Reader comments
LDS choir CD creating waves on Web

Mormon Tabernacle Choir | 1:38 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

The best choir in the world. Regligous or non-religous, you have to love the harmony they stick in your heart.

Camille | 2:11 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

Alright!! Now that is so cool!! I have the upmost respect for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and for all their talents and their willingness to share it with all people. Keep up the good work!!

Ida Wilson | 2:28 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

We vote this CD to receive a Grammy! The live performance was awesome! We stood 2 hours in standby line and feel lucky to have gotten in. We would stand in a line many more hours just to hear Sissel with the Choir and Orchestra.

Comments continue below

Carlyle Parker | 3:39 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

It is wonderful!

Lee B | 5:03 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

"By their fruits ye shall know them." Just watch or listen to a MoTab choir broadcast and you will know that Mormon's are most definately Christians by all definations except the narrow, non bibically based fundimentialist viewpoint.

dull | 6:26 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

Despite all the froth at the mouth that many folks display about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, they are simply the most boring choir out there.

Jerry Bowcut | 6:29 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

Ithink the choirs music is the most beautiful I have ever heard and it hifts my spirit each time I hear it.

You Tube | 7:42 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

I hope they decide to put a clip or two on You Tube. I put an 8-minute movie I made of the Bingham Mine on You Tube, and it has been watched 118,131 times and is #27 in the all-time list of most linked. That's with no music background and a movie made by an unknown. I think a Choir clip with Sissel would set new records for viewing on You Tube.

Bill | 8:33 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

I attended the concert last year. It was enthralling. I have the CD. I have the DVD. But then, after hearing her, it's difficult to avoid having a crush on Sissel.

Rob | 9:21 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

That is just wonderful. Sissel and the choir were beautiful. She had an amazing voice.

Bobby | 9:53 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

With all the negative publicity about the LDS faith around lately, it is great to see this positive publicity of sorts.

For a church that only does good things, it is odd that others would even think unkindly toward them. By their fruits shall ye know the true disciples of Christ... That goes for anyone of any faith... But specifically to those that are continuously doing so much good!

Lynn Tilton | 11:59 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

Back in 1960 the Mormon Tabernacle Choir had a national hit. It was "Battle Hymn of the Republic." There was one word change, which is found in the chorus: as he died to make men holy, let us LIVE to make men free."

Also, with 45 rpm records standard juke box fare, it was impossible to sing all five versus, so the choir sang one, two and five.

This helped move the famous hymn beyond the Civil War to modern times.

Vernal roid | 12:42 p.m. Dec. 22, 2007

Is there a secret message if you play the CD backward?

To Amy | 1:07 p.m. Dec. 22, 2007

A couple choosing where to get married knows the implications & tradeoffs. There have been couples that take their vows while skydiving and the parents weren't right there when it happened. I never heard a story written about the bitter parent that blames the skydiving company. If the parent really wanted to be there, he or she could choose to jump with them if it was that important, just like a parent could choose to change his or her life so they can attend a wedding. The children could marry elsewhere if having their parent in attendance was the most important thing in life, but apparently it is not. Why waste an entire lifetime being upset about missing a 5 minute occurrence? If one of my children chooses to get married somewhere I can't be, I'm not going to blame anyone. I'll be happy as long as they are happy. I was unable to attend my sister's wedding. Her & I still talk and actually spend quality time together. Neither of our lives have been ruined as a result. It's amazing!!!! No blame, life goes on, and we're great friends.

G. McCune | 1:15 p.m. Dec. 22, 2007

You've got to be kidding? A secret message? Geez, I can't believe the human mind. Play it forward and enjoy it. It's beautiful music!!! Merry Christmas to you.

To Amy again | 1:53 p.m. Dec. 22, 2007

Tell a husband who's wife is threatening divorce because he watches too much football that football does no harm. Tell a husband who's wife is threatening divorce because he works too much that being productive does no harm. The same statement could be applied to any religion, hobby, or principle that doesn't meet an unhappy wife's expectations. Too much of anything could do harm according to your argument. So no reason to single out one religion.

Tabernacle Choir is Great | 2:08 p.m. Dec. 22, 2007

Amy was right on. I also love music and think the Mormon hymns and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir provide very inspiring music. I have lived in this church all my life although it took years for me to finally study about the church honestly, as painful as it was - I finally did. There is no question about the deception and lies the church intentionally feeds us to build our testimonies. Those of you who think Iï¿½m wrong, that is ok if the church is working for you and you have no harm come to you because of it. I have been both blessed and hurt because of the church. I have studied nearly every topic and most of what you read on the Internet is more accurate than the white washed accounts prepared just for you by the church. Still for now I attend church and enjoy the music and fellowship with many wonderful people. However, because I know from an overwhelming knowledge the truth about the church, I can make good decisions for my family on those few times when the church may lead us in a path that is not in our best interest

Louie | 3:01 p.m. Dec. 22, 2007

I love the Tabernacle Choir. I told my husband meaning I cannot have the Choir sing at my funeral, he had better have a CD on hand to to play there anyway... It's all the same to me. I do hope however, just before I die, that the Tabernacle Choir is the last thing that I ever hear on this earth. What a way to go! What could be more glorious than to hear those many wonderful angel voices of the Tabernacle Choir :))

Merry Christmas to all!

To DULL | 3:15 p.m. Dec. 22, 2007

You are a very sad person. Sounds like you need some spirituality in your life. Maybe your problem is that you listen too much hard rock. That could DULL anyones mind.

stewy | 5:07 p.m. Dec. 22, 2007

Gosh, here's an article about beautiful music and look how some have to turn it into a hate fest. I love the choir as well as other "Christian" music. Stick to the subject of the article and put your distaste for the LDS church into other avenues or in other words, get a life!

Vic | 5:47 p.m. Dec. 22, 2007

Hey Stewy,

I suppose you are the only one who has a life on here. Wished everyone could be so perfect. Congratulations my friend.

It looks to me like if people are on this site they may just be looking for something good in life? Perhaps a nice word coming from others and less criticizing and condemning. These angry people need some positive uplift in their life. The Tabernacle Choir is a good place to start.

Hey everybody! members and nonmembers, I hope that you all have a very wonderful and happy Christmas!! God Bless!!

BH | 6:20 p.m. Dec. 22, 2007

I was able to attend this year's Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Christmas program. Talk about moving! What a wonderful testament through music, of the divinity of the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ!

I would encourage those of all faiths to make every effort to watch this year's broadcasts on PBS stations, or try to attend future Mormon Tabernacle Choir concerts.

l | 8:00 p.m. Dec. 22, 2007

Attend one of their Christmas concerts in person and then come back and comment about whether you think the choir is boring.

Secret of 'Spirit' is Sissel | 10:56 p.m. Dec. 22, 2007

A long-time fan of Sissel, I think she is what makes this CD soar, not the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I'd buy 100 Sissel CDs before I'd purchase a Mo-Tab disc.

Nice to see her finally getting some recognition in the U.S. after 15 years of amazing albums in Scandinavia and Europe.

Mike Smiley | 12:00 a.m. Dec. 23, 2007

We are living in Denmark and watched the show locally on TV2. What a wonderful experience.

chattachica | 12:13 p.m. Dec. 23, 2007

Live performance is awesome, and hearing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and associates in person is a sublime experience.

I'm more a fan of the traditional choir and organ rather than with all the embellishments added by orchestration, but that's a small detail.

Pat H | 3:55 p.m. Dec. 23, 2007

"Spirit of the Season" is a delightful CD. Sissel has a wonderful, lovely voice. The Choir itself seems to get better every time I hear them. Craig Jessop and Mack Wilberg are to be commended for their fine work and artistic vision. What a phenomenal experience it is to be at a performance in person. God bless the Tabernacle Choir.

Stenar | 9:15 a.m. Dec. 28, 2007

I agree with the above commenter who said Sissel is what makes this CD good. I'm fairly bored with the choir itself and don't care much for their music, but when Sissel sings with them, it's amazing. Also, the arrangements for the songs Sissel sings with the choir were done by Kjetil Bjerkestrand, her Norwegian arranger, not Wilberg. Wilberg's arrangement of "Silent Night" during this concert was maddening because it was too slow.

Good Comment Amy | 10:29 p.m. Dec. 29, 2007

There are some good examples below your comment of rationalization. Sure, there are always circumstances where you may not be able to attend a wedding or where a divorce is threatening! BUT a CHURCH certainly shouldn't be one of them! What a sad excuse to say "well, if you want to attend an LDS wedding or don't want to get a divorc just become like them" (makes me cringe).
The rationalizations I hear for religious strangeness and hurtfulness are very sorrowful indeed.

Add your comment

Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.

Words Remaining

E-mail address: For internal use only. We may want to contact you to publish your comment (not your e-mail address) in the newspaper or for a separate story idea.