Ye Elders of Israel

Let’s be honest — Ye Elders of Israel, musically, is tedious. When this was put on the program for the Priesthood session of stake conference, I set about making it less tedious. Tabernacle Organist emeritus John Longhurst assisted with the editing and suggested the lower starting key to avoid making it too high after the key change.

When I sent the attached recording to my friend Ken Udy, he said “Wow! It’s a whole different song. It’s be cathedral-ized!” I think you’ll agree when you hear the attached recording (which starts at the second ending — you already know what the original sounds like). The men tend to sing out when there are no women around. Give them good support on the organ as you transition into the new key and free accompaniment. Prep them in advance for better participation when things begin to change. I hope you’ll enjoy it!