CHURCH music comes in for strong criticism in a 250-page report published by the Church of England this week.
Commissioned by the Archbishops of York and Canterbury, In Tune with Heaven is likely to anger traditionalists who will not agree with its call for churches to drop their reluctance to play unfamiliar music. This approach, the 15member committee finds, "can be deadly to the life of the Church".
Five pages of the report focus on music in the Catholic Church and Philip Duffy, Director of Music at the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, was asked to present his views on the present state of Church music.
"Much can be read here by Catholic clergy and musicians" Brompton Oratory Music Master Patrick Russill told the Catholic Herald. The need for professionalism and training outlined in the Anglican report also applies to Catholic churches, according to Mr Russill, who is also Professor of Church Music at the Royal Academy of Music.