The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Performs "Sing!" based on Toccata
If you could imagine the music for a royal wedding ceremony, you just might imagine “Toccata,” which is the fifth movement of Symphony for Organ No. 5 by Charles-Marie Widor, composed in 1879. “Toccata" is Widor’s most famous piece and has been used at royal weddings in Denmark, Norway and England, including the ceremony of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Middleton.
David Willcocks wrote the lyrics to “Sing” years later to the same accompaniment of the “Toccata” movement. Willcocks, who was born in 1919, is British composer, conductor, and organist. On December 30, 2009, a celebration was held for his 90th birthday, at which Willcocks himself conducted the King’s College Choir.
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s performance of “Sing!” in the video below features Willcocks's arrangement and the dexterity of Principal Tabernacle Organist, Richard Elliott. The accompaniment of the Orchestra at Temple Square brings the piece to soaring heights, while the Choir adds the icing on the cake with a glorious “Hallelujah” at the finale.