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Show Q t-- 4 ' vt , c V- - v s i .!- '.-;- -, r U r f Vf-- l tS1 K -- 5' Ji .. The "Mormon Polyphonic Chorus" ,of the Ancles Mission sang a special Christmas concert to an audience of 8,000. The program, spon- sored by the government of Peru, was also broadcast over' the national radio network. r v w' ss Music in the WA- f. VTUKia. i vSfcvfc4&(.Mvv.' , V, San Francisco columnist hails impact of 'Let Freedom Ring 1 , i 'Sv burch 15 By HAROLD LUNDSTROM Deseret News Music Editor Before embarking on the rising , tide of 1962, Dwight Newton, columnist of the San Francisco Exam. iner, wrote last week, sup-pose we wring out 1961 a little more. "The Mormon Tabernacle Choir registered a thrilling milestone Sunday year-enafternoon aided by assists from Richard L. Laraine Evans on narration, ' Day, Howard Keel, Dan OHerlihy and particularly Richard Boone. Tell me not that any choral group was so excitingly impressive .in 1961. Majestic, magnificent, memorable. The' theme was American patriotism ("Let Freedom Ring) and the indomitable spirit of Everyman." The setting was the Tabernacle (Temple Square) at Salt Lake City. It was the Mormon Choirs first full hour on television and certainly its finest television appearance. Evans, who wrote the recited poetically script, chapters In American history as the great choir set them to music with voices so mellow, so utterly free, so exbalanced that quisitely words fail to measure the magnitude of it all. "The photography was brilliant and, believe it or not, there were no interruptThank ing commercials; you, American Motors. In the dialogue " there were tsolatetf'moments about, maybe, but they were offset by the overall impact. The spell binding dramatic sequence was the coloquy, "Watchman, What of the Night? featuring Dan O'Herlihy with Richard Boone portraying Everyman. "Here, our hero Paladin, d East 12th, University West Stake Ronald From left, front, Richfield 6th, Sevier Stake Rollins, firt-- ' counselor; Bishop William B. Hester-ma- n Jr., Hendricus J. M. Hoole Jr., sec- - FronfiSeft, front, Max Evans, first counselor; Bishop Daryel M. Hendrickson, Wayne E. Sorensen, second counselor. Bergeson, Raymond J. Wanberg, James P. Zelenka, clerks. tensen, A. E. Hansen, clerks. . Kirtland, Young Stake, N. Mex. From first J. LaVar Lines, left, front, counselor; Bishop Myles R. Jones, Jesse M. Brown, second counselor. At rear, Wilburt R. Hunt, Joseph L. Watts, clerks. Stake Sandy 7th, Earl Sandy L. first From left, front, Higbee, counselor; Bishop Harvey C. Hirschi, Reed C. Crapo, second, counselor. At rear, Richard E. Vincent; Vere T. Dens-leStephen A. Seastrand, clerks. y, to-ca- rp revealed himself performer as he did -- In two Abraham Lincoln readings, .one o1 them the Gettysburg., Address. If by any chance you missed it, do see it should it be repeated. "It was a triumphant hour for television. - Come again, Mormon Choir. Frequently!" Long Beach 9th, From left, front, Leland L. B., Calif. A. Poole, first counselor; Bishop William C Price, Harvey A. Wilson, second counselor. At rear, AxelV. Anderson,' Robert E. Kirby, clerks. 10th, Granger N. Stake Granger From left, front, Orvill E. Peterson, first counselor; Bishop Robert B. Bar- ber, Donald W. Ulmer, second counselor. At rear, Neil J. Hilliard Jr., Gerald White, Leland E. Larson, clerks. With nearly 8,000 persons in the audience, includ- tag , foreign ambassadors and many other government Morofficials, the mon Polyphonic Chorus of Peru made history in Lima 100-volc- e this past Christmas season. The history: It was the first time in 425 years that the Government of Peru had sponsored any religious group other than that of the state religion. The program was broadcast eVer Radio Inca del Peru by both long and short wave- - to Insure complete coverage' in all of Peru. concert The Christmas was divided into two parts, with the Mormon Chorus featured first. The, Lima Philharmonic Orchestra played the second portion that included compositions by Corelli, Mozart, Beetho-ven- , Strauss, and Ortega. As a prelude to the concert, the Army Band of Peru played, followed by the Police and Civil Guard Choruses singing the Peruvian National Anthem. Northern Hemisphere readers wiine interested to note that alf the Peruvian musicians and singers were in their summer uniforms.. The concert ended with the Mormon Chorus singing, The Battle Hymn of the Republic. This Special Christmas concert developed out of a district conference at which the chorus first appeared. Present was Jorge Torres Lara, Peruvian journalist and radio newscaster. After the meeting he suggested to - President J. Vernon Sharp that he would like to sponsor or share the talents of the Mormon Chorus hv developing a Christmas program around the chorus that would be beneficial to the entire country. The Ministry of Education agreed to sponsor the entire program giving it full sup- and furnishing the . port Acoustic Shell and Mars Field. By wayq advertising newspaper articles,- - 75 radio announcements, handbills, 1,000 posters,, and -- 10,000 - programs were jprinted. . Newspaper coverage of the concert was extensive, with manyra ve" reviews.TThere was not a critical review of the entire concert. The Mormon Polyphonie Chorus is conducted by Elder David E. Tucker, with Car-me- n Puerto Gonzales, as soloist, and Ruth Jordan, as accompanist. , The chorus includes both missionaries and Peruvian members of the Church. , . 50,-00- 0 - . Week Ending January 13, 1962 jCHURCH 11 -- |
