Show salt lake tabernacle and choir to b ha used in film version of Corian toll an interview with david A smith president of the choir by pr dr M markus some time in january a producers syndicate will commence filming slut in C Cori a anton the he P play a w whose lo 10 se author llor 08 0 U J ani bean was 1 hailed yit d b by literary critics as the american shakespeare and of whom one of the critics said lie he had out shake speared shakespeare the largest part 0 of f the filming w will ill be done in the widely known de forrest studios in lo 10 long ng island but one part will necessarily have to be done in salt lake city because the world famous tabernacle organ and the great tabernacle acla choir will bemused in the sound synchronization of the film the play its story its history and its sarc eare common knowledge the story of the play is taken from the book of mormon frequently and erroneously called the mormon bible in addition to being a religious religions document the book of mormon is in some respects a history proven by archaeological discoveries the latest one c of which is ia that ancient city the th emmins of which have been observed from the air by colonel lindbergh in his recent flight over oven central america jungles such remains are expected to shed considerable sid erable light on the american of about half a thousand years before the christian era 0 how did it come about that the presidency of the mormon church permitted the use of the great organ and the widely reputed choir built and organized primarily for sacred and religious purposes in so secular an undertaking as a movie this question caused me to seek an authoritative answer the logical man to give giva that answer is david asmith the president of the tabernacle choir an antem interview ear was requested and graciously granted to the inquiry as to the reason for granting that great and valuable privilege mr smith with a smile milc on his lips and a swift glance in in their the direction of the publicity manager manag er present at the interview answered persuasion then quickly changing the course of his thought from humorous to serious mr smith immediately continued the church has always been interested te m in the play Cori anton because its story is taken from the tha book of mormon on the stage the subject is visualized and therefore more easily remembered if seen by many it might give to many the incentive to want to know more about ancient ame america rica that thai america which is dealt deal t with in the book of mormon and which is of unusual interest and great importance to american archaeologists entirely aside from religious angles the book of mormon gives of ancient america a story that has been proven and authenticated by many archaeological discoveries co of our time students are working on the remains of the language spoken by the americans of thousands of years ago and are arc rummaging among old bits of prehistoric writings digging out the meanings of hieroglyphics they find and restoring to something n 9 like grammatical order t the he various scraps of words aali phrases one day th C meanings Incan ings of buildings carvings sign sign writings and art relics will be fitted together like pieces of a puzzle and everybody will be able to real read the he story of aane america from ecil centuries futi before christ down to columbus Is the interest in those things really of so general a nature was the next question the answer was 11 if 11 it is not we want to make it so that it does docs not confine itself to just a few is amply and convincingly vincin gly proven by the fact that so many people visit our tabernacle grounds and the organ recitals which we give in the tabernacle daily with the exception of sun days we have statistics showing that from a quarter to a half mil lion people annually visit the re vitals on account of this manifest interest inte rest iest we have made the elevating music of that world famous organ accessible to larger numbers and wider circles 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 orga n and choir still more accessible to music alc I 1 lovers overs in in j general by having it broadcast r over I 1 the radio a I 1 does it have effect lepirs letter after letters are coming to this office expressing thanks and asprec bation for the rare musical treat i one letter just received here comes from a ranger deep in canadian forests a hundred or more miles away from civilization this good i ranger ranger is thanking us for bringing big high class music into his recess eSil of the forest so far away from contact with civilization the tabernacle choir is kno knori all over the united states not on IV through phonograph records rin and I 1 I 1 radio broadcasting but also through I 1 concerts which the choir in years year past has given in several larg jar cities of the united states am among 0 ng the cities visited was washington washing to D C president taft was unable una if to attend the concert on account i of previous engagements and affet atte the choir had performed senator senat or reed smoot came to the direct i telling him that the preside deOT would like to hear the choir sos a inviting us usa to sing that night hf i the white house we went wo wel f were taken to the spacious east cast I 1 room where the president cabinet i members senators and members ot the diplomatic corps cor were we re as rub 1 led to hear us it had been agreed that we sing two numbers and after having havi ng finished them the j dent as asked k d whether we would not do him the favor of singing somo some more of course vie vc did the next morning the papers carriedo carried 4 large streamers president and i diplomatic corps listen to mor mon choir and critics paid high j compliments to the singers that I 1 day we had to sing in richmond I 1 vi virginia arginia where the clergy of other t denominations had conducted a i regular campaign against us paint ia ing mormons cormons as black as they could and warning people not to attend the concert but on account of these headlines and reports we had a crowded house and tle tie most enthusiastic audience J 1 upon further questioning mr smith informed the writer that the church is maintaining the musical organization with three organists two choristers cho and about hundred voices in the choir anthony C Q lund will direct the choir chair when singing for synchronization ani tracy Y cannon will be at the console the two men need no introduction to musicians and music enthusiasts in our country or other countries I 1 |