October 1989 General Conference Music

Sep 30–Oct 1, 1989

Talks and media from this conference are available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org or in Gospel Library.
Streaming video is on the LDS General Conference YouTube channel.
A PDF conference report is available at Archive.org.

Regular Sessions

Saturday Morning Session
Saturday, Sep 30, 1989, 10:00 AM

Saturday Afternoon Session
Saturday, Sep 30, 1989, 2:00 PM

Sunday Morning Session
Sunday, Oct 1, 1989, 10:00 AM

Sunday Afternoon Session
Sunday, Oct 1, 1989, 2:00 PM

Other Sessions

General Women’s Meeting
Saturday, Sep 23, 1989, 6:00 PM

General Priesthood Session
Saturday, Sep 30, 1989, 6:00 PM

Summary of Conference Music

The Mormon Youth Chorus, conducted by Robert C. Bowden, furnished the choral numbers for the Saturday morning session of the conference.

Music for the Saturday afternoon session was provided by a Polynesian Choir from the Salt Lake Valley, conducted by Kuinise V. Matagi.

At the general priesthood session, music was furnished by a combined men’s choir from the Tabernacle Choir and Mormon Youth Chorus. Robert C. Bowden and Donald Ripplinger conducted the choir.

The Tabernacle Choir, conducted by Jerold Ottley and Donald Ripplinger, provided music for the Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon sessions.

Throughout the conference sessions, prelude, postlude, and interlude music and accompaniments on the Tabernacle organ were played by Robert Cundick, John Longhurst, and Clay Christiansen, Tabernacle organists.


From the October 1989 Conference Report booklet


Saturday Morning Session(Return to top) Download Stream Online
From the November 1989 Ensign — The Mormon Youth Chorus, directed by Robert C. Bowden, with organist Clay Christiansen, sang “The Lord Is My Light” by Sweney/Nicholson (Hymns, 1985, no. 89; arr. Findlay, manuscript), “Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee” by Dykes/Bernard of Clairvaux (Hymns, 1985, no. 141), “I Believe in Christ” by Longhurst/McConkie (Hymns, 1985, no. 134; arr. Turner, manuscript), “Joy in the Morning” by Sleeth (Hope Publishing Company), “True to the Faith” by Stephens (Hymns, 1985, no. 254; arr. Bowden, manuscript), and “How Great Thou Art” by Hine (Hymns, 1985, no. 86; arr. Bowden, manuscript). The congregation sang “Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel” by Thompson (Hymns, 1985, no. 252).

The Lord Is My Light

Artist: Mormon Youth Chorus

Words: James L. Nicholson

Music: John R. Sweney

Arr.: Findlay

Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee

Artist: Mormon Youth Chorus

Words: Bernard of Clairvaux

Music: John B. Dykes

I Believe in Christ

Artist: Mormon Youth Chorus

Words: Bruce R. McConkie

Music: John Longhurst

Arr.: Turner

Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel (Congregational)

Artist: Mormon Youth Chorus

Words: Will L. Thompson

Music: Will L. Thompson

Joy in the Morning

Artist: Mormon Youth Chorus

Words: Natalie W. Sleeth

Music: Natalie W. Sleeth

True to the Faith

Artist: Mormon Youth Chorus

Words: Evan Stephens

Music: Evan Stephens

Arr.: Robert C. Bowden

How Great Thou Art

Artist: Mormon Youth Chorus

Words: Carl Boberg; Stuart K. Hine (adapter)

Music: Tradititonal Swedish folk tune

Arr.: Robert C. Bowden

Saturday Afternoon Session(Return to top) Download Stream Online
From the November 1989 Ensign — The Polynesian Choir from the Salt Lake Valley, directed by Kuinise V. Matagi, with organist Clay Christiansen, sang “Joseph Smith’s First Prayer” by Pond/Smyth/Manwaring (Hymns, 1985, no. 26), “The Morning Breaks” by Careless/Pratt (Hymns, 1985, no. 1), and “Come, O Thou King of Kings,” by Pratt (Hymns, 1985, no. 59). The congregation sang “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet” by Norton/Fowler (Hymns, 1985, no. 19).

Joseph Smith’s First Prayer

Artist: Polynesian Choir from the Salt Lake Valley

Words: George Manwaring

Music: Sylvanus Billings Pond

The Morning Breaks

Artist: Polynesian Choir from the Salt Lake Valley

Words: Parley P. Pratt

Music: George Careless

We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet (Congregational)

Artist: Polynesian Choir from the Salt Lake Valley

Words: William Fowler

Music: Caroline E. Sheridan Norton

Come, O Thou King of Kings

Artist: Polynesian Choir from the Salt Lake Valley

Words: Parley P. Pratt

Music: Anon.

General Priesthood Session(Return to top) Download Stream Online
From the November 1989 Ensign — A combined men’s choir from the Tabernacle Choir and the Mormon Youth Chorus, directed by Robert C. Bowden and Donald Ripplinger, with organist John Longhurst, sang “Saints, Behold How Great Jehovah” by Lyon/Stott (Hymns, 1985, no. 28; arr. Ripplinger, Pioneer Music Press, Inc.), “Secret Prayer” by Petersen (Hymns, 1985, no. 144; arr. Ripplinger, Pioneer Music Press, Inc.), and “Pilgrims’ Chorus” by Wagner (G. Schirmer). The congregation sang “Israel, Israel, God Is Calling” by Converse/Smyth (Hymns, 1985, no. 7).

Saints, Behold How Great Jehovah

Artist: Men of the Tabernacle Choir; Men of the Mormon Youth Chorus

Words: Douglas W. Stott

Music: A. Laurence Lyon

Arr.: Donald H. Ripplinger

Secret Prayer

Artist: Men of the Tabernacle Choir; Men of the Mormon Youth Chorus

Words: Hans Henry Petersen

Music: Hans Henry Petersen

Arr.: Donald H. Ripplinger

Israel, Israel, God Is Calling (Congregational)

Artist: Men of the Tabernacle Choir; Men of the Mormon Youth Chorus

Words: Richard Smyth

Music: Charles C. Converse

Pilgrims’ Chorus

Artist: Men of the Tabernacle Choir; Men of the Mormon Youth Chorus

Words: Richard Wagner

Music: Richard Wagner

Sunday Morning Session(Return to top) Download Stream Online
From the November 1989 Ensign — The Tabernacle Choir, directed by Jerold D. Ottley, with organist Robert Cundick, sang “Jehovah, Lord of Heaven and Earth” by Holden (Hymns, 1985, no. 269), “Lord, I Would Follow Thee” by Dayley/McCloud (Hymns, 1985, no. 220), “I Sing the Greatness of Our God” by Bock/Watts (Fred Bock Music Company), “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” by Bach/Jahn (Oliver Ditson Company, Inc.), “The Lord’s Prayer” by Robertson (Galaxy Music Corporation), and “Children of Our Heavenly Father” by Sandell-Berg (Hymns, 1985, no. 299). The congregation sang “Oh Say, What Is Truth?” by Melling/Jaques (Hymns, 1985, no. 272).

Jehovah, Lord of Heaven and Earth

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Anon.

Music: Oliver Holden

Lord, I Would Follow Thee

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Susan Evans McCloud

Music: K. Newell Dayley

I Sing the Greatness of Our God

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Isaac Watts

Music: Fred Bock

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Johann Schop

Music: Johann Sebastian Bach

Oh Say, What Is Truth? (Congregational)

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: John Jaques

Music: Ellen Knowles Melling

The Lord’s Prayer

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Leroy J. Robertson

Music: Leroy J. Robertson

Children of Our Heavenly Father

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Caroline V. Sandell-Berg

Music: Traditional Swedish melody

Sunday Afternoon Session(Return to top) Download Stream Online
From the November 1989 Ensign — The Tabernacle Choir, directed by Donald Ripplinger, with organist John Longhurst, sang “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” by Luther (Hymns, 1985, no. 68), “Each Life That Touches Ours for Good” by Lyon/Davidson (Hymns, 1985, no. 293; arr. Cundick, Sonos), and “A Gaelic Blessing” by Rutter (Hinshaw Music, Inc.). The congregation sang “High on the Mountain Top” by Beesley/Johnson (Hymns, 1985, no. 5).

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Martin Luther

Music: Martin Luther

Each Life That Touches Ours for Good

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Karen Lynn Davidson

Music: A. Laurence Lyon

Arr.: Robert Cundick

High on the Mountain Top (Congregational)

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Joel H. Johnson

Music: Ebenezer Beesley

A Gaelic Blessing

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Old Gaelic rune; John Rutter

Music: John Rutter