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.
Carol of the Bells
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics
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Sweet silver bells,
All seem to say,
Throw cares away
Christmas is here,
Bringing good cheer,
To young and old,
Oh how they pound,
Raising the sound,
O'er hill and dale,
Telling their tale,
Gaily they ring
While people sing
Songs of good cheer,
Christmas is here,
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas,
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas,
On on they send ,
On without end,
Their joyful tone to every home
Dong Ding dong ding, dong Bong
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's song "Carol of the Bells" is a classic Christmas tune that is beloved by many. The song begins with the sweet and gentle sound of bells, which serve as a reminder to listeners to put their cares aside and enjoy the holiday season. The lyrics go on to celebrate the arrival of Christmas and the joy it brings to people of all ages and backgrounds.
As the song continues, the bells become more intense, pounding out a powerful rhythm that echoes across hills and dales. This sound serves to convey the excitement and energy of the season, as people come together to sing songs of good cheer and celebrate the birth of Christ. Finally, the song ends with a joyful refrain that encourages listeners to join in the celebration and spread the message of peace and goodwill to all around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Hark how the bells,
Listen to the sound of the bells,
sweet silver bells,
The bells are made of silver and sound beautiful
all seem to say,
The sound of the bells sends a message
throw cares away
Forget your worries and enjoy the season
Christmas is here,
The time of year we celebrate the birth of Christ
bringing good cheer,
Christmas brings happiness and joy
to young and old,
Everyone can enjoy this holiday
meek and the bold,
People of all personalities can celebrate
Oh how they pound,
The bells sound like they are pounding or beating
raising the sound,
The sound of the bells is increasing in volume
o'er hill and dale,
The sound of the bells is heard over hills and valleys
telling their tale,
The bells are sharing a story
Gaily they ring
The bells ring in a joyful manner
while people sing
People are singing along to the bells
songs of good cheer,
The songs being sung are happy and festive
Christmas is here,
It's time to celebrate Christmas
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas,
Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas
On on they send ,
The bells keep ringing and sending their message
on without end,
The bells will keep ringing indefinitely
their joyful tone to every home
The bells' happy sound reaches every house
Dong Ding dong ding, dong Bong
The sound of the bells is described through onomatopoeia
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, CARL FISCHER, LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Mykola Leontovich, Peter Wilhousky
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind