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.
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Holy wisdom, Love most bright
Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring,
Soar to uncreated light.
Word of God, our flesh that fashion'd,
With the fire of life impassion'd,
Striving still to Truth unknown,
The song "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by Johann Sebastian Bach as performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is a hymn that praises Jesus Christ as the source of both comfort and enlightenment for humanity. In the first verse, the lyrics describe Jesus as the embodiment of holy wisdom and love, who inspires human souls to aspire to the transcendental light of the divine. The second verse explains that Jesus is the word of God who assumed human form, animated by the "fire of life" or the divine spark of creation. The hymn depicts human beings as perpetually striving for the truth that is embodied in Christ, even in the face of death, with the hope that they will be welcomed into his presence in the afterlife.
The hymn's lyrics are deeply steeped in Christian theology and convey a sense of awe and reverence for the divine. The use of soaring musical motifs and the layered harmonies of the choir serve to amplify the spiritual significance of the text, evoking a sense of transcendence and unity with God. The repetition of the word "soaring" throughout the hymn creates a sense of movement and momentum, suggesting that the soul's journey toward enlightenment is ongoing and dynamic. Overall, the lyrics capture the profound longing of humanity for a connection to the divine, and the sense of comfort and inspiration that the figure of Jesus provides in fulfilling that longing.
Line by Line Meaning
Jesu, joy of man's desiring,
Jesus, the source of man's happiness and longing,
Holy wisdom, Love most bright
Divine wisdom and the brightest expression of love
Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring,
Inspired by Jesus, our souls strive toward a higher state
Soar to uncreated light.
Rise to a heavenly and eternal light beyond human imagination
Word of God, our flesh that fashion'd,
Jesus, the living embodiment of God who created humanity
With the fire of life impassion'd,
Motivated by the divine and eternal life within him
Striving still to Truth unknown,
Continuously seeking and pursuing an unknown truth
Soaring, dying, round Thy throne.
Elevating toward Jesus' heavenly presence, both in life and death
Contributed by Carter W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
kerlyne dorleus
I love the Tabernacle Choir, I love Jesus ❤
Claudete Ramos
Maravilhoso.... É Jesus minha alegria e minha alma satisfaz!!!!! 🙌🎼🎶
Ya.
Amen, God Bless You.
MrTouche777
Muito lindo, sempre choro ao ouvi-los
Terry Slade
Wonderful! One of my favorite pieces by JS Bach. And is this a Mack Wilberg arrangement? It is a stunning version. Thank you for this. And to think that the members of the choir and orchestra are volunteers. I weep for joy knowing that they donate their amazing talents to bring joy to the world.
They say art is how you decorate space, and music is how you decorate time. This organization decorates time beautifully!
MusicByMack
Hi, I sing with the Choir! Mack wanted an arrangement the Choir could call its own. He stayed as true as possible to Bach's original piece, while drawing on different arrangements he's heard.
CINTHYA CHARLES
Excellent choir voices
Congratulations❤❤❤❤
Sharon Kofoed
Beautiful job!
Emmanuel Monle Nyode
My greatest desire is to someday play this piece on the organ. I really love the brass intro. Well done.
MARK MUSHAMO
What an amazing 😍 choir