Joe Zsigray: Father We Sing Your Praises (Entire Album)

NALR ZS-78 (1978)

An interesting liturgical adventure from the early years of the Novus Ordo Missae. We normally associate that era with the "old folk Mass" but this isn't quite folk, it's somewhere between that and a more formal liturgical style. Joseph Raymond Zsigray, Jr. (1953-2014) was from a musical standpoint one of the more gifted liturgists of the era and genre. Sometimes his music gets interesting. Some of the pieces (especially "Lord, send out your Spirit") have a "drinking song" feel to them, something that wasn't unique to Zsigray back in the day. It shows the tendency of Catholic music of the era to import styles from pop culture rather than to create a strictly liturgical style, which was intended to connect the parishioners to their Mass better. This album is one of the better representations of the era, by one of its more gifted musicians.
The songs:
Father We Sing Your Praises 4:00
Penitential Rite 1:15
Gloria 2:46
Lord Send Out Your Spirit 2:42
Alleluia 0:41
General Intercession 3:47
Holy Holy 1:40
Christ Has Died 0:34
Dying You Destroyed Our Death 0:33
Doxology & Great Amen 1:08
You Shall Love The Lord Your God 4:11
When We Eat This Bread 0:58
Lord By Your Cross 0:41
Lord's Prayer 2:03
Lamb Of God 1:44
Alleluia Praise God On High 2:48
Lord Jesus Christ 1:34
Magnificat 3:21

[JacobusCatholicus]

This came out a year before I was born. Not bad, but I still prefer our Anglican choral tradition. Thank you for sharing!