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Show LDS Conference Will Hear New Mormon Symphony This year at Apri LDS Conference Con-ference a new testimony of the Book of Mormon wil be borne. The testimony is in the form of music a great row symphony based on the scriptural messages and called "Scenes from the Book of Mormon" Composed by Dr. Crawford L. Gates, young Utah fnusician and member of the Briigham Young University music i faculty, ' his Symphony No. 2 wil be presented present-ed by chorus, orcheira and narrator, nar-rator, i The concerts will he presented in the Salt Lake Tjbernacle on Tuehday, April 5; in George Albert Al-bert Smith Fieldhoise at BYU, April 6; and Ogderi Tabernacle April 7. All performances begin at 8 p.m. j The three performances will be presented by the BYU a Cap-pella Cap-pella Choir of 75 vdces with an 80 piece orchestra bnade up of members of the Utah Symphony Orchestra. Some passages will include organ. ; , Dr. Gates wil conduct and Dr. Harold I. Hansen, chairman of the BYU Department of Speech and Dramatic Arts, vill be narrator. nar-rator. The choir will be trained by Newell B. Weight, director of the BYU A Cappella Choir. This music will appeal not only to those interested in music but also to all Latter-day Saints who love the Book of Mormon and who will be enriched by a new colorful perspective of its great stories and messages.-- The narrator reads short passages pas-sages from the Scriptures between be-tween musical sections to prepare pre-pare the listener for the meaning of the ensuing musical section. In some of the movements of the symphony, the chorus sings the words of the prophets such as the testimonies of Nephi, Alma and Moroni, while in others the orchestra and organ paint a mu-j sical canvas of the sweeping scenes of the book. Of particular beauty and interest inter-est will be the music symbolizing the coming of the Savior to the Nephites. Other stirring music will represent the "Visions of Nephi," 'The Burning of Abin-adi," Abin-adi," and "The Conversion of Alma." Tremendous contrast will be shown in various passages such as; the "Lamanite Processional and Sacrifical Dance" and "Cataclysm" "Cata-clysm" as against "The Faithful Behold the Christ." Dr. Gates is also composer of "The Promised Valley," Utah's Centennial Summer production, which was presented for a long run in University of Utah Stadium, Sta-dium, and also wrote the music for the Hill Cumorah Pageant, which is presented in Palmyra, N.Y., each year before thousands of viewers. Dr. Hansen is director direc-tor of the pageant. . ; This noted team of producers last year also staged "Sand in Their Shoes," a sweeping musical musi-cal saga of the Mormon Battalion in the BYU stadium to about 45,000 spectators in five per- ' formances. Dr. Gates composed : the score and Dr. Hansen was ' conductor. |