Each One Heard in His Own Language About the Marvels of God

Description

Each One Heard in His Own Language About the Marvels of God is an album by the American St. Pius X Seminary Choir, released on Century Records in 1968.

Here’s one choir you definitely won’t want to miss. Notice that they’re directed by Rev. Nicholas T. Freund, the same guy responsible for The Search Party’s Montgomery Chapel, one of Christian music’s absolute top psych rarities. Although this male/female choir doesn’t really sound like The Search Party, they sure don’t recall any choir I’ve ever heard before. The rock, folk, psych and electronic influences heard here once again confirm that Freund was very much a part of the experimental late ’60s. The choir itself comes across big and loud, and at more than one point it even sounds like they’re yelling at the top of their lungs. The instruments are loud, too: the electric bass, the organ, the acoustic guitars, the electric guitar, and especially the drums and percussion. «Meditation – Acts 2:1-12 – Pentecost Sunday» opens the album on a highly avant garde note, with liturgical readings, chanting and dissonant singing backed by a variety of harsh grating electronic sounds. Covers of Ray Repp’s «I Am The Resurrection» and «Come Children Hear Me» follow, sounding like straightforward ’60s Catholic folk as typically heard on World Library or FEL labels. Bluesy harmonica joins with some cool electric guitar riffing on Sister Germaine’s «Who Is This Man». Next is an intense psychedelic version of «Get Together» with big drums, swirls of spacey organ and tripped-out St. Pepper flutes, and a short modal/raga electric guitar solo. Side two is entirely taken up with a rocking performance of John Ylvisaker’s Mass For The Secular City (from Praise The Lord In Many Voices Part I), highlighted by psychy organ and electric guitar interaction. Very primitive looking yellow cover with red dove/fire design, along with newspaper clippings about the group on the back. An extremely rare private press from Galt, California, on the ultra-custom Century label. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th Edition]

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LP tracklist:

Side One – Acts 2, 1–12:
A1. “Pentecost Sunday, Double Alleluia”
A2. “I Am The Resurrection”
A3. “Come, Children, Hear Me”
A4. “Who Is This Man”
A5. “Get Together”

Side Two – Mass For the Secular City:
B1. “Sing To The Lord (Introit)”
B2. “Lament Of The City (Kyrie)”
B3. “Joy In The City (Gloria)”
B4. “Death In The City (Credo)”
B5. “Lord Of The City (Sanctus)”
B6. “New Life In The City (Agnus Dei)”

Note: Digitally remastered by Anders Peterson and re-issued as a double CD set by Lion Productions in 2013, entitled The News Is You: The Sacred And Secular Music Of Nick Freund. Includes The Search Party’s Montgomery Chapel as well as St. Pius X Seminary Choir’s 1968 album release Each One Heard in His Own Language About the Marvels of God, plus bonus tracks taken from ultra-rare early albums by the St. Pius X Seminary Choir. (The recordings released by the St. Pius X Seminary Choir were made in the year or two which led up to the recording of The Search Party album.) The 32-page booklet is packed with information, thanks to Rev. Nicholas Freund, who was gracious enough to delve into his memory, scrapbook, and photo albums.