| Show S c a It Ita t La Lak a p e I a h F a ii 1 fP Chr t a De e Used in 1 f Ethil hn Vers on of u An Interview with David A SmIth President of the Choir By Dr M Markus Some tune time in January anuar a producers producers ers syndicate will commence film filming film film- filming ing mg the thc play whose author 0 U Bean was hailed by literary critics is lS the American Shakespeare and of whom one of the critics said sud he lie had Out Shake Out Shake Out e- e espered speared Shakespeare I Ilic lie he largest part of the filming wIll be done in the widely known kno De Forrest Studios in m Long Island but one part will necessarily have to be done in m Silt Lake City be- be because because be because cause the th world famous Tabernacle Organ and the great Tabernacle ChOir will mil be used in the sound synchronization of the film The play its story its hiStOry and 2nd its success are common 1 I edge now now- edge The story of the play is tak- tak taken taken tak taken en from the Book Boot of Mormon fre- fre frequently frequently fre frequently and md erroneously called The Mormon Bible In addition to being a religious document the Boo Book of Mormon is Ie i in some sonic re- re respects re respects a history pro proven en by di the latest one of which is 15 that thit ancient city the remainS of winch which hate ha e been ob- ob obI ob I cn ed from the air by Colonel Lindbergh mIlls in Ins his recent flight 0 over er Central America jungles Such re- re remains re remains mains mams arc are c expected to shied shed considerable con con- considerable con considerable light on the American of about halfa half a thousand years before the Christian era How did it cone corle about that the presidency of the Mormon church permitted the use of the great organ orban an and the widely reputed choir built andor and or organized primar primar- primarily primarily ily for sacred and religious pur- pur purposes pur purposes poses in so secular an undertaking ing mg ing a as a movIe movie This question caused me to seek in ln e answer The logical man to gl give gle e that answer is Divid A Smith the president of the Tabernacle Choir An int interview was requested and graciously granted To Jo the this inquiry as to the reason for granting that great and md valuable valuable alu- alu able privilege Mr with a snide smile on Ins Ills lips and a swift glance In the direction of the publicity manager present at the interview lew answered Persuasion Then qUIckly changing the course of Ills his thought from humorous to serious senous Mr Smith immediately continued The The church has always been in- in interested in interested in m the play because its story is taken from the Book Dool of Mormon On the stage the subject is visualized and there there- therefore therefore therefore fore more easily remembered If seen by many it might give to many the incentive to want to know 7 more about ancient nt America that America winch which is dealt wIth within within m in the Book of Mormon and whIch IS of unusual interest and great Im- Im Importance importance im importance to American archaeologists archaeologists Entirely aside from religious religious ious an angles the Book Bool of Mormon gives of ancient America a story that has been proven and authenticated by many archaeological dis- dis discoveries dis discoveries of our time Students are lre working on the remains of the language spoken by the Amer cans of thousands of cars ago and ire lre rumma rummaging mg among old bits of pre pre- prehistoric pre prehistoric historic vv writings digging out the meanings of hieroglyphics 1 they find and lUll restoring to something like lite grammatical order the taus thc scraps of swords and anu plira es One diy the meanings of buildings carvings sl sin sign n and art relics rel- rel ic ItS ics v ill III be fitted together like pICC- pICC pieces relI I es of n-of of 9 pupil li find ind every everybody ody will III I fr be able to read the stor story of Amer Amer- AmerIca America ica from centuries before Christ down to Columbus Is the interest in those things really of so generala general a w S the next nert question The answer was as If it is not we want ant to make mae It so That it does not confine It- It Itself itself it itself self to just a few is amply and con con- convincingly con convincingly proven by the fact act that so many people visit our tabernacle grounds and the organ recItals we give in the tabernacle dally daily with Ith the e exception of Sun Sun- Sundays Sun Sun- Sunda Sundays da days s We Ve have statistics showing that from a quarter to a half mil mil- million million mil million lion people annually visit the re- re recitals recitals re recitals On account of this manifest Interest we have made the elevating elevating ing mg music of that world famous organ accessible to larger numbers and wider circles circlet by permitting on two occasions the Victor Talking Machine Company to make records of the choir and organ Lately we have made the instrumental and vocal music of organ and choir still sull stillmore stillmore more accessible to music lovers In general by having it broadcast 0 over er the radio Docs Does Docs it have effect Letters after fter letters arc lre coming to this of- of of rice lice ng hanl s lId and appreciation I for the rare nrc treat One letter just received here comes front a ranger deep in Canadian C forests a hundred or more miles awa away om f-om om civilization This go good cd ringer Inger is thanking us for bringing lugt lug class music into his recesses of the forest so far a assay from con con- contact con contact contact tact with civilization 1 the Hie he tabernacle choir is known all allover over the United States not only phonograph records and radio broadcasting but also through concerts which the cho r in cars pa past t has given in several large cIties of the United States Among the cities visited was wis Washington D C President Taft was unable to attend the concert on account of previous engagements and after tin choir lead had performed Senator Reed Recd Smoot came carne to the director telling hun him that the president would like to hear the choir and m ItI 1 iy i u us to sing that night In Inthe inthe inthe the 11 rote nite House We Vc lent v We Ve were ta taken ta cn to the spacious east room room where w ere the president ent c members senators and members of the diplomatic corps were ere assembled assembled le led to hear us It had been greed agreed that we sing two tuo numbers and f af- after li liter fter ter having finished them the dent president as asked edv cd ed v hether v we e would not do him lam the favor of singing mg some more Of course we did The Thenet next net morning the papers carne carried liege luge streamers President and Diplomatic Corps Listen to Mor- Mor Mor Mor- Mormon Mormon mon inon Choir and critics paid high compliments to the singers That Thathy Thathy hy we hid had to sing in Richmond Virginia where the clergy of other denominations had conducted a regular campaign against us paint paint- painting painting ing Mormons as blick as 35 they could and ind warning people not to attend the concert but on account of these headlines and anu reports we e had hada a crowded house and the most enthusIastic audience Upon further questioning Mr Smith informed the writer that the church is the musical organization with three or organists two choristers and about hundred voices in the choir An- An Anthony An Anthony Anthony thony C Lund will direct the choir when sinking singing for sj 53 and Tracy Y Cannon will be lie at the console The two men need no introduction to musicians and mus mus- musIC music inns inns- ic is enthusiasts in our country or other countries |
