BYU Mens Chorus Closing Hymn in April 2007 Priesthood Session

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.

Published by

Dustin

Latter-day Blogger

78 thoughts on “BYU Mens Chorus Closing Hymn in April 2007 Priesthood Session”

  4. Thanks Dustin,

    I was very moved by this song as I sat and tried to get all of the words. That choir was particularly tight and brilliant for this session.

    After the meeting I asked the men I went with what they thought of that song, and they said “it sounded nice”. They didn’t even notice the words were different!

    If you pay attention to the music it adds so much to the meetings!

    Thanks D for your work here. You may want to make the effort of asking Ronald Staheli if he’s okay with your efforts here 🙂

  6. I truly love this song. I have a Mac!! HELP! How do I down load this? Maybe sombody reading this can help me. Dustin, thanks for your time.

  8. May the Lord bless you for this great effort!! Incredible performance – I’ll never forget it (especially now.) I’m certainly grateful for it … thank you.

  9. I also downloaded the ASL version, but you must have cleaned up the audio as you version of the Men’s Choir is outstanding. Nice job. I really enjoyed the choir number. Thanks for sharing.

  10. Dustin,

    Is there any way we can get a copy of that song, on a cd? I would love that.
    Thanks!

  11. Dustin,

    Thank you ever so much for the trouble you took to post the BYU Mens Chorus presentation of “I Love the Lord.” My son and I attended priesthood meeting together and just sat there after the meeting to absorb it a little more. He has been searching the Internet to find it and came up with your copy yesterday. I put out a daily inspirational thought entitled Keepers! that I send to about 150 people–people in addiction recovery, friends, professional associates, and family. Today’s Keepers! has the Mens Chorus rendition attached.

    I have listened to it six times already. It’s like a piece of Heaven.

    Thanks again.

  12. I sang in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for 6 years so as you can imagine, feel that I have heard some REALLY great music. However, when I heard that performance, well, it was straight from heaven and I couldn’t talk about much else after the meeting except that music!! Thank you for sharing it with me. The next thing I want to know is where I can get a copy of the paper music so I can teach it to our next ward or stake men’s chorus. Email me with more good news, please.

  14. They actually sang the same arrangement in Priesthood Session many years ago (1999?) and I’ve loved it ever since then. I have yet to see it in print or hear it performed anyplace besides conference, which is a mystery to me. Thanks Dustin for the link to sheet music!

  15. I am SO glad somebody went to the effort of tracking down this powerful hymn. I’ve been trying to find it ever since it was first sung in priesthood session. Thank you. Is there any way you can email me the MP3 file or provide it as a link on the web site so that I can save it locally? I’m deathly afraid your web site with the link won’t be around long. Plus, I’d like to listen to it in the car. If I could buy just the song or a CD of BYU Priesthood Chorus songs, I would, but as you know the Church doesn’t make these available (w/out having to buy the entire Conference CD).
    Thanks for your consideration.

  16. Thank you for your efforts in providing this spiritual masterpiece! It is the talk of everyone who attended. I just burned a copy for our local Elders as one of them is a former member of the BYU-Mens Choir and loved this rendition! I have heard it over and over again, and am continually touched by the spirit.

  17. To John B–how did you burn a copy of the song? I’d like to do the same.

    Thanks!
    Brandon

  18. What an awsome song….I was brought to tears listening in conference. I am glad to have to listen to again. Thanks,…

  19. Actually, David F., the arrangement of the sheet music you want is the TTBB version done in conference: http://www.jackmanmusic.com/index.php?.State=detail&stock=01792
    It only became available this week. When it was sung in Priesthood Session it created such a demand that Jackman Music and Dr. Staheli published this men’s chorus version. Interesting that when it was first performed in General Priesthood Meeting (also under Dr. Staheli’s direction) in 1999 by the BYU Combined Men’s Choirs and the men from the Tabernacle Choir, it didn’t create this same stir. There was a special spirit present this time that really touched a lot of hearts. As others have noted, I’ve been involved in a lot of sacred choral performances, and listened to countless others, and been deeply moved, but never like this. I can’t get enough of this recording.

  20. Derek:

    I have a mac too! Good choice. I dont know if anyone else helped you yet but Hold control and click on the song link. A pop up menu will appear. From there, click on “Download linked file”. After it’s finished downloading, drag an’ drop the icon from the desktop onto iTunes and your good to go! Now the song is in iTunes and you can burn it onto a CD or whatever! You can always attatch the song to an email and mail it yourself too. Dustin: I love this song just like everyone else. Thanks for the trouble, and I know i will always treasure this song on my mission in Cali!

  21. I’ve extracted the other song that the BYU Men’s Chorus sang in the priesthood session because it was equally amazing. It was “Rise Up, O Men of God,” and can be downloaded here.

  22. Loved the music also thanks for the download. The sheet music link is not the same arrangement. I just emailed Dr. Staheli to see if it was available but he’s on tour till June.

  23. Thank you so much for doing this. I’ve not been touched like this by a musical number for many years. There’s no doubt angels were assisting this effort. It was riveting!!! I have been looking at how to buy this ever since they performed. Do you have a way I can get a copy in MP3 format for now? Thanks again!

  24. Mike
    If you go to the top of the page there is a link that says “download it here”
    That is a MP3 file.
    Also if anyone is interested jackman music has a TTBB arrangement of this which I hope is the same piece. According to the Lyricist that emailed me back about the piece. Ill let you know I have it ordered.

  25. Hi, my name is Ricki Gallacher. I am a member of the BYU Men’s Chorus, the group that sang this song at conference. I don’t know if anyone will see this comment. But if you do, and you would like a copy of this song, I can send it to you.
    Just email me at ric_g_22@hotmail.com.
    Thanks for all your comments about the piece, it is truly so beautiful. It has blessed and touched my life many many times.

  26. I also cannot get the “download it here” to work. It will play the song, but I guess I don’t know how to get it to download so that I can keep it on my computer (iTunes). Can someone offer some step-by-step instructions for me since I am not very technologically inclined? 😉 Thank you!

  27. I add my thanks, Dustin, for doing this. I was so thrilled to find the link and to listen to the song again. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a piece of music at Conference that generated the buzz that this song did. My sisters and mother and wife have all been anxious to hear it. It is even better than I remembered! 2 Nephi 4 is a life-changing chapter of scripture, and I’m thankful that Bros. Tanner and Staheli have put that imagery into an equally memorable and inspiring song. Thanks again for your work in making this available.

  28. Thank you for your trouble and effort. I have been dying for my wife to hear (and feel) this song, since that priesthood session. I too, sat and felt the beauty of the song and am grateful that I can do it again.

  30. Thank you so much for this. This song brought me to tears. I really identified with it and 2nd Nephi 4 is one of my favorite scriptures. What a powerful piece this was and after combing for it someone referred me to your blog and now I have it! Thanks again. Here’s to hoping the BYU Men’s Chorus puts it on their next CD.

  31. Pingback: Musical settings of two 2 Nephi scriptures « Instance Variable

  33. An additional thanks to everyone who has posted comments or posted links to download this incredible song! Listening to the song during Conference was a spiritual experience that I will never forget. My son and I sat in our seats almost speechless. My sincere thanks to the BYU Mens Chorus and Bro Staheli. This one is for the record books! Does anyone have an email for Bro. Staheli? I would like to email him and express my gratitude.

  34. Thanks for all you brillant people who know how to do all this stuff and make amazing things like this available to us less apt. I am a lady and did not, of course, attend the session. What an amazing treat for you men who were able to here that after the spirit that surely permeates a priesthood session of conference and with all that priesthood power in one room! I really don’t know if you guys all know how valuable and potent you are with that priesthood and how that added to the credibility of the song. That is why the song is so powerful…the music is amazing and humble and majestic…but the words of Nephi- a great priesthood leader- coupled with your combined priesthood spirit really turned that song into the profound teacher and mover it obviously became to most attending the session. My imagination as I listened to the rendition was overwhelmed. I would have been a crying fool if I had been in attendance. What a blessing for all you men.

  35. I remember the deep, engaging power of this closing hymn and how it affected us all as we sat together, my three sons and our guests, at the April 2007 Priesthood Session. I found this “Latter-day Blog” in the course of my continuing efforts to obtain a CD of the hymn, which is the first item on my eldest son’s 2007 Christmas wish list, as he serves a full-time Mission in Mexico. Through these articles, I have found a version of the same arrangement by the BYU Singers on their “Songs of the Soul” CD, but I will continue to search for a live recording by the BYU Men’s Chorus on that day. The Spirit of the Lord was with the chorus in a very special way, and we are grateful to the BYU Men’s Chorus for their talented service and to Bro Staheli for the soul-awakening arrangement.

  36. Sounds like that was a memorable Priesthood session. I’ve just recently discovered the power of posting good YouTube and other videos about the Church on my blog, but cannot find enough of them. Anyone found a good supply anywhere?I also wish extracts from Conference talks could be used this way.

  38. Thank you for posting this! We have a mens choir that is singing this for sacrament in 2 weeks and this is going to help me immensely to get my part memorized. Going to listen and sing to this over and over on the way to work and home 🙂

  39. After I heard this song during Priesthood session, all I could say was, WOW! I had to buy the DVD as soon as it came out and convert it to mp3. I’ve been listening to it ever since. I’ve enjoyed reading everyone’s comments on this blog, it brings back fond memories when I first heard this wonderful song. I only hope the MTC sings this at some future conference.

  40. Thanks for posting this. My old high school friends all met up to go to this priesthood session and the impressions felt during this closing hymn will never be forgotten. We sat speechless for over 20 minutes afterwards in reverence to the spirit that was felt from this powerful hymn. Thanks for doing the legwork to share it with us.

  41. Thank You So Much. This is a recording for the ages…the power in the voices….the words of hope and love and to be in the eyesight of our beloved President Hinckley….All too much! Thanks to you Dustin and Thanks to Our God for filling our cup to the Brim.

  42. Thank you so much for doing this! My husband said to me last night as we were driving home from conference, “You know what song I really want? That version of Nephi’s Psalm sung to Be Still My Soul.” I was so happy to find it. I can’t wait to let my husband listen to it when he gets home from work tonight! You’re great! I really appreciate you sharing!

  43. I’ve been looking for this song for well over a year!! Thanks so much for doing the work of extracting it from the video. I heard it at conference and positively melted. This just might be the most underrated choral performance in music history.

  44. Has anyone been successful in tracking down sheet music (i.e. the arrangement) for this beautiful song? I’d love to have our ward men’s choir sing it, but I need to track down the music? Anyone have an email address for Bro. Staheli? Thank you!

  46. I just wanted to also say thank you for going to the trouble to provide this music file. I was at this conference and I have never heard any musical piece that was as powerful as this one was. I normally don’t notice things like that. It’s nice to know that I was not he only one blown away by this performance.

  47. The sheet music is published by Jackman Music. You can download it from Jackman Music Express:
    http://www.jackmanmusicexpress.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=258&category_id=61

    or order a hard copy of the sheet music from their main website at:
    http://www.jackmanmusic.com/index.php?.State=detail&stock=01792

    I put together a double male quartet to sing this number for one of the sessions of our stake conference. It was quite an experience, but you need really strong, accomplished voices to carry this off.

    It’s worth noting that this number was sung right after it was first written by the combined men of the Tabernacle Choir and BYU Men’s
    Chorus at the priesthood session of the October 1999 General Conference. It has also been recorded by the BYU University Singers on one of their albums. Both performances were also directed by Ronald Staheli, but neither had the impact that the April 2007 priesthood session performance had (as witnessed by the fact that Brother Staheli waited until last year to publish the TTBB version of the sheet music in response to the surge of requests resulting from last year’s performance). Anyone contemplating performing this number needs to take the time to consider why the difference in response, and what they might do to ensure their performance evokes a response more like the latter than the former performances.

    You may be interested also in reading the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies article by John S. Tanner (lyricist, Academic Vice President of BYU, professor of English and husband of Susan W. Tanner) discussing the process he went through to write the lyrics to I Love the Lord and another hymn based on Nephi’s Psalm:
    http://farms.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=253

  49. Dude, thanks so much for this song, I have been looking for it since that conference session … tahnks so so much

  50. I only just heard this hymn and searched to find the lyrics. Thank you so much! The arrangement is amazing!!

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