Joyful Noise Unto the Lord

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: 

make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Psalm 98: 4

I love the Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. I love the history of this beautiful old building. When I am in it, I can feel the faith of the people who built it and who have been worshiping and praising the Lord in it since it was completed in 1867. I love the music made by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. 

The interior "is so acoustically sensitive that a pin dropped at the pulpit can be clearly heard at the back of the hall, 170 feet away." source

"The original organ was made by Joseph H. Ridges in 1867 and contained 700 pipes. The organ has been rebuilt several times with the total pipe count being 11,623, making the Tabernacle organ one of the largest pipe organs in the world. ... the largest 32' display pipes in the façade are made of wood and were constructed in the same manner as the balcony columns."  source

Since 1929, the 360 member Mormon Tabernacle Choir has been presenting Music and The Spoken Word on Sunday morning. The Sunday I attended the Orchestra at Temple Square was accompanying the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. What a feast for the soul!

Here's my experience on that Sunday morning. 

The choir runs through their program prior to the broadcast. So when you walk into the Tabernacle, there's a dress rehearsal of sorts in progress. When I entered, I was immediately and TOTALLY enveloped in a feeling of love, peace, and connection with home. The Spirit was there in HUGE abundance. The choir was singing “Homeward Bound.” The music sounded Irish. The lyrics had to do with a journey and eventually returning home. My whole being was touched in a very deep way. Then they sang a song with LOTS of hallelujahs. There's nothing like the choir, orchestra, and organ with grand hallelujahs - especially that last one that hangs in the air and feels like the whole place is being lifted up. VERY, very powerful. Then the broadcast took place. The music was beautiful. The message was on "Love, Loyalty, and Belonging" - children leaving home and the bond that always ties them to family and home. 

After the broadcast Lloyd Newell, the narrator, told the rest of the story about the message he delivered that day. His son was soon leaving on a mission for the Lord. Leaving and returning home was very much on the Newell family’s mind. Then the choir sang “God Be With You Til We Meet Again.” This is one of my favorite hymns. It always brings tears to my eyes. 

I am thankful for the Spirit and for the beauty and power of music.

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