Music and the Spoken Word
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A weekly 30-minute radio program of inspiring messages and music produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with music performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (often accompanied by the Orchestra at Temple Square).
The program is distributed by the CBS Radio Network and its broadcast center is KSL (AM) Radio, a Salt Lake City station owned by Bonneville International Corporation, which is in turn owned by the LDS Church. (KSL is a former CBS Radio affiliate; it switched to ABC Radio in 2005.) In addition, it is currently broadcast by over 2,000 television and radio stations worldwide.
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[edit] History
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's first network radio program, Music and the Spoken Word was first transmitted on July 15, 1929. The organ, choir, and announcer shared a single microphone which was attached to the ceiling of the tabernacle. The announcer stood on a ladder in order to speak into it.
Since its first broadcast, the program has run continually for more than 75 years and has been broadcast over 4,000 times. The unbroken lentgh of broadcasts makes Music and the Spoken Word the oldest continuous nationwide network broadcast in the world.
In 2004, the program was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Radio Hall of Fame, in conjunction with its 75th Anniversary on the air. It is one of only two radio programs to be so inducted, the other being the Grand Ole Opry.
[edit] The Tabernacle
The program is broadcast Sunday mornings from the Salt Lake Tabernacle, more commonly called the Mormon Tabernacle. The dome-shaped building was built between 1864 and 1867 on the west center-line axis of the Salt Lake Temple and is located inside Historic Temple Square. The overall seating capacity of the building is 8,000, which includes the choir area and gallery (balcony).
Due to the age of the building and for safety reasons, the tabernacle is currently under rennovation and is scheduled to be finished by 2007. Until then, the program has been and is being broadcast from the adjoining LDS Conference Center.
[edit] The Broadcast
Each broadcast revolves around a specific theme which is usually based on a religious and uplifting topic which have included family, hope, faith, Christmas, patriotism, joy, peace, kindness, etc., and are usually universal in application.
[edit] The Music
The choir performs both sacred and secular pieces that correspond with the chosen message. In addition to hymns and sacred anthems, the choir has performed broadway songs, such as Climb Ev'ry Mountain from The Sound of Music, patriotic songs, such as America the Beautiful, as well as a wide range of other selections. The broadcast also regularly features an organ solo played by one of the tabernacle organists.
On some occasions, special guests will also perform with the choir during the broadcast. These guests have included Renee Fleming, Frederica Von Stade, The King's Singers and other well known groups, musicians, and actors.
[edit] The Choir
The Grammy Award-winning Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a 360-voice choir which was founded in Utah in 1847, one month after the Mormon Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley.
Called "America's Choir" by U.S. President Ronald Reagan, all members of the choir are volunteers and are not remunerated for their time or talents. The choir is led by director Craig Jessop and associate director Mack Wilberg.
In addition to "Music and the Spoken Word", the Choir performs regularly throughout the year, including an annual Christmas Concert, Patriotic Concert, and various other concerts as well providing music for the LDS General Conference. The choir has also been on national and international tours.
[edit] The Orchestra
The Orchestra at Temple Square was created in 1999 in order to increase the aesthetic and musical quality of performances. The Orchestra frequently provides accompaniment for the weekly radio and TV broadcasts.
The Orchestra also undertakes its own concert season performing from standard orchestral literature, which has included Mahler's Symphony No. 4, the Firebird Suite by Stravinsky, and Symphony No. 9 (from The New World) by Dvorak.
Like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the 110-member Orchestra is made up of volunteers, some of which are alos professional musicians.
[edit] Organists
- Clay Christiansen (Tabernacle Organist)
- Richard Elliott (Tabernacle Organist)
- John Longhurst (Tabernacle Organist)
- Bonnie Goodliffe (Temple Square Organist)
- Linda Margetts (Temple Square Organist)
[edit] The "Spoken Word"
The broadcast opens with the words, spoken by the announcer: "From the crossroads of the West, we welcome you to a program of inspirational music and spoken word." The announcer then introduces the songs by reciting short quotes scriptures and literature before each song, with a longer spoken message near the end of the program. Music and the Spoken Word closes with the words: "Again we leave you from with in the shadow of the everlasting hills. May peace be with you, this day and always," followed by the choir singing the traditional LDS hymn God Be With You Till We Meet Again.
[edit] Announcers
Since its inception in 1929, the "spoken word" segment of the program has been voiced by three separate individuals. The original writer, producer, and announcer of the "Spoken Word" portion of the broadcast was Richard L. Evans, who continued in that capacity until his death in 1971. J. Spencer Kinard took over as announcer in 1972 until he stepped down in 1990. Lloyd D. Newell has been the announcer since then.
- Richard L Evans: 1929-1971
- J. Spencer Kinard: 1972-1990
- Lloyd D. Newell: 1990-present
