Songs in the South, Part Three
by Robb Cundick

A journal of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s Southern States Tour concludes.

Craig Jessop rehearses the orchestra ensemble.

It is late night on Day Nine. We arrived in Tampa yesterday after another full day on the bus. This morning we took a bus tour but it rained on and off, fogging the windows so we couldn’t see much. The rain is welcome here because there’s been a drought.

Tonight’s concert was at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. It was an especially intimate place to perform. The risers extended from the front of the stage out into the hall so we were so close enough to see people’s expressions. They were obviously enjoying themselves, and having that feedback added to our energy and enthusiasm. How did it go? I am running out of adjectives. Have I used “superb” yet? “Stunning”? How about a simple “6 for 6”?

Meeting the Audience
As described at the end of Part II, many in the Choir greet the audiences after each performance. We are encouraged to do so if we feel so prompted, and even before the concert began, I felt this was a night I should make a special effort.

I went to the front of the building to smile, wave, chat with those who wanted to, and thank them for coming. Armed with two CD’s, I intended to look for people who might be especially touched to receive them. I gave the first to an elderly woman I thought was probably a member of the Church. She was overwhelmed; “Now I think you are going to make me cry,” she said. This time it was I who initiated an affectionate hug.

Members of the orchestra ensemble.

My second CD was Brahms’ Requiem. I felt it would be most appreciated by someone who loved classical music and I wanted to share it with a person not of our faith. A couple came by who were smiling broadly. Something told me these were the people I was looking for. After thanking them for coming I gave them the recording. They were very surprised and could not believe it was a gift; they wanted to pay me for it. When I refused, I could tell they were moved and honored that I would want to do this. What a joyous feeling this gave me! I later heard the man tell someone, “We’re from Saint Mary’s Catholic Church. My wife is the organist there.” Just the kind of people I had in mind!

Choir Accompaniments
I have neglected too long to praise the ensemble from the Orchestra at Temple Square. The magnificent brass, woodwind, and percussion sections have added exciting new spices to the menu. [I wish it had been possible to bring the entire orchestra, but those who stayed behind haven’t been on “vacation.” Under the direction of Barlow Bradford they have presented concerts for the tourists who normally attend our rehearsals and broadcasts at home.]

Our three world-class organists, John Longhurst, Clay Christiansen, and Richard Elliott add even more seasoning to the bill of fare. They take turns at the organ and synthesizer, sometimes pairing for four hand accompaniments.

John Longhurst and Clay Christiansen at the synthesizer.

This tour has featured the first use of hand bells and chimes; they are employed in the opening and closing numbers. Spread throughout the Choir, their pure ring blends with human voices to create an otherworldly effect, lifting us toward the gates of heaven. It provides a boost much like the catapult used to launch a jet from an aircraft carrier. Once airborne, we are free to soar on spiritual breezes for the rest of the concert.

Singing Under Dr. Wilberg
In Part II I talked about singing under Craig Jessop. Now it is Mack Wilberg’s turn. In Mack I find similarities to my Father (former Tabernacle Organist Robert Cundick). First, he is a quiet man; yet his music speaks so much more than could be communicated by mere words. His stirring arrangements have brought the Choir’s hymn singing to a new level of spirituality, and his compositions and arrangements of folk tunes are masterful as well. I also sense a second similarity to Dad: he would rather not perform before an audience. It is only his great love of music that motivates him to do so. As he steps from the conductor’s podium to acknowledge the applause, he gets his own bows over quickly so he can turn and switch the focus to Choir and Orchestra. [Dad used to bow and then quickly hide behind the organ – I think Mack would love to do the same.]

Mack seems to occupy a tighter space on the podium. He communicates much through changes of posture – rising and sometimes appearing to swell when asking more of us. He is subtler than Craig in facial expression. As one Choir member put it, “We sing for Mack’s smiles, and we sing because of Craig’s.” Great choral singing requires constant, vigilant focus; if we relax for a second our pitch can sag or our unity dispel. Whether he calculates it or not, the suspense created by Mack’s spare use of smiles and nods insures that we maintain our concentration.

Mack is a master at demonstrating bad examples. I wish every Ward Choir in the Church could spend an hour with him. At rehearsals his mimicry cuts straight to the point, making us laugh at ourselves while illustrating how a musical passage can turn into a caricature of itself when sung improperly. [Ward Choirs, take heart – even the Tabernacle Choir has to be constantly reminded of bad habits; it is surprising how often the principles must be repeated. Like the golfer constantly being told, “keep your head down,” some reflex vocal tendencies cannot be overcome without constant attention.]

One last line: checking in at Miami Airport.

On to Orlando
Now we have come to the end of Day Twelve (Tuesday) and there is much more to tell. Before leaving Tampa Sunday we held Sacrament Meeting at the hotel. Several meaningful messages were given. I hate to leave anyone out, but what is most relevant to my narrative was a talk given by one of our choir sisters about her grandfather’s missionary journal.

Before the tour she discovered he had served in Tampa in 1898. Over a sixteen-day period he and his companion did everything they could to convince the mayor to grant permission to preach. They fasted for eight of those days and made repeated visits, but he was obdurate in his prejudice. Sadly, they were forced to give up and the journal concluded, “The time has not yet come to open Tampa.” Now, a hundred and three years later, this sister was carrying forward the missionary work of her grandfather!

Choir members visit with fellow Saints after Orlando Fireside.

After traveling to Orlando, the choir divided into three groups, each presenting a fireside on Sunday evening. My group went to a downtown stake center. A throng of faithful Saints awaited us. We had no time to rehearse the hymns we planned to sing, but our experiences with the Sunday broadcasts have given us the ability to pull things together quickly. Armed only with hymnals from the Chapel and an instruction sheet telling how we would vary each verse we were able to present a beautiful performance.

Four choir members gave talks illustrative of our myriad backgrounds and experiences. One said, “Much of my memorization for the tour took place over forty years ago. As a boy growing up in Casper, Wyoming, I listened to recordings of the choir singing many of these songs.” A sister spoke of feeling drawn to a young woman in the audience when we sang in St. Petersburg, Russia. They met and embraced after the concert. Though unable to speak each other’s language, they knew their spirits had connected. The young woman later joined the church. Though it has been 10 years, they have kept in touch.

The crowning moment of the fireside came when we sang the well-known Spencer Cornwall arrangement of, “Come, Come, Ye Saints.” No matter where in the world we go, this is the piece that immediately draws us together as fellow Latter-day Saints. As we left the chapel with smiles, hugs and handshakes, we felt at one with these wonderful people. It’s unfortunate there wasn’t enough time to do this in every city.

Our fierce Second Sopranos show why they are a force to be reckoned
with (at Disney Epcot Center).

Singing at Cinderella’s Place
Yesterday (Monday) morning the choir was divided in half and each performed a short concert in front of Cinderella’s castle at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. I felt very out of place as we made our way through crowds of casually dressed tourists, walking in two long columns – the women in long fuchsia gowns and the men in black suits (magnets for the hot sun). Both groups met at the castle long enough for a picture [sorry I couldn’t duck out and snap one]. We felt sorry for the orchestra members, who had to get up at 5:30 to be there for a sound check and accompanied both concerts.

The evening concert in Bob Carr Performing Arts Center was yet another high point of the tour. As I started to sing it seemed like I had “extra tools in the bag.” My voice had more range; the most challenging passages came almost effortlessly. It seemed others around me felt the same way and I could tell Craig was aware of it because he asked for even more at places we would normally peak. As he later put it: “First I thought Atlanta was the high point. But then there was Tampa. and then Orlando!” The audience was the most enthusiastic yet. The concert was a complete sellout and there were two prolonged standing ovations.

The previous paragraph is starting to sound like a broken record and I fear I may start to bore you. Words are simply inadequate to communicate the transcendent nature of these concerts. Maybe you will understand a little better when I tell you why at this moment I am in my hotel writing this story rather then enjoying the climactic light and fireworks show at Disney’s Epcot Center.

Today was our only completely free day of the tour; nothing scheduled from dawn to dusk. People went in all directions: the Orlando Temple, Kennedy Space Center, various Disney Parks, golfing; one fellow even told me of plans to visit an orchid grower. Tom Porter and I decided to spend the day at Epcot. It was fun to run into fellow choir members waiting in a line or shopping for things to take home to their families.

But as the day grew long and I began to tire, I realized I really had no desire to stay late and see the grand finale. Over the past 12 days I have had some of the most intense spiritual highs I will experience in life. There is one more to look forward to: tomorrow night in Miami. Epcot’s greatest pales in comparison, and that is why I am here writing and resting up for Miami.

There is an additional reason I’m reflective. Yesterday at dinner President Christensen said, “For some reason the word ‘caution’ has popped into my mind. I want to urge you all to be careful.” That incident now seems like a premonition, because this morning at breakfast we were shocked and saddened to learn that one of our brothers lost his son in a drowning accident at Lake Powell. This man also has a brother in the choir, and they have both left to return to Utah. They have been in our thoughts and prayers all day.

The Real Grand Finale: Miami
It is day fourteen (Thursday) – the last day of the tour. As I write I am sitting on the bus waiting to leave for Miami Airport. Yesterday was another of the busiest days, with travel from Orlando, hotel check in, rehearsal, dinner and concert all tightly scheduled.

Unsung Heroes
The concert hall was near our hotel. This gave me an opportunity to go to rehearsal early and witness the technical preparations. People were busily positioning lights and working on the sound system. Ear-splitting “pink noise” was being played through the speakers in order to set the proper frequency response. The organ technicians were positioning its speakers and adjusting its sound.

Sound engineer Lynn Robinson consults with Mack Wilberg.

Here were the unsung heroes who have worked out of sight, early mornings and late at night. Sound engineer Glen Glancy told me it takes all the time they can squeeze in from the moment they arrive to get everything right. Lynn Robinson, sound engineer for the weekly “Music and the Spoken Word” has handled mixing of sound in the halls and Chris Acton managed onstage audio. Lorin Morse has been our lighting specialist.

Wolfgang Zeisler has been overall stage manager for the tour. Alex Morris and his son Alex Jr. are stage managers for the orchestra. [Alex serves the same function for the Utah Symphony, as did his father and grandfather. Alex Jr. now carries it to the fourth generation.] ‘Alex and Alex’ have performed the yeoman’s share of labor in packing, unpacking, loading and unloading the large percussion instruments. The Choir’s Stage Manager is Jim Turner. Invariably there are last minute changes to the seating configurations in the different halls, and Jim has always been ready with up-to-the-minute seating charts when we arrive at rehearsal.

It was interesting to talk to Mark Anderson from Rodgers Organ Company. He and assistants Jeff Hansen and Jeff Eehlers – all based in Idaho Falls – have traveled with us to set up and adjust the organ in every hall. They even brought a second organ console to be safe (in the end it was not needed). Digital organ technology has made great strides in recent years and this organ contained the latest advances. Entire ranks of the organ and even individual notes could be adjusted to suit each hall. While it is still no pipe organ, the instrument has been the best available compromise for traveling. Mark said it takes about an hour to adjust the organ to a new building, but they must also set up 36 speakers, including 4 subwoofers for the low bass sounds.

Thanks, Ryder!
At the rehearsal we were addressed by local Stake President Tony Burns, who said he and his wife have looked forward to this day for 27 years. Chairman of Ryder Truck, President Burns has played the central role in bringing the choir to Miami. He underwrote the concert and made sure the large hall was filled with an enthusiastic audience – the great majority of whom were not members of the Church. Ryder Truck also donated the semi-trailer trucks that transported our equipment.

Before the concert I was pleased and surprised when Gina Paz and Laura Madeira of Plantation, Florida, came up to introduce themselves. They are Meridian readers who have eagerly followed these articles in anticipation of our arrival in Miami. [Hi, Gina and Laura – in making the effort to find me you earned cameos in the story!]

After 7 straight successful concerts there is no way the choir was going to let down for this one. The largeness of the hall made for more difficult acoustical conditions, but the more than 3000 in attendance did not seem to care at all. Though we were unable to see their faces, I felt this was another of those concerts where we connected particularly well with the audience. The ovations were again exuberant; it was in every way a fitting climax to the tour.

There are probably as many feelings about what is the best part of each concert as there are members of the Tabernacle Choir. For me, the most poignant moment in Miami was not a rousing climax but an instant of worshipful stillness. The subtle, O Magnum Mysterium is written to a Latin text expressing how great the miracle that the Savior’s birth took place in a stable among humble animals. Just as we entered one of its most delicate passages I caught a glimpse of the divine. Standing on a brightly lit stage in Miami, I suddenly felt as if I was looking into that Bethlehem stable, reverently watching Mother and Child, ox, ass and sheep. I’m not one to become easily emotional, but that thought brought tears to my eyes.

Afterwards I talked to Gina again and was gladdened when, with great emotion, she confirmed I have not exaggerated the impact of these concerts. Much of the choir lingered long, talking to audience members and to one another. One does not want to let go of such experiences – they are the bread of life.

This luggage tag has seen quite a few hotel rooms!

Reflections
And so we have finally come to the end of our journey. It is unfortunate I can only relate that which my own eyes, ears and heart have experienced. If I were able to see into the souls of all who witnessed this glorious two weeks there would undoubtedly be stories to tell that are more impressive than mine. But this brings up an important point.

Isaiah 52:2 says, “.he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” This is also true of the Tabernacle Choir; pick any of the twelve busloads of people on this tour and take a walk down the isle. You’ll find we’re a pretty ordinary looking bunch. On our own we are unremarkable, but joined together in the glorious cause of our Savior Jesus Christ we become a body unique in the world; one that can sometimes transcend the boundaries of earth and offer a glimpse through the windows of heaven.

Remember President Hinckley’s quote of the author who compared life to a train ride? Life is also like a Tabernacle Choir tour. We have traveled over 2000 miles in 13 days – most of the time sitting on a bus, hauling luggage about, waiting to check in to the hotel, waiting for the elevator, waiting for the elevator .and waiting, .and waiting, sleeping, eating, walking, rehearsing – all kinds of ordinary, mundane activities. But those glimpses through the windows of heaven are what have made it all worthwhile. As I review my narrative I realize how important it is to record and remember the rare, precious moments that make life meaningful. Thank you, dear readers, for coming along!