George Edward Percy Careless (September 24, 1839 – March 5, 1932) was a prominent Latter-day Saint composer and conductor. Careless was born in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. As a child he studied at the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

in London. He performed at

Exeter Hall Exeter Hall was a large public meeting place on the north side of the Strand in central London, opposite where the Savoy Hotel now stands. From 1831 until 1907 Exeter Hall was the venue for many great gatherings by promoters of human bettermen ...

Drury Lane Drury Lane is a street on the eastern boundary of the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of Camden and the southern part in the City of Westminster. Notable landmarks ...

and the

Crystal Palace Crystal Palace may refer to: Places Canada * Crystal Palace Complex (Dieppe), a former amusement park now a shopping complex in Dieppe, New Brunswick * Crystal Palace Barracks, London, Ontario * Crystal Palace (Montreal), an exhibition building * ...

. In the early 1860s Careless joined

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 Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

and in 1864 he immigrated to

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, the 45th state. ...

. It was after his ship had docked in New York City that he wrote a musical arrangement for

Parley P. Pratt Parley Parker Pratt Sr. (April 12, 1807 – May 13, 1857) was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement whose writings became a significant early nineteenth-century exposition of the Latter Day Saint faith. Named in 1835 as one of the first ...

's hymn " The Morning Breaks, the Shadows Flee". Shortly after coming to

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...

, Careless became the conductor of the

Mormon Tabernacle Choir The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is an American choir, acting as part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It has performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for ov ...

as well as of the Salt Lake Theatre orchestra. He also conducted performances by the Salt Lake Opera Company. Among his students was the future conductor of the Tabernacle choir, J. Spencer Cornwall.Cornwall, p. 266 Besides " The Morning Breaks" (hymn #1), Careless also composed the music to the following hymns in the 1985 Latter-day Saint hymnal: #40 "Arise, O Glorious Zion", #122 "Though Deepening Trials", #145 "Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire", #150 "O Thou Kind and Gracious Father", #178 "O Lord of Hosts", #186 "Again We Meet Around the Board", #191 "Behold the Great Redeemer Die" and #192 "He Died! The Great Redeemer Died".

Gallery

File:George Careless in the 1860s.PNG, George Careless in the 1860s File:Salt Lake Theatre Orchestra 1868.png, Salt Lake Theatre Orchestra 1868.From Left to Right: Joshua Midgley (Bass), Ebenezer Beesley (Cello), David W. Evans(Violin), George Careless (Director, violin), Mark Croxall (Cornet), Horace K. Whitney (Flute), Orson Pratt Jr.(Piano).

Notes

References

Latter-day Saint biographical encyclopedia ''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'' (abbreviated ''LDS Biographical Encyclopedia'') is a four-volume biographical dic ...

: a compilation of biographical sketches of prominent men and women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Volume 1, page
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1839 births 1932 deaths American Latter Day Saints British Latter Day Saints British male conductors (music) Converts to Mormonism English Latter Day Saint hymnwriters English Latter Day Saints English conductors (music) English emigrants to the United States English hymnwriters Musicians from London People of Utah Territory Tabernacle Choir music directors {{LDS-stub