Music Reviews

Jul 5, 2005 - The Mormon Tabernacle Choir mixes great faith with great music and thrills all the way

By Jack Neal

Believing is hearing and seeing, and the magnificent Mormon Tabernacle Choir thrills on both counts making believers, should there be skeptics around, out of a vast audience of over 7000 Saturday night (7/2/05) at Reno's Lawlor Event Center.

It was, as one expected it would be, a triumph of faith and music for this enormous 360 voice choir and a huge plus for the Reno-Sparks area in Northern Nevada's second night of its July Artown festival.

If that weren't enough, there's more.

An elegant symphony orchestra, three masterful organists (John Longhurst, Clay Christiansen, Richard Elliot), lush arrangements by the choir's associate music director and conductor Mack Wilberg, the sensitive and very musical work of music director and conductor Craig Jessop, and a storybook program so seamlessly and warmly designed it takes the wind of the sails of anyone trying to find something to criticize.

Much like the legendary "sound" of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has a sound all its own. Tremendous warmth is mixed with an absolutely perfect vocal production sans the absence of push that can mar the exquisite beauty of the human voice.

Not since the heyday of Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians way back when has choral music been so popularized and dominated by one organization. Announcer Lloyd Newell said the choir has often been called "America's Choir." "Indeed, many," Mr Newell went on, "call it the world's choir."

And why not?

Given the wash of beautiful sounds and the spiritual nature of an evening totally absent of anything negative, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints doesn't have to preach to win friends to its cause. Just let them experience the splendid Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the equally superb Orchestra at Temple Square and winning friends for the church's cause is assured.

Of the program's twenty scheduled works, Mack Wilberg arranged twelve. Mr. Wilberg's arrangements lean heavily on the choir's translucent sound and generally doesn't fuss much with coloratura fanfare. Mainly it's just the rich glow of the choir's huge sound awash in the triumph of faith over insignificant matters. Mr. Wilberg knows how to get the most out of the choir's ethereal sound. All of his arrangements are rich, lovely and lush. My personal favorites are "How Can I Keep From Singing?" and "Shenandoah."

Today's exceptionally polished Mormon Tabernacle Choir is under the guardianship of music director and conductor Craig Jessop. His musicianship is impeccable. That's evident in all the choir sings and the orchestra plays. A big plus to him for not falling into the choral affectations trap many choral directors can't resist. There's not a moment of phoniness in Dr. Jessop's work. Both the choir and orchestra are all volunteer organizations. In a world awash in professional groups that sound volunteer, it's refreshing to hear two magnificent volunteer musical organizations sound smashingly professional. There's not a hint of anything less than first-rate about either, or for that matter anything associated with Saturday's concert.

Dvorak's "Gloria," Rachmaninoff's "Slava v vishnih bogu," and Rimsky-Korsakov's "Glory" were the unadorned composed works included on the program. All three were radiant in performance. In the program's "Songs of the Land" segment "America the Beautiful" and Irving Berlin's "God Bless America" were magnificent, and - ultimately - touching. As was the program's grand, grand finale "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."

Nothing was left to chance. Mr. Newell's commentary was enlightening. The concert's extensive lighting was hypnotic. The choir's movements were refined. The flow of the program was inspired. The music thrilled.

Who could ask for anything more?

And yet, that's exactly what Saturday's audience wanted. More! But bravissimo anyway for giving so very much to a world longing for as much beauty as it can get.