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.
Hallelujah
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth (Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah)
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah (Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah)
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth (Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah)
Hallelujah
The Kingdom of this world
Is become
The Kingdom of our Lord
And of His Christ
And of His Christ
And He shall reign forever and ever
And He shall reign forever and ever (And He shall reign forever and ever)
And He shall reign forever and ever (And He shall reign forever and ever)
And he shall reign forever and ever (And He shall reign forever and ever)
King of Kings (Forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah)
And Lord of Lords (Forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah)
King of Kings (Forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah)
And Lord of Lords (Forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah)
King of Kings (Forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah)
And Lord of Lords
King of Kings and Lord of Lords
And he shall reign forever and ever (And he shall reign)
And he shall reign forever and ever (And he shall reign)
King of Kings forever and ever
And Lord of Lords hallelujah hallelujah
And he shall reign forever, forever and ever
King of Kings and Lord of Lords
King of Kings and Lord of Lords
And he shall reign forever and ever (And he shall reign forever and ever)
Forever and ever, forever and ever (King of Kings and Lord of Lords)
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah
The Hallelujah Chorus is a composition by George Frideric Handel from his oratorio, Messiah. It is a choral piece that appears at the end of the second part of the oratorio, which focuses on the Passion and the Resurrection of Christ. The Hallelujah Chorus is often performed during the Christmas and Easter seasons, as well as other religious observances to celebrate the triumph of Christ.
The lyrics are a celebration of God's omnipotence and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth. The first half of the lyrics simply repeat the word "hallelujah" as a joyful exclamation of praise to God. The second half of the lyrics reflect the biblical prophecies and visions of the establishment of God's Kingdom on earth, with Christ as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who shall reign forever and ever. The repetition of "forever and ever" emphasizes the eternal nature of God's reign and represents the ultimate triumph of good over evil.
Line by Line Meaning
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
We praise and celebrate the Lord with this jolly chant
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth
The Lord God is all-powerful and is in control of everything
The Kingdom of this world
The worldly kingdom we live in
Is become
Has been transformed into
The Kingdom of our Lord
The kingdom of our Savior, Jesus Christ
And of His Christ
And of His anointed one
And He shall reign forever and ever
He will rule and reign eternally
King of Kings
The supreme ruler above all rulers
And Lord of Lords
The powerful master above all other lords
Forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah
We will forever sing praises to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: George Frideric Handel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@1bicycleddie
In a 65 person Church Choir, my first such experience, we were blessed to learn this from our Pastoral Minister, JM ..he put us through the paces for 4 months to sing this at Christmas Eve Mass 2018. I had never been aware of this song. After the Choir sang this, ( I was in as a Bass 1 ) for our congregation, I, we, many seniors, kindda fell back on the bench seats in the Choir Loft, just winded and near tears that we pulled it off. The Choir Pastoral Minister bid us to stand, from below in the Church, 300 fellow parishioners applauded. I looked at my feet in humility. We had put in 4 hrs a week for 4 months, I could feel Heaven and the smile of Jesus and my deceased family.
Now, if I listen to Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing this, I cry.
God prevailed.
Covid flees,
Maybe soon we sing in Choir again.
@thatsjustmytake9294
Every time the women sing KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS and their pitch gets higher and higher, always touches my soul in ways I can't explain. Simply angelic.
@robw9435
That part always makes the hair on my back and arms stand up.
@alohaoe06
My sentiments exactly!
@MLMLW
I used to could sing that high soprano but as I've gotten older I'm now more of an alto as my voice has gotten lower.
@barrakliberal8539
I sang this with about 1500 other high school students in Germany, in 1974. Every school in the country sent one student to a massive festival, and I was honored to be part of it, as the representative from the US Air Force headquarters high school from Wiesbaden. First and only time in my life I have broken a sweat singing my guts out.
@cyndidickson4908
I would've love to have heard that. Is there a recording of it anywhere?
@mellib2086
I'm not Mormon but your choir is a blessing! I get chills every time I hear this song and want to fall on my face before the Lord. For His glorious return I pray...
@robinaguinaldo4507
Amen
@kennethldawsom7923
The eternal god
@claudiaderry6951
Me too!