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.
What Sweeter Music
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Than a carol, for to sing
The birth of this our heavenly King?
Awake the voice! Awake the string!
When children would reach for their stockings
And open the presents they found
The lights on the tree would shine bright in their eyes
He leaned with him head on the window
Watching evergreen bend in the snow
Remembering Christmas the way it had been
So many seasons ago
This year there's no one to open the gifts
No reason for trimming the tree
And just as a tear made it's way to the floor
He heard voices outside start to sing
What sweeter music can we bring,
Than a carol for to sing
The birth of this our heavenly King?
The birth of this our heavenly King?
Carollers sang as he opened the door
Faces of friends in the crowd
And all of the shadows of lonely reminders
Driven away by the sound
Now the heart that for years had been silent
Was suddenly filled with the new King
As he clung to their hands like a child in the night
He found himself sing of this revelling
What sweeter music can we bring,
Than a carol for to sing
The birth of this our heavenly King?
The birth of this our heavenly King?
The lyrics of the song "What Sweeter Music" by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir describe the joy and happiness that the holiday season brings. The song brings to light the true meaning of Christmas by celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, who is referred to as "this our heavenly King." The lyrics invoke a sense of Christmas cheer and encourage people to sing carols and play music to commemorate the birth of Jesus.
The song begins with a call to arms, urging people to sing a carol in honor of the birth of Jesus. It goes on to describe a scene where a person is reminiscing about Christmases past. The lyrics describe how children would run to their stockings and open the presents they found. The lights on the tree would glitter and shine, reflecting the love that surrounded them.
Later in the song, the lyrics portray a sense of loneliness and grief. The singer is seen standing alone, watching the snow fall outside, and remembering the Christmases of old when there were loved ones around. The song then takes a dramatic turn as the singer hears carolers singing outside. And when he opens the door, he finds a group of friends celebrating Christmas with songs and music, and he himself joins in the singing, getting caught up in the holiday spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
What sweeter music can we bring
What could be a more pleasant or more delightful sound than the carols we sing?
Than a carol, for to sing
Singing a carol is a perfect way to express our joy and enthusiasm for Christmas.
The birth of this our heavenly King?
Celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, our divine King and Saviour.
Awake the voice! Awake the string!
Let us sing loudly and joyfully with all our hearts and with every instrument available to us.
Contributed by Gabriel K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.