J. Spencer Cornwall

{{Short description|Conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir}}

{{Infobox Latter Day Saint biography

| name = J. Spencer Cornwall

| image = Image from page 243 of "Latter-day Saint biographical encyclopedia - a compilation of biographical sketches of prominent men and women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (1901).jpg

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| alt = Photo of J. Spencer Cornwall

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| birth_name = Joseph Spencer Cornwall

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1888|02|23|mf=yes}}

| birth_place = Mill Creek, Utah Territory.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1983|02|26|1888|02|23|mf=yes}}

| death_place = Salt Lake City, Utah

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| notable_works = The Story of Our Mormon Hymn
Composed the music to "Softly Beams the Sacred Dawning": 1985 LDS Church hymnal #56

| title = Conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

| spouse = Mary Alice Haigh

| children = 7, including:
  Carol Cornwall Madsen

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| portals = LDS

}}

Joseph Spencer Cornwall{{cite web | title=Historical Roster | work=Mormon Tabernacle Choir | publisher=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | url=http://www.mormontabernaclechoir.org/roster/names?letter=C | accessdate=2009-12-14 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313123008/http://www.mormontabernaclechoir.org/roster/names?letter=C | archive-date=2013-03-13 | url-status=dead }} (February 23, 1888 – February 26, 1983){{cite book | author=Madsen, Carol Cornwall | author-link=Carol Cornwall Madsen | chapter=Cornwall, J. Spencer | title=Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History | year=2000 | editor=Arnold K. Garr | editor-link=Arnold K. Garr |editor2=Donald Q. Cannon |editor2-link=Donald Q. Cannon |editor3=Richard O. Cowan |editor3-link=Richard O. Cowan | publisher=Deseret Book | location=Salt Lake City, Utah}} was a conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the mid-20th century.

Cornwall was born at Mill Creek, Utah Territory.Cornwall, J. Spencer. A Century of Singing: The Salt Lake Mormon Tabernacle Choir. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1958) p. 360

Cornwall was the conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir from 1935 to 1957.{{Cite web |url=http://www.mormontabernaclechoir.org/roster/names?letter=C |title=The Official Site of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir |access-date=2007-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313123008/http://www.mormontabernaclechoir.org/roster/names?letter=C |archive-date=2013-03-13 |url-status=dead }} Under his leadership the choir made some of its first trips outside of the United States. Probably the most noted of these was when it performed at the dedication of the Swiss Temple.

Cornwall was also a writer. He wrote The Story of Our Mormon Hymns as well as a centennial history of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, A Century of Singing, published by Deseret Book in 1958.

Among his early music instructors was George Careless.

As choir director, Cornwall tried to raise the level of performance in the choir.[http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/music/mormon_tabernacle_choir.html Mormon Tabernacle Choir]

Cornwall composed the music to John Jaques's "Softly Beams the Sacred Dawning," which is hymn #56 in the 1985 LDS Church hymnal.