Joseph J. Daynes
Encyclopedia
Joseph John Daynes was the first organist
at the Tabernacle
in Salt Lake City, Utah
and for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
. Daynes was born in Norwich
, England, to parents John and Eliza Miller Daynes. The Daynes family later joined the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and the immigrated to Utah Territory
in 1862.
Upon their arrival in the valley, Brigham Young
met the group of Latter-Day Saints with whom the Daynes family had traveled with to Salt Lake City. Brigham Young heard the eleven-year-old Joseph playing the melodeon
and declared: "There is our organist for the great Tabernacle organ." This declaration came true in 1867, when Joseph H. Ridges completed the building of the organ in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. Joseph Daynes had been sent to study music in New York. Upon the organ's completion, he became the first Tabernacle organist at age sixteen, a position which he held until 1900. Daynes also served as the music conductor of the 20th Ward Choir in Salt Lake City.
Joseph came from a very musical family. Though his father, John, was a watchmaker by trade, his hobby was music. The piano which John purchased in England is the instrument Joseph learned to play on. Joseph learned quickly—and largely on his own—and by age six participated in an organ recital. When the Daynes family left England for the United States, they brought several instruments with them, including the melodeon Brigham Young heard Joseph playing to entertain the other pioneers.
John Daynes continued to develop his love of music and founded Daynes Music
in 1862, in Salt Lake City, a company which is still in business today.
Joseph Daynes married Mary Jane Sharp on November 18, 1872, in Salt Lake City. They had seven children.
Joseph Daynes was one of the main editors of the Latter-day Saints' Psalmody. He also wrote the music for many of the hymns of the LDS Church. The 1985 English-language hymnal
of the LDS Church contains five hymns with music composed by Daynes, while the previous edition of the hymnal contained 27 hymns with music by him. Joseph also wrote several anthems. Among the hymns Daynes composed the music for are "Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice," "Now We'll Sing with One Accord," and "As the Dew from Heaven Distilling," which is the token closing hymn for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
's broadcast each Sunday.
Daynes' son Joseph J. Daynes Jr. served as the first president of the Grant Stake in Salt Lake City.. Daynes Jr. was also the president
of the Western States Mission
of the LDS Church, based in Colorado, and was married to one of Wilford Woodruff
's daughters.
Professor Evan Stephens, who conducted the Mormon Tabernacle choir for many years while Joseph accompanied them, said of Daynes: "He was, without doubt, one of the greatest organists of his time. In my experience I never heard his equal as an accompanist for the choir and soloists and he was the very best sight reader I ever knew."
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
at the Tabernacle
Salt Lake Tabernacle
The Salt Lake Tabernacle, also known as the Mormon Tabernacle, is located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah along with the Salt Lake Assembly Hall and Salt Lake Temple.-History:...
in Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
and for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab, is a Grammy and Emmy Award winning, 360-member, all-volunteer choir. The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . However, the choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to...
. Daynes was born in Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, England, to parents John and Eliza Miller Daynes. The Daynes family later joined the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and the immigrated to Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
in 1862.
Upon their arrival in the valley, Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
met the group of Latter-Day Saints with whom the Daynes family had traveled with to Salt Lake City. Brigham Young heard the eleven-year-old Joseph playing the melodeon
Melodeon (organ)
A melodeon is a type of 19th century reed organ with a foot-operated vacuum bellows, and a piano keyboard. It differs from the related harmonium, which uses a pressure bellows. Melodeons were manufactured in the United States sometime after 1812 until the Civil War era...
and declared: "There is our organist for the great Tabernacle organ." This declaration came true in 1867, when Joseph H. Ridges completed the building of the organ in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. Joseph Daynes had been sent to study music in New York. Upon the organ's completion, he became the first Tabernacle organist at age sixteen, a position which he held until 1900. Daynes also served as the music conductor of the 20th Ward Choir in Salt Lake City.
Joseph came from a very musical family. Though his father, John, was a watchmaker by trade, his hobby was music. The piano which John purchased in England is the instrument Joseph learned to play on. Joseph learned quickly—and largely on his own—and by age six participated in an organ recital. When the Daynes family left England for the United States, they brought several instruments with them, including the melodeon Brigham Young heard Joseph playing to entertain the other pioneers.
John Daynes continued to develop his love of music and founded Daynes Music
Daynes Music
Daynes Music, located in Midvale, Utah, is the oldest retail business and continuously operated family business in Utah. It is the 76th oldest family-owned business in the country, and the oldest music company west of the Mississippi...
in 1862, in Salt Lake City, a company which is still in business today.
Joseph Daynes married Mary Jane Sharp on November 18, 1872, in Salt Lake City. They had seven children.
Joseph Daynes was one of the main editors of the Latter-day Saints' Psalmody. He also wrote the music for many of the hymns of the LDS Church. The 1985 English-language hymnal
Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1985 book)
Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the official hymn book of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
of the LDS Church contains five hymns with music composed by Daynes, while the previous edition of the hymnal contained 27 hymns with music by him. Joseph also wrote several anthems. Among the hymns Daynes composed the music for are "Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice," "Now We'll Sing with One Accord," and "As the Dew from Heaven Distilling," which is the token closing hymn for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab, is a Grammy and Emmy Award winning, 360-member, all-volunteer choir. The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . However, the choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to...
's broadcast each Sunday.
Daynes' son Joseph J. Daynes Jr. served as the first president of the Grant Stake in Salt Lake City.. Daynes Jr. was also the president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
of the Western States Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
of the LDS Church, based in Colorado, and was married to one of Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff
Wilford Woodruff, Sr. was the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1889 until his death...
's daughters.
Professor Evan Stephens, who conducted the Mormon Tabernacle choir for many years while Joseph accompanied them, said of Daynes: "He was, without doubt, one of the greatest organists of his time. In my experience I never heard his equal as an accompanist for the choir and soloists and he was the very best sight reader I ever knew."