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Mormon Traditions
Joseph Smith established the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints after receiving revelations from God and translating golden plates, creating an unconventional social order. Polygamy led to bitter legal battles and forced exile into Utah wilderness before it was eventually outlawed. Mormon teachings encourage their members to pursue knowledge and wisdom by studying scriptures and adhering to health and lifestyle rules known as the Word of Wisdom. The LDS temple Mormons gather at temples to worship Jesus and receive spiritual instruction, as well as to seal their families for all time. The Mormon church boasts an expansive network of temples across the globe, including in Utah, Idaho, Arizona,…
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Mormon Artists
Mormon artists use paint, drawing and other mediums to convey the deep spirituality and timeless truths found in scripture. Each brushstroke and color choice is carefully considered when creating work that inspires and uplifts its viewers. Mormon art has been developing for decades, and we now seem to have reached critical mass for its continued growth and sustainability. Heavenly Mother One parable in the Bible depicts the church as a bride being lovingly cared for by her Father, yet there is no mention of an earthly mother or spiritual guide within its pages. One Korean group known as World Mission Society Church of God believes otherwise and maintains that its…
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The Currents of Euro American Musics
Though many of America’s leading composers have taken steps to break with European musical traditions, they cannot entirely escape their heritage. Flo Rida and Usher’s recent Euro club-influenced sound is an excellent example. This genre blends European styles with uniquely American lyrics and vocal techniques. 19th Century In the nineteenth century, Romanticism evolved as an emotional response to a fascination between all arts. First appearing in literature before spreading into music, Romanticism embraced love themes such as fantasy and adventure while also maintaining elements of realism and cultural nationalism. The nineteenth century witnessed a boom in concert music attendance as more and more people attended orchestral and other performances by…
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Euro American Artists in America
During World War Two, fourteen major European artists such as Chagall, Duchamp and Ernst left mortal danger behind and arrived in America, where their cultural tensions would shape their art. Joan Brown and Jay DeFeo’s choice was daring in San Francisco’s Beat milieu: many postwar American painters sought to move away from traditional iconography and style, yet these two artists took an unusual path by engaging with European traditional painting techniques. Durand Durand rose to fame after learning engraving techniques. He worked as a banknote engraver, painted portraits, genre scenes, but ultimately preferred landscape painting as his field. He was a revolutionary in the art world as his landscape paintings…
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The Book of Mormon – The Central Missionary Tool for Latter-Day Saints
The Book of Mormon serves as a key missionary tool for Latter-day Saints, providing another witness of Christ and containing numerous gospel principles. Moroni encourages readers to ponder his teachings despite its sometimes obscure language, with his final statement on its title page asking us all to “remember that any faults in man are the faults of humanity. It is important that this fact remain constant.” Origins The Book of Mormon tells the tale of an Israelite group which immigrated to North America around 600 B.C. under Lehi, followed by their hardships and blessings before splitting into two major races: Lamanites who ultimately became Native American ancestors, and Nephites who…
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Mormon Musicians Making Their Mark in the Music Industry
Mormon musicians are making waves this year, from Neon Trees’ quirky pop-rock band to SHeDAISY’s captivating female group SHeDAISY; inspiring people worldwide. Composers like Leroy Robertson, Crawford Gates and Merrill Bradshaw use music to express Mormon identity through its neoromantic tonality. Meanwhile other artists such as Low seem unfettered by any Catholic music legacy. Brandon Flowers Brandon Flowers, best known for fronting The Killers from Utah, is an acclaimed performer with a powerful voice. His songs explore themes of love, loss and personal growth which strike a chord with fans on an emotional level. Brandon is passionate about maintaining rock music’s legacy from its classic era as his main source…
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Mormon Music
Latter-day Saints take music very seriously. Church members use sacred songs to invoke the Spirit and impart doctrine. Jeremy Grimshaw shows that early Mormon composers embraced an eclectic musical sensibility with dramatic chromaticism and exoticist modality; as well as exploring La Monte Young’s development of an explicitly Mormon musical mysticism. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is one of America’s premier choral ensembles, boasting 360 members selected through rigorous auditions and an intensive 16-week training program. Their performances can be heard every Sunday on radio and TV broadcast “Music and the Spoken Word”, Temple Square concerts in Salt Lake City during Christmastime, and various albums released over time.…
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Mormon Traditions
Mormons are an extremely devout people, with over 90% professing belief in God or a supreme being, the Bible as scripture and life after death. Furthermore, most Mormons practice religious observance consistently, keeping a daily schedule of prayer and scripture study. The church encourages its members to bury their dead within seven days after death, with those endowed in temple ceremonies (having participated in an endowment ceremony) being buried with special undergarment and white clothing. Family Prayer Mormon families take seriously the concept that prayer strengthens families. Families are encouraged to hold daily family prayer services alongside individual prayer sessions and scripture study; usually this happens first thing in the…
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Mormon Artists
Mormon artists come from diverse backgrounds and use a wide range of media to craft works that convey the story of the Church. Painting, sculpture and architecture all play important roles. Kwani Povi Winder of Santa Clara Pueblo Indian culture depicted Heavenly Mother with symbols from her native culture incorporated. This could be seen as an instance of Mormonism’s emphasis on continuity and synthesis. Carl Christensen A. Christensen Carl Christensen was an exceptional educator. His every action were consistent with Philippians 1:6, as he demonstrated true Christian virtue. Carl’s family loved and appreciated his dedication as husband, father, and grandfather – they will all miss him deeply. Christensen was born…
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Euro American Musics
As nineteenth-century European piano works, songs, and small choral pieces proved increasingly popular in America, American editions proliferated – this collection provides access to many of them. As dance and club music from Europe continues to gain more mainstream acceptance, producers such as Guetta are turning toward Europe for inspiration while composers in Europe look toward America as potential new audiences. The Composers Helmut Lachenmann provides a striking example of how Europeanness can pervade an artist’s work to an extent that makes translation impossible; more frequently (as Iannis Xenakis and pioneering American minimalists show), Euro American musics engage in an exciting dialectical historical progression across borders and cultures. This collection…
