The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is made up of some 360 men and women, all of whom are volunteers. There are many husband-wife combinations and many families have participated in the choir for generations. Choir members are currently limited to twenty years of participation, allowing new members to join the choir on a regular basis.
The choir was founded in August 1847, one month after the Mormon Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. The choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to support their organization. Choir members are not paid for their participation or performances.
Although the choir has traditionally been recognized for its sound quality, the most recent director, Craig Jessop, a student of Robert Shaw, has made changes designed to improve the overall quality of the choir. Jessop's efforts to add vitality to the choir's sound include the formation of The Orchestra at Temple Square, the 2005 addition of The Bells on Temple Square (a hand bell choir), and continual refinement of the choir's tone, enunciation, and repetoire. The minimum age for participation has been reduced from 30 to 25. In addition, new choir members participate in The Temple Square Chorale training choir, a combination music theory/performance school led by associate director and composer/arranger Mack Wilberg.
All Things Bright and Beautiful
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
The rich man in his castle,
The poor man at his gate,
God made them high and lowly,
And ordered their estate.
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
The purple headed mountain,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning,
That brightens up the sky;−
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,−
He made them every one:
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
The tall trees in the greenwood,
The meadows where we play,
The rushes by the water,
We gather every day;
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's song "All Things Bright and Beautiful" sings the praises of God's creation in all its forms, from the smallest creatures to the grandest vistas. The lyrics evoke the idea that every aspect of nature is a reflection of God's wisdom and mercy. The repetition of "All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all" emphasizes the idea that nothing is outside of God's purview, and that every aspect of creation is a testament to God's greatness.
The lyrics focus on the beauty of the natural world, which is a common motif in religious hymns. The song portrays God as the artist who has created every aspect of nature with care and attention to detail. The reference to the "rich man in his castle, the poor man at his gate" suggests that regardless of one's status or wealth, all are equal in God's eyes.
The song recognizes that God's creation includes both the good and the bad. Winter winds and summer sun, as well as tall trees and rushing waters, demonstrate the diversity of God's creation. The lyrics suggest that all aspects of nature are essential in their function, whether they bring joy or challenge.
Line by Line Meaning
All things bright and beautiful,
God created everything in this world with brilliant and attractive features.
All creatures great and small,
God created all kinds of animals, regardless of their size or stature.
All things wise and wonderful,
God created all things with intelligence and marvelously.
The Lord God made them all.
God is the Creator of all things, and they exist under His management.
Each little flower that opens,
God created every small flower that blooms,
Each little bird that sings,
God created every bird in the sky that sings melodiously.
He made their glowing colours,
God created birds with a variety of spectacular hues.
He made their tiny wings.
God created birds with small and elegant wings.
The rich man in his castle,
God created wealthy people who live in grand palaces.
The poor man at his gate,
God created people who are less fortunate and live in humble homes.
God made them high and lowly,
God is the one who determines one's position in life, whether rich or poor.
And ordered their estate.
God decided and arranged everyone's position in life.
The purple headed mountain,
God created mountains with purple tops.
The river running by,
God created rivers that flow through the land.
The sunset and the morning,
God created both dusk and dawn.
That brightens up the sky;
God created the light that illuminates and brightens the earth.
The cold wind in the winter,
God created the chilly wind that blows during winter.
The pleasant summer sun,
God created the warm sun that shines during the summertime.
The ripe fruits in the garden,-
God created the fully matured fruits found in the gardens.
He made them every one:
God created all these things, every single one.
The tall trees in the greenwood,
God created the towering trees in the forests.
The meadows where we play,
God created the lush and mesmerising meadows where people engage in physical activities.
The rushes by the water,
God created the sedges that grow by water sources.
We gather every day;
Humans collect them regularly as they are a vital source of food or enjoyment.
Writer(s): Brad Printz, Cecil Alexander
Contributed by Lucas H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tosherification
John Rutter's music literally brings tears of joy to my eyes! Our choir performed his The Lord Is My Shepherd from Requiem at my mother's funeral service. Men who swore they never cried over a song told me they wept like babies when they heard that piece!
@nyanko7055
Rip, your poor mother but luckily she is at peace with the Lord
@PriscaIhenakaram-km1hf
This song has swept every pain from my soul..
@danielshumway7046
If you like this, and you also like animals, you should read All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot. He had a very happy, positive and fun outlook on his veterinarian career in Yorkshire, England. He also wrote All Creatures Great and Small (1st book), All Things Wise and Wonderful, The Lord God Made Them All, and other books. Music like Rutter's and books like Herriot's have carried me when I could have been miserable and lonely.
@vl9496
Thank you so much for this, which has gotten me through some very hard times.
@ms25risa
Thank you for finally uploading this video. This is one of my favorites!
@LifeyApp
Beautiful!
@hermanmarpaunghermanmarpau3645
Betapa dahsyat dan indahnya lagu ini
@iljakubisch8198
VERY BEATIFUL! !!!!!!!!!!!!
@trevorlarsen721
Best version