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.
Lo How a Rose E'er BLooming
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse's lineage coming
As men of old have sung.
It came, a flower bright,
Amid the cold of winter
When half-gone was the night.
The Rose I have in mind:
With Mary we behold it,
The virgin mother kind.
To show God's love aright
She bore to men a Savior
When half-gone was the night.
This Flower, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor
The darkness everywhere.
True man, yet very God,
From sin and death He saves us
And lightens every load
The lyrics of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's song “Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" evoke a sense of wonder, beauty, and mystery. The song is based on the German hymn "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen," which is believed to have been written in the 16th century. The lyrics of the English version are written by Theodore Baker, an American translator, in the 19th century. The song describes the birth of Jesus Christ, which was foretold by the prophet Isaiah, and the role that Mary played as the mother of Jesus. It also highlights the tender fragrance and the glorious light that emanate from Jesus, who is both a true man and a divine being.
The lyrics of the song begins with the line, “Lo, how a Rose e‘er blooming, From tender stem hath sprung!” This line is a metaphorical reference to the birth of Jesus, who is compared to a blooming rose. The song then reminds us of the prophecy of Isaiah, who foretold the birth of Jesus. The phrase “Of Jesse's lineage coming” is a reference to Jesse, the father of King David and an ancestor of Jesus. This line emphasizes the historical and spiritual importance of Jesus' birth.
The second verse is dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus. She is described as “the virgin mother kind,” who bore a Savior to show God's love to humanity. Mary's role in the birth of Jesus is highlighted in this verse, as she is depicted as a key figure in the coming of the Messiah. The third verse refers to Jesus as a “Flower, whose fragrance tender, With sweetness fills the air.” This line showcases the beauty and sweetness of Jesus, who spreads light and love wherever he goes.
Overall, the song speaks about the miracle and joy of Jesus' birth. It highlights the importance of his lineage, his mother, and his divinity, and reminds us of the hope and light that he brings to the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Lo, how a Rose e′er blooming
Behold, a beautiful rose has sprouted from a tender stem
From tender stem hath sprung!
It has grown from a stem that is delicate and weak
Of Jesse's lineage coming
The rose comes from the lineage of Jesse
As men of old have sung.
It had been sung about by men of old
It came, a flower bright,
It appeared as a bright flower
Amid the cold of winter
During the winter season, when everything seems bleak
When half-gone was the night.
During a time when the night was half over
Isaiah ′twas foretold it,
The coming of the rose was predicted by Isaiah
The Rose I have in mind:
I am thinking of that very rose
With Mary we behold it,
Mary too has witnessed the rose
The virgin mother kind.
Mary, who is pure and gentle
To show God's love aright
To manifest God's love in the right way
She bore to men a Savior
She gave birth to a Savior for humanity
When half-gone was the night.
During a time when the night was half over
This Flower, whose fragrance tender
This rose, which has a delicate fragrance
With sweetness fills the air,
Its scent fills the air with sweetness
Dispels with glorious splendor
It banishes the darkness with glorious light
The darkness everywhere.
No matter where there is darkness
True man, yet very God,
He is truly human, yet also fully divine
From sin and death He saves us
He rescues us from sin and death
And lightens every load.
And makes every burden light
Writer(s): Robert Shaw, Alice Parker, Praetorius
Contributed by Kayla E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kendall Orton
Lo, how a rose e'er blooming,
From tender stem hath sprung.
Of Jesse's lineage coming,
As men of old have sung;
It came, a flow'ret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night
Isaiah 'twas foretold it,
The Rose I have in mind,
With Mary we behold it,
The virgin mother kind;
To show God's love aright,
She bore to men a Savior,
When half spent was the night.
O Flower, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air,
Dispel with glorious splendour
The darkness everywhere;
True man, yet very God,
From Sin and death now save us,
And share our every load.
John Horgan
1 Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse's lineage coming
As men of old have sung.
It came, a flower bright,
Amid the cold of winter
When half-gone was the night.
2 Isaiah 'twas foretold it,
The Rose I have in mind:
With Mary we behold it,
The virgin mother kind.
To show God's love aright
She bore to men a Savior
When half-gone was the night.
3 This Flower, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor
The darkness everywhere.
True man, yet very God,
From sin and death He saves us
And lightens every load
Villarreal Marta
This little flower so fragrant, my heart feels with delight
And with its shining splendor, it drives away the night
True man yet God’s own son, saves us from sin and sorrow
And when deaths hour has come.
CaseyJane
Learned this in the Moravian church from a child. Always a favorite because it gives such peace.
freedom and liberty
I have always loved that hymn.i sang this in a choir in 1991.it has a very heavenly tone to it .
dmswan
Sublime and gorgeous!🎵
Vogelkinder
My favorite Christmas hymn of all time. I grew up listening to Mormon Tab on scratchy old records on Christmas morning, and this is the song that conjures up my favorite memories.
Jennifer Gunn
Scratchy? Isn't that the fire crackling in the background. 😉
JJ Coppinger
This is so beautiful
Heraclitean
One of the most beautiful songs ever written.
Denny
My favorite Christmas hymn, absolutely beautiful
Gail Magan
Sang this with college choir, Still remember all the words!