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Mormon Tabernacle Choir gains new fame, repertoire

Amen!

I'm attended the Christmas concert for the last two years.

On word

Fantastic!

The reason the MoTabs current album is #1 and nominated for 2 Grammys is because of Sissel.

The MoTabs are my all-time fav! Better than The Beatles!!!

The classic thing is that people are selling these free tickets on craigslist for $100 a piece. I wonder if these same people sell the presents they get at Christmas?? ha

I'm not a bitter, I have my tickets to the concert..just throwing this out cause I think its too funny!

I was lucky enough to get a ticket to this year's concert, love the Choir and the King's Singers.

To respond to a couple of the earlier posts -- Sissel isn't the only reason the CD is #1. The choir has a LOT to do with it.

As for those people selling their tickets, shame on them. Is there any way those tickets can be voided in the computer?

It's all about Sissel. None of their other albums have been #1.

I wish I'd thought of getting tix this year to sell. ;)

Sissel is great and all, but she hasn't been nominated for a Grammy on her own. It was the combination of the choir AND her that led to a nomination for "best classical crossover album" - she'd never have qualified for that specific nomination on her own. Jessop and Wilberg get the kudos for putting the 2 together. Also, "best engineered classical album" has much more to do with the choir and the massive job it is to record them well than anything else.

The reasons Sissel hasn't been nominated for a Grammy on her own is because her previous record label never submitted her albums for Grammy consideration in America before because they are stupid. It's up to the record label to submit the album for consideration. Her new solo album "Northern Lights" on her new record label will have a very good chance of being nominated for a Grammy next year. (It came out a month too late to be considered for the upcoming Grammys.)
"Northern Lights" is currently in the top 10 on the Classical Crossover charts.
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is great and all, but although they've put out dozens, if not hundreds of albums, they haven't been nominated on their own since 1959.

Stenar, I believe you are mistaken on both counts. I am pretty sure the choir's fairly recent recording of Brahms' German Requiem was Grammy-nominated as well. One could argue that the Utah Symphony's participation means the choir wasn't nominated "on its own," but that would be a weak argument IMO. Also, "Choose Something Like a Star" reached No. 1 on the Billboard chart a couple of years back. There may be more examples, but these two are the ones that sprang to my mind.

Why are you two arguing about who is better? Just sit back, relax, and enjoy their new CD. I just attended tonight's concert with the King's Singers and it was absolutely heavenly. Thank you to Mack Wilberg for his incredible arrangements. You are an unparalleled talent. "The 12 Days of Christmas" was a complete delight. Kudos go to all the dancers, staff, technical directors, camera men etc.! Tabernacle Choir members, you sing as one voice with precision and emotion, exquisitely!

Anonymous!?! Boloney! In some General Conference DVDs, Wilberg's name appears in print more than that of Jesus Christ. And for someone of such insanely tepid compositional range, that's a bit much. I am so sick of every piece of Western Music being wrung through the homogenizing Wilberg machine. Please, can't the Choir get back to performing music as it was originally written by the REAL musical masters like Bach, Haendel, Palestrina, Tavener, etc.? Please can't Wilberg be stopped? Without question, the worst thing that's ever happened to the Choir; more publicity and less musical integrity.

NOTHING invites the spirit more than music. And nothing brings the spirit into the hearts of men and women and children more than music by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

May God continue to bless each of you as you perform your mission through music.

Marcus...Wilberg should be stopped? According to Craig Jessop, someone of Wilbergs talent comes on the planet once every hundred years. I think I'll take Dr Jessop's opinion over yours. His arrangments are absolutely STUNNING.

I think Craig Jessop and Mac Wilberg are doing a great job. They work harder than most. They deserve all the credit they are getting. What a team! I served a mission with Dr. Jessop's son, so I know this qualifies me to make these statements.

Anyone can make disparaging remarks at any given moment, which only takes hitting a few keystrokes and absolutely no musical talent or knowledge. I realize that my musical experience is somewhat limited--having sung in choirs from 6th grade through college, being a music major, singing for 20 years in the Tabernacle Choir, and having listened to classical music for most of the past 50 years--and there�s a lot I don�t know about good music. However, I believe Mack Wilberg is the greatest musical arranger today. Among many other musical things he�s done, was taking an obscure and boring hymn (�Come, Thou Fount Of Every Blessing�), and turning it into what I think is the greatest hymn arrangement ever done. His is one of the great talents in musical history. He works hard for the continuing listening joy of the vast majority of all those who hear his music.

Love the choir, love listening to their CD's. It would be wonderful to be able to hear them sometime in person. Their music fills my heart with great joy. What a blessing they are to many of us. Kudo's to everyone involved.

You haven't lived life to the fullest unless you were a member of the Papillion [Nebraska] Ward Choir that performed the Christmas Program under the baton of Craig Jessup back in the 90s! Such a gentle, unassuming, vivacious man! When he directed the Heartland of America Air Force Band in Omaha, they had sold out Christmas performances at the historic Orpheum Theater. And they were always filled with surprises, like medieval trumpeters on the balconies. Local choirs vied to sing with them. And the military loved them when they toured Europe and the Middle East. But best of all, we count it a special blessing for having Craig serve as our home teacher. Such a kind, loving man, with a special message just for us every month.

The best arrangements on "Spirit of the Season" were done by Kjetil Bjerkestrand, Sissel's accompanist/musical arranger, not Wilberg.

does it really matter who is the best? we are all entitled to our own opinions. having the gift of music at all is a gift from God no matter who your are or how small or large your gift is. Let's all be thankful that we have the gift of listening to it.

It is sad to "hear" the bitterness in some of above comments. Bitter words are out of touch with "the Spirit." If one doesn't believe in "the Spirit" or in Jesus Christ--even if one is anti-Mormon--the music speaks for itself. If one doesn't like the Choir or the arrangements by Mack Wilberg, one need not listen. We all have agency and are not forced to listen. As for Craig Jessop and Mac Wilberg: I sang under Craig Jessop in an ensemble choir in Great Britain and under Mac Wilberg in California. Both were special experiences. I found them to be gentle and patient and to be outstanding teachers. I don't expect everyone to agree with my opinions, but I think that the reception the MoTab has received over the years--in diverse cities and nations, and in front of diverse audiences--tells us much.