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By Robb Cundick
Pictures by Debra Gehris
About
every two years the Mormon Tabernacle Choir leaves Salt Lake
City for a major tour. Two
years ago I wrote about our travels throughout the Southern United
States. It seems such
a short time ago, but here we are on the road again – this time
balancing things out with a visit to the Northeast. This tour marks the beginning of the 75th year
since the first broadcast of “Music and the Spoken Word;” and
is thus being billed as our 75th Anniversary Tour. Just a few weeks ago we were focused on recording an album. When we finally turned to extra rehearsals
for the tour, I wondered if we had allowed enough time to prepare. But things came together surprisingly quickly,
which indicates how much the Choir has progressed: what used
to take months is now taking weeks. It’s
a good thing because our schedule just gets busier every year. (Have I said that before?)
It
took three charter planes to transport the 335 Choir members
able to get away, a 25-piece woodwind, brass and percussion ensemble
from the Orchestra at Temple Square, two conductors, two Tabernacle
Organists and an entourage of spouses and guests from Utah to
Grand Rapids, Michigan, site of our second concert. Our second concert? Yes, the
first was to be at Interlochen Center for the Arts, 135 miles
to the north, which made for an unusually hectic first day. The
flights left Salt Lake City at 4:30, 5:30, and 6:30 AM ...well
that’s when they were supposed to leave, but each was delayed
an hour or so, creating immediate headaches for those trying
to keep things on schedule. Choir Administrative Manager Barry Anderson
said this was the day he had feared the most. He
said if we could make it through this one, everything else would
be “a piece of cake.” (That
might be a dangerous thing to say – hopefully he won’t later
regret that statement!).
Upon
arrival at Grand Rapids we were bussed to the Amway Grand Hotel,
where a Choir of local Latter-day Saints greeted us with a sign
reading, “Welcome to the Center of Zion” whilst singing the hymn, “Beautiful
Zion.” The warm, spiritual welcome was touching and
we wished we could have lingered to visit but were hurried on
to lunch, made a brief visit to our rooms and then headed to
the buses for a 2 ½ hour ride to Interlochen.
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Local
LDS Choir welcomes us at Grand Rapids.
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Interlochen
is one of the nation’s most prestigious arts camps. Founded in 1928, it has provided summer training for generations
of young musicians, actors, artists and writers. Set amidst forests and lakes in beautiful northern Michigan, Brother
Anderson described it as a kind of “Camp Steiner for Music” (Camp
Steiner is a Boy Scout camp in Utah’s Uintah Mountains). When we stepped from the buses and walked
to the performance pavilion, we passed cabins that were indeed
rustic but did have electricity.
As
we waited for rehearsal, the wind blew from a lake behind the
pavilion. Called Green Lake, it made for a scenic backdrop,
and the breeze was a welcome relief from the heavy, humid air
we westerners are so unaccustomed to. But
within the shelter of the pavilion the air became stagnant and
heat from the bright lights added further discomfort. So
we were very happy when Director Craig Jessop said we could take
off our coats for the performance. (I
don’t remember that ever happening before).
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Catching
a snooze during the long first day.
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As
I took a first look at the stage I was struck by a saying written
in large letters on the back wall: “Dedicated
To The Promotion Of World Friendship Through The Universal Language
Of The Arts.” Surely few groups better embody the spirit
of that saying than the Mormon Tabernacle Choir; I knew immediately
that we would feel at home here. The
shell of the stage focused sound like the center of a loudspeaker,
slanting outwards into the open-sided pavilion where large orange-painted
steel beams supported a wooden ceiling, excellent for reflecting
sound. Windows behind our risers looked out upon Green Lake; an idyllic
setting in which to perform and listen. When
we later reentered for the performance we were delighted to see
the seats almost completely filled; nearly 4,000 were in attendance.
Opening Night
Some
feelings of uncertainty seem inevitable before the first concert
of a tour. Prior to leaving
Utah there was only one opportunity to run through the complete
program. We were to memorize everything and now came
the moment of truth. Faulty
memory can play amusing tricks on the choir. For
example, at the beginning of “Shenandoah” the words are, “O Shenandoah,
I love to hear you.” But
many forget and sing, “I love to see you.” What comes out, then, is “I love to sear you.” Another test is, “America, the Beautiful” where the first verse
goes, “God shed His
grace on thee” while the second is “God mend thine
every flaw.” If everyone
isn’t on their toes some will repeat that first phrase the second
time ‘round so it sounds like, “God shmend thine
every flaw.” My all-time
favorite, though, is “All People That On Earth Do Dwell,” which
we memorized for our European tour in 1991. There
is a phrase, “we are His flock” which is followed shortly by “and
for His sheep He doth
us take.” If you lose focus one little bit, it is just
too tempting to sing, “we are his sheep” for the first phrase. What comes out? “We are his schlock(!)”
Fortunately,
this time our memories performed pretty well and I don’t think
any slip-ups were glaring. But
what became immediately apparent was what a fast-paced, dynamic
program Drs. Jessop and Wilberg had brought to bear. Craig
and Mack had commented earlier that they felt the outdoor venues
made it necessary to include a greater number of vigorous and
rousing pieces than usual. Each set ended with a piece that might normally
be a concert closer, such as Mack’s arrangements of “Come Thou
Fount of Every Blessing,” and “Cindy,” Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Glory,” and
a rousing medley of George M. Cohan pieces including, “I’m a
Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “Give My Regards to Broadway,” and “You’re
a Grand Old Flag.” Even “Battle Hymn of the Republic” was shifted
from its usual place as the first encore into the body of the
program.
The
crowd warmed quickly and were obviously having a terrific time. Performing outdoors brought along a few uninvited
guests: birds chirping throughout the concert and bugs flying
around below the bright stage lights. At
one point one landed on Mack Wilberg’s nose and refused to respond
to a quick swat. When
he began to sting, Mack was forced to reach up and take more
forceful action, but he did it without missing a beat and everything
proceeded smoothly.
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Stage at Interlochen (note the saying on the back wall). |
For
me, the most fun piece of the concert was an African carol Mack
first introduced in his days with the BYU Men’s Chorus, “Betelehemu.” Like “Cindy,” it
generates additional excitement with clapping, but also employs
a variety of percussion instruments played by members of the
Orchestra. Much to our
delight, even Tabernacle Organist Rick Elliott joins in, shaking
a huge gourd. But most unexpected to the audience is a gentle
two-step left/right sway by the Choir. A
Choir member’s spouse commented that even though she knew it
was coming, when the Choir suddenly broke into that unified sway
the effect was breathtaking – it almost made one dizzy as the
whole stage seemed to move.
Early
attempts at this piece were sometimes comical. An
observer at a rehearsal said one person in front just couldn’t
seem to get it right. When
the Choir swayed right, they swayed left; when our clapping motions
moved up, theirs went down. Clapping
in threes while swaying in twos was indeed really hard it first – like
trying to simultaneously rub your tummy and pat your head. At
one point, Mack even took a few people aside and gave individualized
lessons, but the effort needed to get it right really paid off
in this sure-fire crowd pleaser. I
only wish I could sit out front once and see it myself!
There
were numerous standing ovations at the end, but most gratifying
was to hear random comments and talk to people as we headed back
to the buses. I chatted with a family who had enjoyed our
recordings for years but couldn’t get over how much more exciting
it was to hear us live. One man told a Choir member he had been
attending concerts at Interlochen for years and had never enjoyed
anything that much. An elderly woman exclaimed that it had been
the greatest experience of her life. An
executive for a northern Michigan radio station told Craig Jessop
he had not seen anything so powerful in 25 years of broadcasting
and attending concerts.
Grand Rapids
We
couldn’t have asked for a better start, but after the return
bus ride to Grand Rapids (arriving after 1 AM) we were very glad
there was nothing scheduled the next day until 3:30 in the afternoon,
allowing an opportunity to sleep in and do a bit of sightseeing. My
roommate Dave Jackman and I joined many Choir members on an excursion
to the Frederick Meijer Botanical Garden, which featured large
tropical and desert greenhouses, a display of carnivorous plants,
and an outdoor sculpture garden. A highlight was a 24-foot-high figure of a
horse after a design originated (but never completed) by Leonardo
Da Vinci. (Mr. Meijer, a wealthy retailer, financed the project,
a duplicate of which resides in Milan, Italy.) At
the conclusion many of us gathered in an atrium to sing “God
Be With You ‘Til We Meet Again” for a group of women from a horticulture
club who had been befriended members of our group. They
smiled and snapped pictures as we sang and some became misty-eyed. Such encounters occur regularly on tour; opportunities
to sing and make new friends are not limited to concerts.
The
original plan in Grand Rapids was to sing in DeVos Hall, which
seats 2400, but a construction project necessitated a move to
Van Andel Arena. While the arena didn’t have the acoustics
of the concert hall, the change turned out to be fortuitous because
6,000 more people were able to come (for a total of 7,800). Seated in the hall were Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel, founders
of the Amway Corporation. They
have contributed generously to the community (which explains
why many things are named after them}. Fred
Meijer, who I mentioned above, attended as well. In
fact, local Stake President Charles Stoddard, who was instrumental
in bringing the Choir to Grand Rapids, said Mr. Meijer contributed
$10,000 to help sponsor the concert because he grew up on a farm
listening to us on radio. What a matchless opportunity to gain greater
respect for the Church in an area the Choir has never visited
before.
Again,
the response was very enthusiastic. The
review in the Grand Rapids Press the next day was entitled, “Nothing
Quite Like It: Visit by Mormon Tabernacle Choir will live in
memory.” It went on to say, “Awesome. There’s no other way to describe the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir’s performance in Van Andel Arena.” Brother Jessop said Mr. De Vos was nearly overcome with emotion
after the performance.
On to Kirtland
Next
morning called for an early breakfast (5:30 AM) and originally
would have continued with travel to Toronto, Canada for an evening
concert. Unfortunately, due to lingering concerns about
the SARS outbreak, this concert was cancelled just before the
tour. (We hope we’ll be able to return to Toronto in the not-too-distant
future.) But this turn of events also brought a fabulous
opportunity for the Choir: a
stopover in Kirtland, Ohio, site of the Kirtland Temple and the
newly-rebuilt historic buildings we have been hearing so much
about.
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Listening
to a presentation at the N. K. Whitney store.
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We
arrived to find the couple and sister missionaries well-organized
and prepared for us as we divided into smaller groups and toured
the visitors center, the Newel K. Whitney store, and the rebuilt
saw mill and ashery. However nothing could compare with our experience in the Kirtland
Temple, which we visited in two groups. Each
group had the opportunity enter the temple, sit within the enclosed
pews and listen to a presentation by a smiling and very gracious
host from the Community of Christ (which now owns it), Lauchlan
McKay. I asked him what had happened to the temple
between the time the Saints left for Missouri and 1870, when
the Community of Christ (formerly RLDS) took possession it. I
learned that for a number of years it fell into disrepair. Only the generosity of a wealthy gentleman,
who paid for installation of a new roof, saved it from succumbing
to the elements. How
grateful I felt that this historic gem has been preserved. While
it may not serve as a temple as we know them today, it is still
a very sacred place.
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Choir
members wait in front of the Kirtland Temple.
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While
the interior was smaller than I expected, its resemblance to
the assembly room of the Nauvoo Temple was remarkable. One
could sense that it was built by people who did not possess great
means, but who did their best to make it special. Seeing
it in person made me appreciate their sacrifice all the more;
and I also realized how intimate those extraordinary experiences
such as the temple’s dedication must have been. To
think of the Prophet Joseph, his father, and other early leaders
sitting so near that you could look up into their eyes, and then
to reflect on the occasions when heavenly visitors (including
the Savior himself) appeared, was intensely moving.
And
then came an experience of the present that we’ll remember all
our lives: just one day short of a year from singing at the dedication
of the Nauvoo Temple, the Choir, under the direction of Brother
Jessop and with Brother Wilberg at the piano, sang Mack’s stirring
arrangement of “The Spirit of God Like a Fire Is Burning,” the
incomparable hymn composed especially for the Kirtland Temple’s
dedication. Choir member
Jim Shumway sang the solo first verse for our group. He
sang with great feeling yet somehow managed to maintain his composure;
and we are indebted to him, for eyes were moist and noses sniffling
and emotions flowing freely. The
rest of us would surely have found it difficult to sing had Jim
not been so stalwart. Like
the Nauvoo dedication, this experience just grows sweeter as
we have more opportunity to reflect upon it. Our
Community of Christ friends also seemed very moved by it.
We
were reluctant to leave but still had to make it to Buffalo,
New York that day. Friday was one of the few days with nothing
scheduled. Choir members
scattered for visits to nearby Niagara Falls, movies, plays,
a AAA-league baseball game ...you name it. (Some of the “golf
fiends” seem to find time for 18 holes no matter where we go!) Saturday
we were up early and “back to work,” heading 75 miles south to
sing at Chautauqua.
Welcome to Chautauqua!
Imagine
BYU Education Week, but including a number of religious denominations
and set in a village of Victorian homes that have been kept in
immaculate condition since the 1800's. The
area is wooded and borders a picturesque lake. Early
visitors arrived by steamboat where there is now a beautiful
bell tower that sits on a little peninsula. The
religious commitment of the its founders is illustrated by a
little park along the edge of the lake that models the holy land;
from the Dead Sea in the south, following the Jordan river northward
to the Sea of Galilee and continuing all the way to the heights
of Mount Hebron (Lake Chautauqua represents the Mediterranean
Sea). Such is the setting
of Chautauqua, a peaceful place where we found ourselves frequently
exclaiming, “I’d love to come back here with my wife/family!”
Each
summer Chautauqua sponsors a “festival for the mind and body.” People come from far and wide to spend days
to weeks enjoying the beautiful surroundings and being enlightened
by classes and lectures by day and concerts, theatre, ballet
and opera at night. Prominent ministers, rabbis, politicians,
entertainers and ensembles of all sorts are scheduled throughout
the summer.
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Choir
member Carol Leishman visits with friendly Chautauquans.
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Here
was an audience of seekers, inviting the best that civilized
society has to offer, and thrilled to have the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir join them. From the moment we emerged from the buses
we received warm greetings and smiles wherever we went. Many of the homes are owned by religious organizations, and some
had signs that read, “Welcome, Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Restrooms available here!” (That’s always
a welcome sight when you’re with the Choir!). As
we neared the performance site, an enterprising 11-year old boy
named Tom shouted, “Get your copies of ‘The Chautauquan Daily’ here! Help send me to college!” As soon as we saw the headline, “Mormon Tabernacle
Choir returns to Chautauqua” below a half-page picture of the
Choir, we mobbed him! He
had to send an associate for more papers.
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Alto
Carol Weibel points out Chautauquan hospitality.
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This
was the only venue where both an afternoon matinee and evening
concert were scheduled. The
institute had insisted upon it; and when we saw lines of people
forming as we rehearsed we began to understand why. Again
we sang in a covered pavilion with open-air sides, this one a
little larger than Interlochen’s hall. Once
more there were great acoustics; and also the terrific bonus
of a well-maintained pipe organ, which meant we didn’t need to
set up the electronic one that travels with us. One
of the ushers said with pride that a new set of 32-foot reeds
had been installed recently. Tabernacle Organist Rick Elliott told me the
man who financed the new reeds flew with his entire family from
California just to hear our concert. We
taped the weekly “Music and the Spoken Word” as part of the matinee
and Rick played a rousing rendition of the “Washington Post March” for
the organ solo and featured the new pipes.
For
the matinee, the weather was perfect: probably somewhere in the
70's with a nice breeze. The
pavilion was filled, with some even sitting in the sun on outside
bleachers. As the newspaper stated, this was not the Choir’s first visit to
Chautauqua; our predecessors had come in 1967. In
fact, there are two current members who sang then (they joined
at a young age and left for several years before returning),
and a number in the audience were there, too.
The
response of yet another enthusiastic audience had to be muted
for a while during the portion of the program where we recorded
the weekly broadcast, and you could tell it was difficult for
them to sit on their hands. When the segment ended they erupted at once
in a great outpouring of shouts and applause. At
the close of the concert someone yelled, “Don’t wait 30 years
to come again!”
Between
concerts we were free to wander the grounds, where we ate dinner
in a tent by the lake. As
if we didn’t feel welcome enough already, during dinner a woman
in the bell tower surprised us by playing, “Come, Come, Ye Saints.” Rick
Elliott told me he and John Longhurst had run into her when they
were making preparations the previous day. She
asked if there was something she could play that would be of
special significance to us. They
replied almost in unison, “Come, Come, Ye Saints!” Unfortunately
they didn’t have a hymnal and Rick ended up hastily writing it
out for her, hand-lining the music staffs on a piece of plain
paper.
Before
the evening concert, the lines reached back for 3 blocks. The weather was again delightful, with birds chirping in the background. Every
seat was filled, including the outdoor bleachers. As
we entered the stage, ushers smiled and said, “Chautauqua loves
you!” At the close of the concert people couldn’t
seem to applaud enough so they started stomping on the floor. We later learned that both the 3 block lines
and foot stomping were unprecedented. Attendance
at the two concerts totaled over 11,500 people, and many others
listened from the balconies of surrounding homes. President Mac Christensen said that already
we have sung for nearly as many people as we did for the entire
Southern States tour. As
we walked back to the busses, people called from the balconies, “You
were fantastic! We loved it!”
Next
morning we headed for New Jersey, with stopovers in Palmyra and
Fayette, but I’ll save that for part two!
To
Be Continued...
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