Since singing "Serve the Lord with Gladness" in 1975, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has performed more than 100 of the musical works of Dr. A. Laurence Lyon.
A prominent and prolific composer of Church music, Brother Lyon, high councilor in the Monmouth Oregon Stake, said he is greatly humbled by the attention the Tabernacle Choir has given his compositions and arrangements."It was something I could only dream about as a young teenager growing up in Salt Lake City," he said.
He also expressed appreciation to the choir for the opportunity given to many other LDS composers to have their works heard throughout the world on the choir's broadcasts.
Brother Lyon has some 200 published pieces of music to his credit. Among the 200 is the music for the anthem, "Consolation - I am a Child of God," two hymns in the Church hymnal: "Saints, Behold How Great Jehovah," (No. 28) and "Each Life That Touches Ours for Good," (No. 293), and seven songs for children in the Primary Songbook. Most of the children's songs have a pioneer theme.
Brother Lyon recently completed his service at Western Oregon University where he was professor of music for 30 years. At a tribute concert held for Brother Lyon by his colleagues and friends at the university, more than 500 faculty, students, townspeople and LDS Church members enjoyed a concert of his works. Brother Lyon was born in Rotterdam, Holland, while his father, T. Edgar Lyon, was there presiding over the Netherlands Mission. He was attracted to music from his childhood. He grew up in the East Millcreek area of Salt Lake City, where he studied piano and violin.
He said that the prime influence of his life were the hymns and children's songs he learned at home and at Church.
"Laurie" as he became known, composed his first music at age 12, and at age 16, with only one formal organ lesson, became a Church organist. In 1955, Elder Lyon led the Netherlands Mission Choir that sang at the dedication of the Swiss Temple. Following his mission, he earned degrees at the University of Utah, then completed a Ph.D. in music theory and composition at the Eastman School of Music.
His involvement with temple dedications has continued throughout his life. His arrangement of "The Morning Breaks" was sung at the Oakland Temple dedication. He also led dedicatory choruses at the Seattle and Portland Oregon Temple dedications.
Brother Lyon likens his approach to composing music to that of a painter. He seeks to paint a picture with music to fit the occasion. His music always contains an element of the dramatic.
In 1969, he composed "Serve the Lord with Gladness" for the dedication of the Salem Oregon Stake Center. As he composed the piece, he said he could visualize himself singing the hymn to the Lord. "This approach, combined with the spiritual insights I have through my understanding of the gospel, allows me to produce powerful and moving sacred music," he said.
As he composes music, Brother Lyon does so with the purpose of the occasion in mind. Others have then picked up his compositions and used them in different settings. Among those to use his work in other settings is the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, which has performed his works in general conferences of the Church.
His compositions have been reproduced more than 200,000 times by printing or electronic means. In recognition of his extensive published compositions and their many performances each year, he has received an ASCAP Standard Music Award in Composition yearly since 1986.
According to Brother Lyon, his greatest spiritual experience with sacred music came with his "Consolation - I Am A Child of God." President Spencer W. Kimball had requested that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Director, Jerold D. Ottley, have the choir sing "I Am A Child of God."
Brother Ottley felt there should be some adult message to it before it could be presented to the choir's Sunday listeners. He requested that Brother Lyon rework the hymn. Brother Lyon asked his colleague and good friend and fellow Church member, Lloyd Hansen, to help him shape the text and add some additional inspiring verses with an adult audience in mind. Their combined work was read through and accepted by the choir during one of the 1977 summer rehearsals. The work was refined over the next months and performed by the Tabernacle Choir on the March 7, 1978, "Music and the Spoken Word" broadcast.
Attending the broadcast were a group of clergy from the world's churches who had been at BYU attending a symposium on the nature of God. During the performance, many of these church leaders wept openly as they heard the words of the hymn. Afterward, the representative of the Greek Orthodox Church said, "I have learned more about God from the song than during this entire week at the symposium and throughout my entire life."
Brother Lyon gives Lloyd Hansen much credit for his own success. He said, "Lloyd Hansen is the most effective and sensitive writer of hymn texts and lyrics of our time."
Brother Lyon said he has had to stretch his talents to match Brother Hansen's ability in the use of the English language in sacred lyrics.
Brother Lyon, who served on the Church Music Committee from 1985-1993, helped develop the Church's basic music course in an attempt to improve the sacred music of Church gatherings.
Over the course of his extraordinary career, the composer has sought to serve the Lord and His Church through music.
"These acts of service have brought many blessings," he said.
