Rushmore was the backdrop for the Choir's
performance on the
first formal worldwide television broadcast over the
new Telstar satellite.
This was the also the first time the Choir traveled
by airplane.
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Excellence
of the Past
As did our predecessors, we current Choir members have experienced
successful tours and once-in-a-lifetime events like the Olympics.
But while the Choir has undoubtedly continued to improve through
the years, we know we must never rest upon our laurels; and
my reading has helped me have even greater appreciation for
the talents and accomplishments of those who went before. These
excerpts from past concert reviews are similar to many from
our tour last year:
“There was what is often lacking in concerts of professional
people, a spirit of enthusiasm among the singers that more properly
rendered the chosen selection than could have been done by professional
skill alone. But when to the skill of the professional is added
the enthusiasm of the amateur, the result is perfection...”
St. Louis Globe Democrat after the Choir's performance on the
way to the Chicago World's Fair in 1893.
“More than anything, I was impressed with their fervor, for
it was impossible not to be seized with admiration in the presence
of such great faith, such discipline and such rich sonority...
What the value of all those voices is, taken one by one, I don't
know. But the ensemble is sumptuous. There was a grand freshness
of the sopranos and a velvet profundity of the bassos ...diction
was above reproach. Singing by heart, this immense vocal orchestra
gave its conductor, J. Spencer Cornwall, the possibility of
obtaining attacks of amazing precision.” from LeFigaro, a leading
Paris newspaper, reviewing a concert from the 1955 European
tour.
Challenges
of the Past
Another thing that has impressed me is that, while it seems
like we’ve made some pretty big sacrifices for the cause in
recent years, so did our predecessors. I thought I had dealt
with some demanding tours but I came across something that tops
anything from my 14 years, at least in terms of unexpected changes
to plans:
In January 1965 the Choir received its first invitation to
participate in a Presidential Inauguration (President Lyndon
B. Johnson). Unfortunately, Salt Lake City was socked in with
one of our famous foggy temperature inversions. Part Secretaries
called Choir members at 3 AM, asking them to come at 5:45 since
there was a possibility the planes would have to take off from
Hill Air Force Base. Everyone got up to prepare only to receive
a second call: “Never mind – we're taking off from Salt Lake
after all.”
Already deprived of half a night's sleep, the Choir arrived
at the airport only to find it was time to wait. One plane
with staff, technicians and some of the singers did make it
out, but the other two hadn't been able to land in the first
place and were finally diverted to Las Vegas. Buses were hastily
obtained and the singers boarded for a long ride southwest to
emplane at McCarran Airport. The entire day was consumed by
this fiasco; the planes didn't leave until 12:30 AM the next
morning. Arriving in D.C. at 6:15 AM, the singers were bussed
to Chevy Chase Ward where Church members fed them breakfast;
they changed and then headed straight to the Capitol grounds
to rehearse for the ceremony.
As they took their seats for the performance, they found themselves
facing a block of irritated newsmen; annoyed because the singers
were occupying the seats normally assigned to them. However
there was a noticeable change of attitude once the Choir began
to sing (this sounds very familiar!). The account reads, “So
impressed was the President that he lifted his hand toward Brother
Condie and smiled. Likewise, the press was thrilled and were
first to arise and stamp their feet as they smiled and applauded.
Their disdain had been replaced by admiration.”
Finally it was back to the buses, a stop at Chevy Chase Ward
to pick up a box lunch, and on to Dulles Airport for the trip
home. There must have been a collective groan when they learned
that the fog was still bad in Salt Lake and plans were being
made to stop in Denver and finish the trip by train. But the
Lord must have felt they had endured enough, because the fog
lifted sufficiently for the planes to make it all the way home.
Effects
upon Our Listeners
Week after week for 75 years, people from all over the world
have heard the Choir over radio, television, or personally in
the Tabernacle. It is impossible to measure of the sum of those
personal experiences, but I’d like to relate three examples
from the Choir history that particularly impressed me:
Albert Hay Malotte is best known for his musical setting of
“The Lord’s Prayer”. He was also a prolific film music composer,
writing scores for almost 40 films during the 1930's and 40's.
He attended a broadcast in July of 1960, when the Choir performed
one of his compositions, “The Twenty-third Psalm.” This is
what he had to say afterwards:
“I am very grateful to you wonderful people. It is my first
visit here and I am going to try to tell you very briefly ...the
feeling that is way down deep in my heart. There is something
about the people here that reflects a spiritual quality that
I have never felt anywhere else I have been. I want you to
know that you are doing an enormous amount of spiritual good
by the thoughts and actions that you have; and I am so grateful
that you did [my composition] with understanding hearts this
morning... God bless you.”
In recent years we have heard similar expressions from Angela
Lansbury and Walter Cronkite. Then there is this one, which
seemed especially interesting in light of current events:
In March of 1961, distinguished Utahn Sterling M. McMurrin
– at that time the newly appointed U.S. Commissioner of Education
– addressed the Choir. According to the history, “He told of
a time when he was in Tehran in the bazaar with a Persian friend
and they were looking at Persian rugs. It was on a Sunday ...suddenly
he heard the Tabernacle Choir coming up from behind the stack
of rugs. It was from a radio and he felt it a remarkable experience
because it was as far away as one could get from Salt Lake City.”
The final one tells of Carlton Savage, who was a career diplomat
with State Department. He attended a broadcast in June of 1963
and his words seem to put in a nutshell what Music and the
Spoken Word has meant to so many since 1929:
“It is with some emotion that I stand before you. Your voices
have come into my home in time of joy and in time of sorrow.
They have come in time of peace, in time of war, and now when
the world is in turmoil. This choir reflects only the positive
side of life – home, faith, and goodness. It brings joy to
the world. Its messages reach the innermost recesses of our
souls; they go to the remotest areas of the earth.”
Final
Thoughts
One other gem I unearthed in my research was a video about
the 60th anniversary of the broadcast. When I watched it I
saw many scenes of the Choir as it was 15 years ago. Of particular
interest was a banquet where each table of Choir members had
been filmed. I saw very few who are still with us, but as I
looked at their smiling faces I realized how much they resembled
the Choir of today: happy, friendly, filled with love and so
eager to share the joy of the Gospel.
At the conclusion of my article in Keeping Tab, I made
the following suggestion to the Choir and Orchestra: “Next
time you take one of those treasured seats in the Choir Loft,
look out and imagine what it would be like if everyone who has
ever sung in the Choir or played in the Orchestra were to be
present at once in the Tabernacle. You would see over four
thousand smiling people taking up most of the seats in the building.
Think of what it would be like if we could all sing together;
we would bring forth a hymn of faith and praise to warm all
hearts and moisten all eyes. Then, picture in your mind the
Conference Center, overflowing with all who have ever tried
out for the Choir and Orchestra; I am sure there have been more
than enough to fill that vast chamber and they, too, would sing
a sublime song.”
“Upon the occasion of this 75th anniversary it is good to think
such thoughts; it is good to remind ourselves that this is not
just about us. It is good to renew our awareness of how great
is our opportunity. And it is good to resolve to redouble our
efforts in giving our whole selves to the cause. May we prove
worthy custodians of this sacred trust; for those who have gone
before, for those who have longed to be among us, for the growing
Church and its leaders, and – most importantly – for He who
has commissioned us to this work, our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.”
Lulu
McDaniels: “The Rest of the Story”
I have saved until last a touching postscript to a story I
wrote the week of April Conference, 2004. I was so fortunate
(through one of Meridian’s readers) to “discover” a Choir member
from the distant past, Lulu Salmon-McDaniels. Lulu joined the
Choir when she was 18 and was a vocal student of then-conductor
Anthony C. Lund; she sang a solo at General Conference in 1932.
By strange coincidence, Lulu and I share the same Choir part
number (T51). If you missed the story, including the reason
why an alto was assigned a tenor number, click here.
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Nearly 72 years
after her solo at General Conference, Lulu Salmon-McDaniels
relished her chance to sit in on a rehearsal and sing
a closing song with
the Choir.
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In early May I received an email saying that Lulu would be
in Utah to visit a sick relative. While here, she hoped to
attend a Choir rehearsal. I called her to arrange the details
and said I’d like to have her introduced to the Choir and audience.
“Oh, that isn’t necessary,” she replied. But the more I thought
about it, the more I wanted the Choir to meet Lulu and so I
wrote up a brief introduction and handed it to Craig Jessop
the evening of the rehearsal.
It is the practice for the conductor to turn and greet the
audience about mid-way through our Thursday night rehearsals
(we marvel at how many people want to come and hear us rehearse).
At that time, he also introduces any special guests. When Craig
read my introduction of Lulu, she stood and said a few words
about her solo of 1932. Then, on the spur of the moment, Craig
felt inspired to invite her and her son to come and join the
Choir in the loft for the remainder of the rehearsal. A place
was made for her on the front row, right in front of Craig.
I was sitting at the back and so I could not hear all that
was said, but at the conclusion of the rehearsal, Lulu was invited
to sing a solo “closing song” with the Choir. At ninety years
of age, Lulu Salmon-McDaniels stood within a few steps of where
she stood in 1932 and sang a verse of, “I Stand All Amazed.”
The Choir first hummed in accompaniment and then joined her
for the chorus. It was a beautiful and touching moment; and
brought a tear to many an eye. Here was a window back to those
early days when the Choir had just started broadcasting. I
was thrilled for her because when we talked in March, she confided
that her remaining dream was to come to the Tabernacle and sing
just one verse of a hymn with the Choir. When I talked to Craig
later on, he expressed how much Lulu had touched him. Several
Choir members went down afterwards to talk with her, some even
asking for her autograph. It was heartwarming for me to finally
meet her in person and give her a hug.
A couple of weeks later, Lulu sent me a thank you gift – a
restored 1943 recording of her performing, “God Bless America.”
She told me that the excitement of her evening at Choir rehearsal
had been a bit overwhelming, but that it had made her very happy.
“The Tabernacle looked smaller than it did in 1932,” she wrote.
Several Meridian readers emailed me in April to ask if there
was a recording of Lulu’s singing available. In response, I’m
delighted to include a short mp3 clip from her recording so
you can hear a sample of her beautiful contralto voice. It’s
from an old 78 record that was pretty scratched up, and it did
not include the Choir, but you will get an idea of how wonderful
she must have sounded when she sang her solo in 1932.
I hope many of you can come to the Conference Center to help
celebrate this historic anniversary on July 17th
and/or 18th! And, finally, I can think of no more
appropriate ending for an article on the 75th anniversary
of Music and the Spoken Word than its familiar sign-off
– first conceived by Richard L. Evans: “Again we leave you,
from within the shadows of the everlasting hills. May peace
be with you. This day . . . and always.”
