occupation evan stephens
A hymnodist is one who writes the text , music or both of hymns . Hymnodists have been in existence since at least the time of ___MASK12___ David , himself a hymnodist as he composed many of the Psalms . The Mormon Tabernacle Choir , sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab or Tab Choir , is a 360 - ___MASK85___ , all - volunteer choir . The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints ( LDS Church ). Hymnal or hymnary or hymnbook is a collection of hymns , i . e . ___MASK82___ songs , usually in the form of a book . The earliest hand - written hymnals are from the Middle Ages in the context of European Christianity , although individual hymns such as the Te Deum go back much further . The Protestant Reformation in the 16th century , together with the growing popularity of moveable type , quickly made hymnals a standard feature of Christian worship in all ___MASK8___ denominations of Western and Central Europe . The first hymnal of the Reformation was " Achtliederbuch ", followed by the " Erfurt Enchiridion ". An important hymnal of the 17th century was " Praxis pietatis melica ". A choir ( also known as a chorale or chorus ) is a musical ensemble of singers . Choral music , in turn , is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform . Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire , which spans from the Medieval era to the present , and / or popular music repertoire . Most choirs are led by a ___MASK71___ , who leads the performances with arm and face gestures . A hymn is a type of song , usually ___MASK82___ , specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer , and typically addressed to a deity or deities , or to a prominent figure or personification . The word " hymn " derives from Greek (" hymnos "), which means " a song of praise ". A writer of hymns is known as a hymnodist . The singing of hymns is called hymnody . Collections of hymns are known as hymnals or hymn books . Hymns may or may not include instrumental accompaniment . The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints ( the LDS Church or , informally , the Mormon Church ) is a Christian restorationist church that is considered by its followers to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ . The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City , Utah , and has established congregations and built temples worldwide . According to the church , it has over 74 , 000 missionaries and a membership of over 15 million . It is ranked by the National Council of Churches as the fourth - largest Christian denomination in the United States . It is the largest denomination in the Latter Day ___MASK59___ movement founded by Joseph Smith during the period of religious revival known as the Second Great Awakening . For the American television comedy , see Even Stevens . Evan Stephens ( 28 June 1854 -- 27 October 1930 ) was a Latter - day ___MASK59___ composer and hymn writer . He was also the director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for 26 years ( 1890 -- 1916 ) .