Comments on: Early Mormon Hymn Singing

By: Mormon Soprano

Mormon Soprano — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:12:55 +0000

Very cool article, Kevin! Thanks for sharing your research on this fascinating topic. Many modern composers still “re-invent” hymns using different melodies with lovely results. I actually think that lining would come as a great challenge to members today! It would certainly take some extra concentration and involvement in the musical experience (hey…perhaps we ought to reinstate it!) :)

By: the web is open

the web is open — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 06:49:12 +0000

so LDS congregations used to be able to make their own decisions? what happened, how did Mormons become so culturally cookie-cutter bland? conformism not a winning long term strategy.

By: M

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:50:58 +0000

I loved this summary. One thought as I read it: brass bands.

I understand that brassy instruments do not carry with them the atmosphere of reverence that we usually associate with church meetings, but I hope bishops have the courage to allow, from time to time, an occasional “other” instrument, outside of the usual recommendations.

I recognize that if we let people start playing whatever instruments they want, we may verge into some perhaps not-so-reverent music, but sometimes I feel like our meetings need a little more…um…soul? Feeling? Less monotony? I don’t know what it is I’m trying to capture, but I’m sure others can more accurately describe it.

I recall having read in Richard Cowan’s book on temples that one of the temple dedications (Pres. McKay, I believe) had a trumpet quartet on the roof of a nearby building play “An Angel from On High”. What an incredible performance it must have been. Inaccuracies in my recollection aside, I hope that members of the church become more accustomed to the variety of beauty that can be found in music.

Patience I suppose. May we continue to allow reverence in the best way that we can, encouraging worshipful music and talent where it may be found.

By: gillsyk

gillsyk — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:43:49 +0000

p.s. Thanks, Kevin, for the good summary.

By: gillsyk

gillsyk — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:42:18 +0000

My understanding is that Adam-ondi-Ahman achieved its place of prominence (last hymn) in the old blue hymnbook because … it was originally not even included in that compilation. But Pres. McKay asked what happened to it, and it was included because he wanted it.

Bruce, agree with you that Marvin Payne’s splendid version makes you love that hymn!

By: Bill

Bill — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:44:13 +0000

When I was a kid in the 70s and early 80s, we sang that hymn all the time. In the past twenty years, it has kind of dropped off the map. In the 1985 book it was renamed (it title used to be the same as the first line, This Earth was once a Garden Place) and placed in a somewhat anonymous location next to other rarely-sung hymns like Come, Thou Glorious Day of Promise, and Sons of Michael, He Approaches. In the old book, it was in prominent position as the last hymn in the book, a single congregational hymn after all the choir and men’s and women’s arrangements. Probably the main reason that it has fallen into disuse is that the doctrine its text expounds is also much less talked about now than before.

By: Kevin Barney

Kevin Barney — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:40:53 +0000

Bruce, when we had one of those music testimony meetings a few months ago, where people request that we sing a particular hymn, this young black girl shyly walked up to the podium and asked for Adam-ondi-Ahman, so we sang it. The music is really cool, I think. I also got to sing it at the MHA devotional in the Kirtland Temple, because we were singing all of the songs from the dedication and that was one of them.

By: bfwebster

bfwebster — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:36:23 +0000

Aha! I tried to get my wife to use “Adam-ondi-Ahman” as a rest hymn in church the other day (she’s the ward music director/chorister), but she said nobody knew it. I just pointed out the finding cited above as she walked by, but she remains unimpressed.

Marvin Payne sung it on one of his earliest albums, and I’ve loved the hymn ever since. I’ll work it in next time I’m substituting for her as chorister. :-) ..bruce..

By: Kevin Barney

Kevin Barney — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:46:17 +0000

#9 Antonio Parr, yes. So he is referring to Joseph Sr. I don’t think there is a good biography on William, but I seem to have the impression rattling around in my brain that someone is working on one.

By: Antonio Parr

Antonio Parr — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:07:34 +0000

Is the “William Smith” to which you refer the brother of Joseph Smith? (Are there any biographies on William Smith?)