Thanks for that reference to the LDS hymnbook...now, I am not a Mormon...however, I am quite appreciative of your providing a link to this hymnbook, and here is exactly why...
I used to play organ and piano in the Methodist Church, for many, many years..however, once we started moving around the country due to military moves, that kind of went by the wayside...moving to new areas, and finding new churches, those churches already had their own organists and pianists, and I was content to just be part of the congregation, and sing along, rather than be the one providing the music...
And because we have moved so much, I never took my piano with...my sheet music slowly disappeared over the years, some due to our moving...
And so, it just seemed that part of my life was over...I no longer had piano or organ, or even my sheet music...I am now in my early 60’s....my primary piano and organ playing days in church were when I was in my teens, my 20’s and some small amount in my 30’s...so it had seemed my days of piano and organ playing were relegated back to my youth...
However this past Christmas, my younger son, always trying to outdo himself each Christmas, presented me with my Christmas Present...it could tell from its shape and feel, that it was a book of some sort...now the son told me, that this was just part 1 of my Christmas present and I should look at it, and try to figure out what part 2 was, and if I really wanted it...I guess he was somewhat dubious about how I would feel about this present...
So, I opened up the first part, the book, and sure enough it was a book, but a book full of different classifications of sheet music...there was patriotic music, religious music, show tune music, folk music, etc, and there were numerous tunes of sheet music in each category...then my son wanted me to guess what the second part of the gift was...well, all I could guess was that it was a piano, or an organ...and I was correct...but the son, not being a musician himself, wondered if I still remembered how to play, and did I really want this piano/organ..he had the second half of my gift out in his Jeep, not willing to bring it in, unless I really wanted it...he was fearful, that I had forgotten how to play, and would not want the piano/organ...Did I want it?...oh, you bet...I have so missed playing tunes...and the son did not apparently realize that once you know how to play an instrument, you never forget...or at least I did not...I feel, it is like riding a bike, one you know how, you never ever forget....so the son was thrilled, I was in tears, and so the son and hubby went out to the Jeep, and hauled my Christmas present in...
Now, it is unlike my old upright piano that I used all my church playing days, and unlike the baby grand I played in church, and unlike the organs I played in church...it is smaller, more compact, and lightweight...but it is a keyboard, which has many controls that I can access to have my keyboard sound like a grand piano, a pipe organ, an accoustic keyboard, a harpsichord, strings, and many other instruments...it is quite wonderful...
So I had the songbook that my son had given me, with which to practice and I have been able to download some sheet music off the internet, many of the old and popular songs we sang in the Methodist church...soon I was going to head out to some music stores, to purchase more sheet music, as I slowly am once again, honing my skills...
So, when I saw this link to the LDS hymnbook, I went right to it...there I found many songs I immediately recognized, and many I did not...so I will busy downloading this music...it is wonderful to download old and familiar tunes, they are like old friends, but it is also exciting for me, to be downloading new songs with which to practice...
I know this was a long dragged out story, however, I just wanted you to know, why I so much appreciated, this link to the LDS hymnbook being posted...even tho I am not a Mormon, I often watch the LDS program on TV, on Sunday mornings, and often the choir may sing hymns, with which I am not at all familiar, and yet they are beautiful songs...I am hopeful, that I shall find some of them in this LDS hymnal...
So many thanks...
Thanks for that reference to the LDS hymnbook...now, I am not a Mormon...however, I am quite appreciative of your providing a link to this hymnbook
YOU'RE WELCOME
Some of the hymns written by Mormons are indeed wonderful.
One of my favorite contributors to the Mormon Hymnal is Eliza Roxy Snow. At one time, I believe, it contained as many as 17 of her poems set to music in that book. Most of them are excellent. If you like, you can listen to some of her work (and obtain sheet music) HERE and HERE. I am especially fond of the hymn Great is the Lord.
Quite frequently, as is the case with so many things related to Mormonism, there is a story behind the story, so to speak. And unfortunately, this is the case with Ms. Snow.
Eliza was a devout Mormon. At age 38, she became Joseph Smith's 14th plural wife (in addition to Smith's lawful wife, Emma). In 1842, after learning Eliza was pregnant, Emma Smith beat Eliza with a broomstick and knocked her down a flight of stairs, causing Eliza to miscarry Smith's baby.
Eliza would marry Brigham Young after Smith’s death. She died childless.
Incidentally, it is also interesting to listen for subtle (and in some cases, not-so-subtle) injections of non-Christian doctrine in Mormon hymns.