Byrne, an apparent fan of the series due to its moralistic investigations into religion and polygamy, felt compelled to immerse himself in Mormon history and their sacred music, and eventually came to write a number of hymns of his own. . . .

With a folksy, almost feudal character, the soundtrack presents a melodic tableau of free-flowing string work ("A Conduit to Heaven," The Pearl of Great Price), starkly struck pianos ("The Breastplace of Righteousness), brass pieces that are usually easing ("Language Confounded"), random bits of mallet percussion and Byrne's own juxtapositional entries on six-string.