The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Newsroom
NEWS RELEASE
Jarrett said, “We have always been a forward-looking people, and we are focused on what is not changing: the world-class musicianship, the inspiring arrangements and programming, and our weekly ‘Music and the Spoken Word’ broadcast, continuing a tradition begun 90 years ago.”
The Tabernacle Choir’s new name preserves the heritage of its home in the historic Tabernacle at Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Since 1867, choir members have sung in the Tabernacle, a building known for its one-of-a-kind signature sound.
The historic Tabernacle was built during a time with no amplifiers or electronics and was designed so all attendees could hear the speaker’s voice from any seat in the hall. In fact, the Tabernacle building is still used as a recording studio for the choir today.
Launched in 1929, the landmark “Music and the Spoken Word” program is now in its 90th year of weekly broadcasts, making it the longest-running continuous network broadcast in history. The nondenominational program features musical selections by the choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, accompanied by the Tabernacle organ, with a short inspirational message.
Music director Mack Wilberg said the program’s audience continues to grow: “Among the many reasons ‘Music and the Spoken Word’ continues to be relevant worldwide is it conveys hope, joy, and comfort through inspirational music and messages. [In] each broadcast, the choir and orchestra stand on the shoulders of the many who came before them to bring audiences the highest quality of music and inspiration.”
The first airing of “Music and the Spoken Word” on July 15, 1929, was makeshift at best. That summer day, a local radio crew ran a wire from its control room to an amplifier in the Tabernacle nearly a block away. The technicians put the station’s sole microphone on a ladder not only to capture the music of the choir but also so an announcer could introduce each number. Nineteen-year-old Ted Kimball — son of the Tabernacle organist and the designated announcer — perched on the ladder for the duration of the program so those listening could hear his words.
Today the choir’s weekly broadcast is carried on radio, television and cable networks across the United States and around the world. The choir’s music is also available live on its YouTube channel.
“Music and the Spoken Word” has been inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the National Radio Hall of Fame.
About The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square Tours to California and the Pacific Coast
2018 Classic Coast Tour
On July 3, 2018, The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and Orchestra at Temple Square completed their successful 2018 Classic Coast tour with seven concerts in Costa Mesa, Los Angeles, Berkeley, Rohnert Park, and Mountain View, California; Vancouver, British Columbia, and Seattle, Washington. They performed in beautiful concert halls and premier outdoor venues to standing ovations from the enthusiastic audiences thrilled by the variety and spirit of the beautiful music they presented.
Since the first tour outside of Utah in 1893, the Choir has toured extensively across the United States and abroad, It has performed throughout Europe and in music capitals from Israel and Russia to Japan and Australia. Its travels have also included performances at the inaugurations of seven U.S. presidents. After its founding in 1999, a small ensemble from the Orchestra at Temple Square accompanied the Choir on tours in 2001 and 2003; however, since 2005, a full complement of the Orchestra has traveled on tour with the Choir.
View photos and read what the Choir and Orchestra members, staff, and journalists had to say about the 2018 tour!
Tour Blogs
Learn more about the 2018 Classic Coast Tour from the Choir’s detailed preparations to what music was performed on tour. More stories will be added in the days to come.
Tour Diary
Members of the Choir and Orchestra share their experiences and give a behind the scenes look at the tour.
Tour Venues
Learn about the concert venues where the Choir and Orchestra performed in 2018.
Past Tours
Find out where the Choir and Orchestra have toured since 2000.
Brief History of Tabernacle Choir Names
Over the years, a variety of names have been used for the Church choir based on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. In 1847, just three weeks after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, a small pioneer choir was organized to sing for the first conference of the Church in their new settlement. In 1849, John Parry was called to formally organize a choir for conferences. This choir first made its home on Temple Square in an outdoor bowery and then in the small adobe tabernacle that replaced it in 1852. On October 6, 1867, the first conference meetings in the larger new Tabernacle—now standing on Temple Square—were held and the Tabernacle Choir name was in regular use.
By 1869, the Choir was also known as “The Salt Lake Tabernacle Choir” to differentiate it from other choirs organized where additional tabernacles had been built in Utah cities such as St. George, Ogden, and Brigham City. As the Choir began to tour in the 1890s, and when it began to record its music in the 1910s, the names “Salt Lake Tabernacle Choir” as well as the “Salt Lake Mormon Tabernacle Choir” were used to identify the Choir for audiences outside of Utah. By 1929, when the Choir began broadcasting its weekly radio program now known as Music and the Spoken Word, the name “Mormon Tabernacle Choir” was used more consistently as the broadcast reached out to a wider audience.
During Church general conference meetings, the name announced for the Choir varied from “Our Choir” to “Tabernacle Choir” to “Salt Lake Tabernacle Choir.” Beginning in the late 1980s, the name “Mormon Tabernacle Choir” was the name predominantly used for the Choir, although the shorter “Tabernacle Choir” was often used.
On October 5, 2018, the name of the Choir was changed to “The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square” to more closely align with the Choir’s sponsoring organization, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The new name reflects the heritage of the Choir’s home in the Tabernacle and its location on Temple Square.
lds.org
