A Cultural Necessity

This chapter discusses the activities of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir under Richard Condie's conductorship. On August 20, 1957, the First Presidency met to discuss who should replace Spencer Cornwall. They chose Newell Weight, a choral conductor at Brigham Young University, but he was on a two-year leave doing graduate work at the University of Southern California. Condie was appointed initially on a “limited” basis, but ended up directing the Choir for sixteen years. Not long after, Condie was accused of dropping old Choir members and installing in their places his University of Utah students. He was turning the Tabernacle Choir into “a university chorus.” This chapter considers Condie's rehearsal methods for the Choir, the Choir's recordings and its television appearances, domestic tours, and success in the areas of popular music and classical music. It also describes the Choir's identification with conservative Americanism as well as its dwindling reputation.