Frank Wilson Asper (February 9, 1892 – November 8, 1973) was an American composer and member of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

who served as

Mormon Tabernacle The Salt Lake Tabernacle, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle, is located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, in the U.S. state of Utah. The Tabernacle was built from 1863 to 1875 to house meetings for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da ...

organist from 1924 to 1965. Asper came from a musically inclined family. He studied under Ebenezer Beesley as a youth and then studied at

Stern Conservatory The Stern Conservatory (''Stern'sches Konservatorium'') was a private music school in Berlin with many distinguished tutors and alumni. The school is now part of Berlin University of the Arts. History It was founded in 1850 as the ''Berliner Mu ...

in Berlin and the

New England Conservatory The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. The conservatory is located on Huntington Avenue along Avenue of the Arts (Boston), the Avenue of the Arts near Boston Symphony Ha ...

Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodism, Methodists with its original campus in Newbury (town), Vermont, Newbur ...

, the

University of Utah The University of Utah (the U, U of U, or simply Utah) is a public university, public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret (Book of Mormon), Deseret by the General A ...

and

Chicago Musical College Chicago Musical College is a division of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Illinois, United States. History Founding Dr. Florenz Ziegfeld Sr (1841–1923), founded the college in 1867 as the Chicag ...

. Asper also held an honorary degree for music, issued in 1938, from

Bates College Bates College () is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine. Anchored by the Historic Quad, the campus of Bates totals with a small urban campus which includes 33 Victorian ...

. Besides being Mormon Tabernacle organist, Asper was the organist of the First United Methodist Church in

Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Salt ...

from 1923 to 1937. He also toured as a concertizing organist. Asper was a fellow of the

American Guild of Organists The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is an international organization of academic, church, and concert organists in the US, headquartered in New York City with its administrative offices in the Interchurch Center. Founded as a professional educa ...

Works

Asper penned words and music for several LDS hymns. Seven of these are found in the 1985 hymnal '' Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints''. * 132: God Is in His Holy Temple – music * 176: 'Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love – music * 189: O Thou, Before the World Began – music * 222: Hear Thou Our Hymn, O Lord – words and music * 245: This House We Dedicate to Thee – music * 257: Rejoice! A Glorious Sound Is Heard – music * 323: Rise Up, O Men of God (Men's Choir) – music

References

* 1892 births 1973 deaths 20th-century American classical musicians American Latter Day Saint hymnwriters Boston University alumni Burials at Salt Lake City Cemetery Chicago Musical College alumni Latter Day Saints from Utah New England Conservatory alumni Tabernacle Choir organists University of Utah alumni {{LDS-bio-stub