The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a large choir of The Church of Jesus Christ … Read Full Bio ↴The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a large choir of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons). Since July 15, 1929, the choir has performed a weekly radio broadcast called Music and the Spoken Word which is the longest-running continuous network broadcast in the world. The show has been televised since the early 1960s and is now broadcast worldwide through some 1,500 radio, television, and cable stations.

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.

Angels We Have Heard on High
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Angels we have heard on high
Singing sweetly through the night
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their brave delight

Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why these songs of happy cheer?
What great brightness did you see?
What glad tiding did you hear?

Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ, the Lord, the new born king

Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo

See Him in a manger laid
Whom the angels praise above
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid
While we raise our hearts in love

Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Mormon Tabernacle Choir's song "Angels We Have Heard on High" tell the familiar story of the birth of Jesus Christ as depicted in the Bible. The song begins by referencing the angels that were heard singing in the night while also describing the echo of the mountains in response to their praise. The first verse of the song captures the excitement and awe that the shepherds must have felt upon hearing the angelic choir. The chorus repeats "Gloria in excelsis Deo," a phrase that translates to "Glory to God in the highest," further emphasizing the divine nature of Christ's birth.

The second verse of the song poses a series of questions to the shepherds, asking why they are so jubilant and what they have seen and heard that has brought them such happiness. This verse serves to remind listeners that the birth of Jesus is a momentous occasion that is celebrated to this day. The chorus is repeated, further emphasizing the glory of Christ's birth. The final verse describes the scene at the manger, with the angels praising Christ and Mary and Joseph present alongside the shepherds. The chorus is repeated one final time, providing a powerful conclusion to the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Angels we have heard on high
We have heard the songs of angels praising God up above

Singing sweetly through the night
Their sweet voices were heard during the night

And the mountains in reply
The mountains echoed the angels' joyous song

Echoing their brave delight
The mountains echoed the angels' joyous celebration

Gloria in excelsis Deo
Glory to God in the highest

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why are you so joyful, shepherds?

Why these songs of happy cheer?
Why are you singing joyfully?

What great brightness did you see?
What wonderful thing did you see?

What glad tiding did you hear?
What good news did you hear?

Come to Bethlehem and see
Come to Bethlehem and witness

Him whose birth the angels sing
The one whose birth the angels are singing about