About The Messiah, Another Testament

The Oratorio / Pageant

As a concert oratorio, this is a multi-media presentation with actors and simultaneous slide and video presentations while the chorus and orchestra play.  It is a pageant when performed with costumes and scenery.

This oratorio tells the story of the people of The Book of Mormon from their origins.  Beginning with their departure from Jerusalem to their arrival and separation in the Americas.  Included in the oratorio is the story of the resurrection and visitation of Christ to the Nephites in America.  The oratorio ends with the story of the last battle of the people of ancient America and Mormon and Moroni in a finale that leads to the coming forth of The Book of Mormon to Joseph Smith entitled “From the Dust of the Earth”.  The object is to give an overview of the story and purpose of The Book of Mormon, to help proclaim the gospel to the world, and strengthen the testimonies of the saints.   According to Del Parkinson, Boise State Univ. professor and Morris Bastian, former President of the Boise Institute of religion at Boise State University, “this oratorio includes some of the most important parts of The Book of Mormon story along with the basic doctrines of the Book.”

Many different soloists are used to portray the many prophets.  There is a children’s chorus that comes on stage and sings with the Lord and Chorus during Christ’s visit scene.

The Music

The Music

The music for The Book of Mormon oratorio / pageant, “The Messiah, Another Testament”, is divided into 8 sections.  Each section or movement represents part of the story of The Book of Mormon.  It was written musically as an oratorio and designed to be dramatized as a pageant when it is performed.  Unlike most oratorios, a different person sings each solo passage representing the various different prophets and characters.  Thus there are many solo parts.  Also differing from other Book of Mormon oratorio, this one cover the whole story and not just a single section. 

It is similar yet more complete than the Hill Cumorah pageant but with live music and singers.  It begins with the departure of Lehi from Jerusalem, covers doctrines, situations, and people from the tree of life to Samuel chronologically, and has a climax with the arrival of Jesus to the Nephites in America.  The pageant continues with wars, angels, and goes through to Mormon’s lament and the last battle.  It culminates with the restoration of the gospel and the book coming forth out of the ground from the dust of the earth.  During the entire performance there are (church) pictures and video of the people and places along with the entire text (which is about 98% straight from The Book of Mormon with minor modifications for the purpose of fitting music and words rhythmically), as this is a multi-media production as a concert version.

The music is a full orchestration but is also available for small ensembles of instruments as well as a synthesized orchestral version, (to be played on synthesizers).  A minus track is available for those performances, which are unable to have any orchestra. A complete piano version is also available.  Any of the songs are also available separately.  The Alleluia Chorus and Orchestra perform this Book of Mormon pageant as often as possible around the Easter season in Boise, Idaho.  This is a multi-media presentation.  Slides and video are shown throughout the entire performance while the actors portray the events on stage.

The music has recurring themes and motifs, which represent recurring actions or subjects.  For example, every time God speaks the same music is played, though it is orchestrated differently each time.

The Time line

The Messiah, Another Testament

This is the outline of events.

1.

THE JOURNEY 1 Nephi – 2 Nephi 4
Introduction 1 Nephi 1:13-14; 2:20; 3:7; 4:13 Lord, Nephi, & chorus
“Tree of Life” 1 Nephi 11:1 – 32 Nephi, Lord, & chorus

The introduction begins with the story of Lehi being instructed to leave old Jerusalem and obtaining the plates of brass, and concluding with the promise of going to the Land of Promise.

The “Tree of Life” tells the story of the vision of Nephi along with the foretelling of the birth of Jesus Christ.

 

2.

SEPARATION 2 Nephi 5
“My Family” 2 Nephi 5:5 – 28 Chorus & Nephi

Nephi being warned to leave his brothers, does so. This section tells of their journey and about how they built their homes under the direction of Nephi, their leader.

 

3.

DOCTRINES 2 Nephi 6 – Omni 1:11
“The Doctrine” 2 Nephi 31 Chorus & Nephi

The basic doctrines of the Book of Mormon or in other words, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is outlined and presented, i.e. faith, baptism, repentance, and receiving of the Holy Ghost.

 

4.

ZARAHEMLA Omni 1:12 – 26
“Reunion” Omni 1:12 – 26 Chorus & Amaleki

Some 300 years into the story of the Book of Mormon the Nephites find the people of the city of Zarahemla. This was a time of rejoicing for the people of the city. So this is a joyous musical sound.

 

5.

THE KINGS & JUDGES Omni 1:27 – Alma 44
“Kings & Judges” Mosiah. 2:17 – 4:7; King Benjamin & chorus
“Hymn to the Lord” Mosiah. 4:2 Chorus
“Kings & Judges” Mosiah.14:1 – 16:15; Alma 40:16 – 43:25 Abinadi, Alma & chorus
“Hymn to the Lord” Mosiah. 4:2 Chorus

About the middle of the story we have many kings and prophets who preach repentance and the word of God. This section ends with the beautiful “Hymn to the Lord”, which is a prayer.

 

6.

WARS and DESTRUCTION Alma 45 – 3 Nephi 10
“The Title of Liberty” Alma 46:2 – 21 Moroni & male chorus
“And Thus It Is” Helaman. 12:2 - 3; 9 – 12; 24 Alto, Soprano solo & chorus
“Samuel the Lamanite” Helaman. 13: 33 – 39; 3 Nephi 8:25; 9:2 Samuel, Lord & chorus

The Book of Mormon records many wars and battles. To bring this information to the fore front none is more inspiring than the “Title of Liberty”. This is an all male chorus singing a rip-roaring march as the words tell the story exactly as it was written.

God has given us valleys that we might thereby know where the mountains are, so is “And Thus It Is”. All the solo parts before and after this are for men. This is a narrative from The Book of Mormon, which explains the nature of man towards God. The alto and soprano solos were some of the most beloved music of the oratorio by those who participated.

“Samuel the Lamanite” presents us with the reality of our sins as he calls us to repentance. This music represents the destruction, which takes place at the end of 3 Nephi 10. The orchestra player’s scream as thunder and lighting are portrayed.

 

7.

RESURRECTION & VISITATION 3 Nephi 11 – 4 Nephi
“Behold” 3 Nephi 11:3 – 11 God speaks, Lord & chorus
“Beatitudes” 3 Nephi 12:1 – 8 Lord & chorus
“Behold Your Little Ones” 3 Nephi 17:5 – 23 Child speaks, Lord, chorus, & children’s’ chorus

The Lord miraculously appears and tells those that were there who He is.

The teachings of the Beatitudes in full are presented as children come unto the stage.

The Savior then sings with the children and chorus.

 

8.

THE LAST BATTLE -  Mormon & Moroni Instrumental
“O Ye Fair Ones” Mormon 6:17 – 22 Mormon, Lord, all soloists, & chorus
“From The Dust of the Earth” Coda Chorus

“The Last Battle” is the only section which is completely instrumental. This 8-minute piece represents the last battle in The Book of Mormon. During the music a video is shown of a battle scene. It ends without a break into “O Ye Fair Ones”.  Again with the text being strictly from the scriptures, Mormon tells his surmise of what has just happened.

The last part or ending which is called a CODA and is an explanation of how we received The Book of Mormon. It is without doubt one of the biggest climaxes to the end of a piece of music with the trumpets sounding the announcement.

Based on the many emails, letters, and testimonials the Alleluia Chorus has received, this powerful pageant is a very spiritually uplifting experience to both the performers and the audiences and lends credence to our mission statement of perfecting the saints and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Solo Parts
Nephi – tenor I; Lord – tenor I; Amaleki, Benjamin, Abinadi, Alma – baritone;
Moroni – tenor I; Samuel – bass; Mormon – baritone; Angels - Alto & Soprano