After Thanksgiving in Richfield, Janell stayed the rest of the weekend with us in Park City. Evie and I worked in the Salt Lake Temple on Saturday during the day, which gave the Janell the chance to spend most of the day checking out things on Temple Square, including the new exhibits in the Church History Museum. I hope she enjoyed it, since I pretty much planned it for her (and since that is what I would have wanted to do).
That evening we went back to Temple Square to see the lights.
They were turned on the prior evening on Friday and, since this was its first weekend, it was crowded, but still spectacular.
By the reflecting pool with the Nativity east of the Temple
Along the sidewalk by the Church Office Building the light displays reflect different cultures. Here are luminarios. That is a special display for Janell and me, since my mother (Fern) was rather famous in Nampa for decorating our lawn with luminarios and in fact I think she won some award one year for them.
Just another picture in the crowd
It is overwhelming to even try to capture pictures of the lights (especially if, like me, you're not really into that sort of thing), but I thought this picture of the Assembly Hall was nice.
The next morning (since I planned this) I took Janell to the airport by way of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcast. This was even better than I had hoped, since the broadcast was still in the Tabernacle. In December they are in the Conference Center to accommodate larger crowds. I enjoy hearing the choir in the Tabernacle, since it is absolutely "unplugged" in a hall with great acoustics. There are mikes all around, but those are for recording not amplification; what you hear is what is coming directly out of the choir's mouths, the organ's pipes and the orchestra's instruments - there's nothing electronic between you and the sound. The only amplification is acoustics in the hall.
Check out this program! Handel/Messiah, Mendelssohn, Bach (an organ solo the organist had to do over after the broadcast because someone in the choir coughed - we got to hear it twice), "Lo, How a Rose" - a pretty Christmas carol that isn't done all that much, but Janell and I remember our mom doing that with one of her ward choirs for a Christmas program. The last one you really need to listen to once it is available online - it is the Choir's version of the Christmas round "Christmas is Coming."
In this picture of the orchestra below note that there is a harpsichord. It was played by Richard Elliot (the Choir's principal organist) for "And the Glory of the Lord." I guess the choir is into authenticity now.
After the broadcast the choir stayed to rehearse for the upcoming First Presidency's devotional and, since we had awhile before Janell's flight, we stayed and listened. It was interesting. Wilberg wore a mike headset that was amplified so everyone in the choir (along with everyone in the hall) could hear his comments. The orchestra was gone, so he would sometimes stand at the piano and bang out the orchestral accompaniment while directing. I'm not sure what I expected, but he was respectful of the choir, but also very demanding and frank.
Sometime ago I happened to be listening to rehearsal after a broadcast where the choir was rehearsing for a summer concert with James Taylor. I suppose it was because there may be some syncopation in Taylor's folk songs that may be hard for the choir, but Wilberg had the choir clapping and counting out the music (yes - "one ee and ah" - just like in book one of your piano lessons).
The following is a clip of the choir rehearsing "For Unto Us a Child is Born" from the Messiah (which I would think this choir would know very, very well). If you look closely (because the video isn't that good) Wilberg has the choir members clapping out the beat on their chests or thighs. I suppose even for the Tabernacle Choir it still is about getting the basics right.
