The irony is ever present, especially at this time of year: Catholic music is being heard in concert halls and in Protestant Christmas specials but not in the Catholic Church (for the most part, in any case). Here is a nice note underscoring the point.
Many of us with choral experience in pre-council times have found little of the church music in the vernacular since then inspiring in any way. That said, as a child I was exposed to some dreadful Marian hymns. Lent was my favorite musical season since we sang “O Sacred Head.” Who can resist Bach even when you have no clue who he is? I salute your most active ministry in promoting our cultural heritage. It’s definitely an uphill battle as it is for all classical music. It’s very difficult to recruit members who are not seniors for a traditional church choir. Compounding the problem is often a lack of funds to enable hiring of professionaly trained directors and accompanists.
I have been singing with a fine concert choir for over 40 years and am always inspired by the religious music we perform. For the same reason I’m privileged to join a local Presbyterian church choir for their concerts with organ and orchestra. I quite realize how blessed I’ve been to have been continually inspired by so many great composers. It’s just sad that it has taken place outside my church rather than in it.
I believe that this is starting to change, however.
I can heartily sympathise with the author. The liturgy at King's College, Cambridge is a prime example. Whilst the Sunday Eucharist follows the Book of Common Prayer (with a few local additions), the Ordinary is normally heard in a Renaissance setting – often Palestrina, Byrd, or Lassus – and each Sunday the full set of plainchant Propers are sung by the choral scholars (not often by the trebles). The result is something of a Sarum-like liturgy in one of the world's finest buildings. Who could resist?