Brandon mentioned how wonderful the closing hymn was in the recent priesthood session of general conference this year. That made want to listen to it again. (If you don’t remember it, they sang a song to the tune of Be Still My Soul, but the lyrics where words from Nephi’s Psalm.) But since the church doesn’t upload the musical numbers in mp3 and they don’t even upload the priesthood session in mp3, you would think I would settle on waiting for the CDs or DVDs to be available at www.ldscatalog.com. Well, sometime I get determined, and such was the case today that led me to find a way.
The church did upload an mp4 file of the priesthood session for ASL (American Sign Language). I downloaded the enormous file and found that the audio is all there as well – and it is the whole session! Now, I hope I didn’t do anything wrong here, but I did a search for a mp4 to mp3 converter and downloaded the first one that looked interesting. After converting the audio to mp3 format, I imported it to Audacity and extracted the closing hymn so I could listen to it over and over again.
Now, if you don’t want to go to all that trouble to hear this masterpiece. You can just download it here.
* UPDATE *
I did a search for the lyrics and found them, plus some additional information about the song. The song is titled “I Love The Lord”. The arrangement is by Ronald Staheli. The lyrics are a paraphrase of 2 Nephi 4 by John Tanner.
I Love the Lord
I love the Lord, in Him my soul delights.
Upon His word, I ponder day and night.
He’s heard my cry, brought visions to my sleep,
And kept me safe o’er deserts and the deep.
He’s filled my heart with His consuming love,
And borne me high on wings of His great dove.
Yet oft I groan, “O wretched man am I”
My flesh is weak and I’m encompassed by
A world of sin, which holds me in it’s thrall,
If I give in and to temptations fall.
Then strength grows slack, I waste in sorrow’s vale;
My peace destroyed, my enemies prevail.
Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin.
Rejoice, my heart! And let me praise again,
The Lord my God, who is my rock and stay
To keep me strict upon His straight, plain way.
Oh let me shake at the first sight of sin
And thus escape my foes without and in.
Is there a way to post this MP3 to my blog? If anyone has any bright ideas, I’d love to hear it!
And thanks for the song. Gives me instant chills every time I listen. Love it!
I always love hymns during General Conference because of the Spirit you feel.
I am a counselor in the Stake presidency and am looking for free sheet music of hymns arrangement performed during the last few general conferences (especially: Redeemer of Israel and Called to Serve, by Mack Wilberg) Our Stake choir is planning to sing them during upcoming stake conference, and I would like to know if someone can help me about where I may find these sheet music.
Thanks,
Ifano
This song from Priesthood session was published along with the CDs from general conference that year. Priesthood is included if you buy the CDs of conference. I have this and agree this is as close to angelic choir singing as I’ve experienced.
May I also add that the BYU men’s chorus did a version of “Who is He in Yonger Stall” in their Christmas concert two years ago that was equal or even better than this performance of “I Love the Lord” which is hard to imagine. It made we weep sitting in the auditorium. Each new verse they started I became more moved and conscious of the fact that I was going to lose it in front of my wife and 600 strangers.
Major applause for the BYU men’s chorus for moving hearts and souls. Please keep delivering such performances of this spirit and theme. They’re a blessing to all of us. And, of course, men’s chorus is the greatest. Also, they’re performance of “Sing Praise to Him” was wonderful in conference and introduced me for the first time to that hymn (page 70) which is astounding, yet is oft overlooked.
Here’s a link to Youtube for “Who Is He in Yonder Stall” that Darren Rollins referenced. 🙂
I have long collected conference music culled from the conference CDs and possess most of the past decade of conference music which I regularly listen to. I’m also a great lover of sacred choral music from many traditions. There have been performances of the Tabernacle Choir in conference that spoke to me as only a Tender Mercy of the Lord can.
However, this particular performance is unique — it stands alone amongst all the performances I’ve heard. It’s not just the sacred words, not just the music in it’s acappella purity, not just the voices, not just the utter precision and unity with which it was sung. It is in fact all of these things together at once as no other.
I still recall hearing this session live in a ward building far from the tabernacle. The sound was not good but it still touched me — I recall thinking it nearly rude that President Hinckley had been upstaged (if it were possible) by this choir! Strangely, I’ve enjoyed this performance for some time in my car. But it was only recently when I listened to it in silence, with good quality as I might have heard it being there that the true power was felt. You can tell in the recording the impact it had on the audience. You can hear the audience in virtually every conference performance I have — except this one. The piece has a significant amount of silence in it and when it occurs there is utter silence — what a blessing to preserve the impact for all of us now.
As someone earlier has commented, this song and arrangement has been done by the BYU Men’s Chorus before. But only this performance brought all these things together as never before or since. It could have only been the Spirit who desires that we all sing as one with perfection…
Forgive me for one final comment on this performance. There have been many Priesthood and combined choirs in conference — many of them amazing in their own way. What also strikes me about this performance is the utter confidence with which each word and phrase begins, continues and ends.
It must be terrifying for most to sing in such circumstances. Indeed it is not uncommon in hear hesitancy in some of these choir voices. But in this performance, there is no hesitancy, no fear — just utter, immediate power and confidence — as if a single force is driving every voice.
Here’s their performance posted on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FASG0h6-5XQ
Personally, I prefer to not have the visuals and to be able to focus on the lyrics and the conviction in these young men’s voices.
What’s amazing is how they hit the T at the end of “without” in “my foes without and in.”. It’s perfectly in unison. It’s stands out like a shot almost. Fantastic!!! Listen for their consonants. Of course Sister Hall wasn’t there for Priesthood, but she deserves great credit for the rehearsal for this.
Of course, if you love their music you can buy the mens chorus albums. U have and love them. Well worth every cent.
That recording is just beautiful. I am sending a link to this page to some friends who will really appreciate it.
Thank you so much for posting a link to the song. They sound simply divine.
I appreciate the effort to create an mp3 of the performance for us to enjoy. It was more than worth it.
So powerful. I would have loved to have seen it with ASL.
My church has never had a choir, and I don’t usually think about it until I hear recordings like this. Music is so uplifting.
So uplifting. Thank you so much for link to the music.
Where can you buy the cd with the hymn (if there is one available)?
Thanks,
Fliser
I’m so inspired to use this recording in a film that I’m making about angels on earth. I wonder who I would contact and if my request would even be considered. It’s so powerful, and I have some fitting images that would really benefit from this as a soundtrack…
beautiful.. thank you
“He’s filled my heart with His consuming love,
And borne me high on wings of His great dove.”
what a beautiful line
Such a testament to the power of music… Soul inspiring!!
Almost 5 years after your original post and the spirit remains the same. What a beautiful song. It has strengthened my testimony in more ways I can’t describe. Thank you!
Very melodious song!
The lyrics are soul-touching especially the 4th line ‘He has heard my cry,brought visions to my sleep and kept me safe near deserts and deep’.It brought tears in my eyes.
I adore listening to spiritual songs and prefer them especially when I am down and out.This one in particular ‘I love my lord’ feels very close to my heart and brings out peace and solace to my mind.The words and the deep meaning is simply melodious.
I prefer to listen to spiritual songs mainly in the evenings. This helps me to calm down and gives a sense of peace. This song shared here is one of my favorites. The meaning of the song is really good and has a soothing effect on the brain.
I love listening to spiritual songs. I mostly listen to them in the mornings so that my day ahead will be calm. I have a collection which I adore and listen to almost everyday. I haven’t yet heard to this song but the wordings are truly out of the world.
Spiritual songs are really a very good way to relax. I love listening to them anytime of the day. This song too is very lovely. The wordings are so very meaningful and lovely. I heard this song two to three times and fell totally in love with it.
Love this song. I relish listening to spiritual songs. Whenever I have a bad day at work, the best way to unwind myself is by listening to spiritual songs. The most I admire in spiritual songs is their wordings. They are so very meaningful and brings so much meaning to life.
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