April 1979 General Conference Music

Mar 31–Apr 1, 1979

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, Mar 31, 1979, 10:00 AM

Saturday Afternoon Session
Saturday, Mar 31, 1979, 2:00 PM

Sunday Morning Session
Sunday, Apr 1, 1979, 10:00 AM

Sunday Afternoon Session
Sunday, Apr 1, 1979, 2:00 PM

Other Sessions

General Welfare Session
Saturday, Mar 31, 1979, 7:00 AM

General Priesthood Meeting
Saturday, Mar 31, 1979, 7:00 PM

Summary of Conference Music

The Salt Lake Tabernacle Choir furnished the choral numbers for the Saturday morning, Sunday morning, and Sunday afternoon sessions of the Conference, with Jerold D. Ottley, and Donald H. Ripplinger, conducting.

A combined chorus from Brigham Young University provided the music for the Saturday afternoon session, under the direction of Ralph Woodward.

At the General Priesthood Meeting, a combined chorus from the Tabernacle Choir and Mormon Youth Chorus furnished the music, directed by Robert C. Bowden, and Donald H. Ripplinger.

Prelude, postlude, and interlude music, and accompaniments on the Tabernacle organ throughout the conference sessions, were played by Robert Cundick, Roy Darley, or John Longhurst, Tabernacle Organists.


From the April 1979 Conference Report booklet


General Welfare Session(Return to top) Download Stream Online
From the May 1979 Ensign — Under the direction of Donald H. Ripplinger, with Roy M. Darley as organist, the congregation sang three hymns: “Now Let Us Rejoice” (Hymns, no. 118), “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet” (Hymns, no. 196), and “Let Us All Press On” (Hymns, no. 98).

Now Let Us Rejoice (Congregational)

Artist: Congregation

Words: William W. Phelps

Music: Henry Tucker

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

Artist: Congregation

Words: William Fowler

Music: Caroline E. Sheridan Norton

Let Us All Press On (Congregational)

Artist: Congregation

Words: Evan Stephens

Music: Evan Stephens

Saturday Morning Session(Return to top) Download Stream Online
From the May 1979 Ensign — The Salt Lake Mormon Tabernacle Choir, directed by Jerold Ottley, with organist Robert Cundick, sang “Glory to God on High” (Hymns, no. 44), “Send Forth Thy Spirit” by Schuetky/Stevens (C. C. Birchard), “Sing Unto God” by Handel (C. Fischer), “How Gentle God’s Commands” (Hymns, no. 67), “What Was Witnessed in the Heavens?” (Hymns, no. 299), “Still, Still with Thee” by Shelley/Stowe (Lorenz), “The Lord’s Prayer” by Malotte (G. Schirmer), and “Sing Praise to Him” (Hymns, no. 158). The congregation sang “I Stand All Amazed” (Hymns, no. 80).

Glory to God on High

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: James Allen

Music: Felice de Giardini

Send Forth Thy Spirit

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Unknown

Music: Joseph Schuetky

Trans.: Arthur Hilton (from Latin)

Sing Unto God

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Thomas Morell

Music: George Frideric Handel

How Gentle God’s Commands

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Philip Doddridge

Music: Hans Georg Nägeli

What Was Witnessed in the Heavens?

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: John S. Davis

Music: Evan Stephens

I Stand All Amazed (Congregational)

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Charles H. Gabriel

Music: Charles H. Gabriel

Still, Still with Thee

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Harriet Beecher Stowe

Music: Harry Shelley

The Lord’s Prayer

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Albert Hay Malotte

Music: Albert Hay Malotte

Sing Praise to Him

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Johann J. Schütz

Music: Bohemian Brethren’s Songbook

Saturday Afternoon Session(Return to top) Download Stream Online
From the May 1979 Ensign — The Brigham Young University Combined Chorus, directed by Ralph Woodward, with organist Roy M. Darley, sang “Sweet is the Work” arranged by Woodward (manuscript—not available), “Ye Servants of God” by Malin (Belwin-Mills), and “The Spirit of God” arranged by J. J. Keeler (manuscript—not available). The congregation sang “Redeemer of Israel” (Hymns, no. 195).

Sweet is the Work

Artist: Combined choir from BYU

Words: Isaac Watts

Music: John J. McClellan

Arr.: Ralph Woodward

Ye Servants of God

Artist: Combined choir from BYU

Redeemer of Israel (Congregational)

Artist: Combined choir from BYU

Words: Joseph Swain; William W. Phelps (adapter)

Music: Repository of Sacred Music, Part Second, Wyeth, 1813; Freeman Lewis

The Spirit of God

Artist: Combined choir from BYU

Words: William W. Phelps

Music: English melody

Arr.: J. J. Keeler

General Priesthood Meeting(Return to top) Download Stream Online
From the May 1979 Ensign — The Salt Lake Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Mormon Youth Choir combined men’s choir, directed by Donald Ripplinger and Robert Bowden, with organist Roy M. Darley, sang “Open the Gates of the Temple” by Knapp (Boston Music Co.), “Come, Come, Ye Saints” (Hymns, no. 13), and “Cherubim Song” by Bortniansky (H. W. Gray Co.). The congregation sang “Come, Ye Children of the Lord” (Hymns, no. 23).

Open the Gates of the Temple

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

Words: Fanny J. Crosby

Music: Phoebe P. Knapp

Come, Come, Ye Saints

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

Words: William Clayton

Music: English folk song

Come, Ye Children of the Lord (Congregational)

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

Words: James H. Wallis

Music: Spanish melody

Cherubim Song

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

Words: Dmitri Bortniansky

Music: Dmitri Bortniansky

Sunday Morning Session(Return to top) Download Stream Online
From the May 1979 Ensign — The Salt Lake Mormon Tabernacle Choir, directed by Jerold Ottley and Donald Ripplinger, with organist John Longhurst, sang “Jehovah, Lord of Heaven and Earth” (Hymns, no. 83), “Lovely Appear” by Gounod (Chapel Anthems, General Music Committee), “How Wondrous and Great” (Hymns, no. 146), “Come Unto Jesus” (Hymns, no. 22), “Daughter of Zion” by Handel/Lundquist and arranged by Warren (E. C. Schirmer), “The Morning Breaks; the Shadows Flee” (Hymns, no. 269), “The Last Words of David” by Thompson (E. C. Schirmer), “God So Loved the World” by Stainer (Ditson), and “High on the Mountain Top” (Hymns, no. 62). The congregation sang “How Firm a Foundation” (Hymns, no. 66).

Jehovah, Lord of Heaven and Earth

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Anon.

Music: Oliver Holden

Lovely Appear

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Charles Gounod

Music: Charles Gounod

How Wondrous and Great

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Henry U. Onderdonk

Music: Joseph Martin Kraus

Come Unto Jesus

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Orson Pratt Huish

Music: Orson Pratt Huish

Daughter of Zion

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Johann Joachim Eschenburg

Music: George Frideric Handel

Arr.: B. Warren

The Morning Breaks; the Shadows Flee

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Parley P. Pratt

Music: George Careless

How Firm a Foundation (Congregational)

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Selection of Hymns, John Rippon, 1787; Robert Keen

Music: Anon.; John Ellis

The Last Words of David

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Randall Thompson

Music: Randall Thompson

God So Loved the World

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: John Stainer; William J. Sparrow Simpson

Music: John Stainer

High on the Mountain Top

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Joel H. Johnson

Music: Ebenezer Beesley

Sunday Afternoon Session(Return to top) Download Stream Online
From the May 1979 Ensign — The Salt Lake Mormon Tabernacle Choir, directed by Jerold Ottley, with organist Robert Cundick, sang “Come All Ye Saints Who Dwell on Earth” arranged by Cundick (manuscript—not available), “Hallelujah, Amen” by Handel (Ditson), “I Need Thee Every Hour” arranged by Manookin (Sonos Music Resources). The congregation sang “Oh Say, What Is Truth?” (Hymns, no. 143).

Come All Ye Saints Who Dwell on Earth

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: William W. Phelps

Music: William B. Bradbury

Arr.: Robert Cundick

Hallelujah, Amen

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Thomas Morell

Music: George Frideric Handel

Oh Say, What Is Truth? (Congregational)

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: John Jaques

Music: Ellen Knowles Melling

I Need Thee Every Hour

Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Words: Annie S. Hawks

Music: Robert Lowry

Arr.: Robert P. Manookin