Condie was named director of the choir in 1957 and led the organization for 17 years. It was the time, said Jessop, when the choir really stepped onto the national stage, doing recordings and tours. "Their 'Messiah' was one of the first truly successful classical recording stories of its time. It was a benchmark; it set a standard for classical musical recordings that is unparalleled. The fact that it is still available nearly 50 years later says a lot."

At the time, music critics commented on the choir's "great romantic choral tone, deep with feeling that is able to communicate the inner meaning of the world's great choral music."

Paul Hume, music critic for the Washington Post, wrote that "this sound of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has been a special beacon for those who love the world's great choral music." Ormandy himself credited the choir's sound to Condie's background as a opera singer. "Any conductor reflects the instrument he played," he said.

Being included in the National Recording Registry "is a tremendous honor, a tremendous recognition," said Jessop. "It's a recognition of the long-standing tradition of the choir."

It is because of the foundation laid by such early choir directors that "the choir still has a continuing presence in the recording industry today," he said. (The choir's latest release, "Chose Something Like A Star", is No. 4 on Billboard's classical music charts.) And, said Jessop, the legacy lives on "with the wonderful choir we have now. It's alive and strong and vital."

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E-mail: carma@desnews.com

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