Spouse(s) Mary Alice Haigh Name J. Cornwall | Role Conductor Children Carol Cornwall Madsen | |
 | ||
Full Name Joseph Spencer CornwallFebruary 23, 1888 – February 26, 1983 Born February 23, 1888
Mill Creek, Utah Territory. ( 1888-02-23 ) Notable works The Story of Our Mormon Hymn
Composed the music to "Softly Beams the Sacred Dawning": 1985 LDS Church hymnal #56 Title Conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Died February 26, 1983, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States Books Stories of our Mormon hymns Similar People Katharine Lee Bates, Carol Cornwall Madsen, Samuel A Ward | ||
J spencer cornwall conducts the mormon tabernacle choir at 91 years old come come ye saints
Joseph Spencer Cornwall (February 23, 1888 – February 26, 1983) was a conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the mid-20th century.
Contents
- J spencer cornwall conducts the mormon tabernacle choir at 91 years old come come ye saints
- Personal life
- References
Cornwall was born at Mill Creek, Utah Territory.
Cornwall was the conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir from 1935 to 1957. Under his leadership the choir made some of its first trips outside of the United States. Probably the most noted of these was when it performed at the dedication of the Swiss Temple.
Cornwall was also a writer. He wrote "The Story of Our Mormon Hymns", as well as a centennial history of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, A Century of Singing published by Deseret Book in 1958.
Among his early music instructors was George Careless.
As choir director Cornwall tried to raise the level of quality in the choir.
Cornwall composed the music to John Jaques's hymn "Softly Beams the Sacred Dawning", which is hymn #56 in the 1985 LDS Church hymnal.
Personal life
Cornwall married Mary Alice Haigh. Cornwall first met her when her music instructor Hugh W. Dougall asked Cornwall to accompany a song by Haigh. Haigh performed widely after her marriage to Cornwall and was later a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir before and during her husbands time as director of the choir. The Cornwalls had seven children, the youngest of whom is Carol Cornwall Madsen.