George D. Pyper, Date of Birth, Date of Death

    

George D. Pyper

American musician and writer

Date of Birth: 21-Nov-1860

Date of Death: 17-Jan-1943

Profession: singer, hymnwriter

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio


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About George D. Pyper

  • George Dollinger Pyper (November 21, 1860 – January 17, 1943) was the fifth general superintendent of the Sunday School of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), a member and manager of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and the editor of a number of Latter Day Saint periodicals. Pyper was born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory.
  • In 1896 and 1897, he was a missionary for the LDS Church in the Eastern States Mission of the church. From 1898 to 1929, Pyper was the manager of the Salt Lake Theatre.
  • (The theatre was torn down in 1929.) As theatre manager, Pyper kept an extensive collection of photographs of performers; the collection is currently held by the J.
  • Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah. A talented singer, Pyper was the leading tenor in the Salt Lake Opera Company for many years.
  • He was a member of and the manager of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
  • In 1911, Pyper managed a 6000-mile American tour for the choir, wherein they performed in Madison Square Gardens and at the White House for U.S.
  • President William Howard Taft.
  • In 1929, Pyper became the chair of the LDS Church's Pageant Committee, which produced the performance The Message for the Ages as a celebration of the church's centennial.
  • At the age of 80, Pyper was a technical advisor to the producers of the 1940 Hollywood film Brigham Young; Pyper had known Young prior to his death in 1877.In 1918, Pyper was asked by church Apostle and general Sunday School superintendent David O.
  • McKay to be his second assistant.
  • Pyper served in this capacity until 1934, when McKay was released and Pyper was called as the fifth general superintendent of the Deseret Sunday School Union.
  • Pyper was the first general superintendent of the LDS Sunday School who was not also an apostle of the church.
  • Pyper's assistants were Milton Bennion and George R.
  • Hill, both of whom went on to serve as general Sunday School superintendents. In 1890 and 1891, Pyper was an associate editor of The Contributor, a periodical targeted at Latter-day Saint adolescents.
  • Beginning in 1910, Pyper became the editor of The Juvenile Instructor, the LDS Church Sunday School's official periodical.
  • When the Juvenile Instructor folded and was replaced by The Instructor, Pyper became the first editor of the new publication, a position he held until his death. Pyper is the author of the 1930 book Stories of the Latter-day Saint Hymns, their Authors, and Composers.
  • He composed the music to "Does the Journey Seem Long?", a hymn written by Joseph Fielding Smith which is included in the 1985 English-language LDS Church hymnal as hymn #127. Pyper was married to Emmaretta Smith Whitney and was the father of two children.

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