The organist librarian

Spoke to Ann and they enjoyed their visit to Berlin. To seniors coffee morning in the Hinsley Room and met Eric and Patrick and a lady from Doon Mary Mahoney. Patrick goes to Lourdes with the Jumbulance every May. 31 at Understanding Islam including some refugees from the Coulsdon course who missed this week's session there. Sue Lyon among them! To the British library to see the treasures exhibition, the Folio society exhibition about the Bloomsbury set and the European Avant Garde display (latter not to my taste). Had a look at St Pancras and the roof is very impressive. Do not like the big sculpture under the clock! To chorus and Edward Caswell is excellent. He was making a guest appearance. We worked on Elijah and Beethoven 9 and he likes legato singing and the sound improved a lot. Liz arrived home with the old car 330 miles from Dublin! She stayed in Shrewsbury overnight.

To St George's hospital, Tooting for Wandsworth Interfaith forum event on medical ethics and faith perspectives. Hard to hear some of the speakers (Christian, Hindu, Sikh and Muslim). I asked about the new government idea about donating organs - Muslims do not allow this after death. I went to the forum about sexual clinics and HIV as Wandsworth has a particular concern about teenage pregnancy rates. 40,000 attend the clinic at Tooting every year! I chatted to the nurses at the excellent meal of chicken and rice and they will send the library new information. It was most interesting. Amazed to find that the Christian speaker was Margaret Semple who grew up at St Mark's Yeoville and is John Alexander's cousin! A small world indeed!

40 lengths yesterday and 31 today. Did some shopping in Tescos including flowers to welcome Liz home tomorrow - hurrah! To St Joseph's Bromley for the funeral - good Catenian turnout. Lovely booklet with lots of family photos. His sons spoke very well and so did Deacon Duncan Aitkins. Beforehand a CD of Canteloube Songs of the Auvergne was played and at the end the lovely flute solo from Carmen. 3 great hymns "Dear Lord and Father" "Holy, holy, holy" and "It came upon the midnight clear". I played the Kyrie from the Hummel Mass in D minor at communion. The Conacher is a small organ and the pedal stop ciphered in the first hymn. It was a lovely service and very moving - it reminded me of Mum and Dad's funeral. I actually followed the hearse as I drove back to get the train and I was at work by 2 p.m.

BDT meeting. Looks like staffing is sorted out at last and I asked about a lick of paint as some areas are looking shabby. To RSCM committee at Peter Wright's. We are in good spirits despite lack of support of events and planned some good sessions for next season. There are 18 candidates for Dean's award in February whcih is great. My CRB needs redoing so I can examine in June and organise 10 pin bowling later in the year.

A great dance

The choir at Coulsdon sang well today - Nicholson in G (I sang in the tenor in the short unaccompanied sections) and L.J.White Prayer of St Richard of Chichester. I have known this anthem since I was a boy. In the second verse the descant follows the tune just like in the prayer - the pilgrim follows Christ! It is simple and beautiful. I played Walther on "Jesu meine freude" and Pachelbel "Von himmel hoch" as we are still celebrating Epiphany with the crib under the altar. I practised the Hummel from the D minor Mass for Kevin Munro's funeral on Tuesday. Home for lunch (microwaved dinner like Grandma has) and skype to Liz in Dublin. At vespers I was crucifer and the choir superb in Lassus and Palestrina. To M and S for cappucino and cappucino cake - very indulgent! Organ recital was Matthew and Oliver in duet. Amazing Mozart 40th symphony Allegro and Wesley duet sparkling playing. Thomas played for 5.30 Mass and I was cantor. Skipped opening item - no sign of th...

A Little Christian Humor This is one of the best clean jokes I've seen in awhile! Jesus and Satan were having an on-going argument about who was better on the computer. They had been going at it for days, and frankly God was tired of hearing all the bickering. Finally fed up, God said, "That’s it! I have had enough. I am going to set up a test that will run for two hours, and from those results, I will judge who does the better job." So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away. They moused. They faxed. They e-mailed. They e-mailed with attachments. They downloaded. They did spreadsheets! They wrote reports. They created labels and cards. They created charts and graphs. They did some genealogy reports They did every job known to man. Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was faster than hell. Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the power w ent off. Sata...

Sure enough there had been trouble from kids Thursday evening so a security guard will be coming from Monday night. I was grateful for the prompt response. To choir practice and we started on the Stainer Crucifixion for Good Friday. A restless night without Liz being here. Set off at 9 to park car at the cathedral and tube to Chiswick. Nice to be back at the scene of the wedding (Louise and Tom were busy all day so we couldn't meet up). Fr Michael O'Boy led the session on the Lent group theme which is migrants. Lulu in my group was very anti-migrant and I became annoyed. The subject is a sensitive one so it may be hard to discuss. To Hinsley Room for Justice and Peace meeting (about 12 there). Fr Augustine Hoey spoke well on prayer and finding God in the silence. Met David, an Anglican from Richmond, who went to Knock with Fr Dwayne. Catherine and Ann were there too. Mary made some nice cake. Vespers and Mass. Fr Michael Seed probably not loud enough as celebrant. Downing Colle...

Staff meetings today - there was discussion about unruly children. It's been quiet but there are signs of old troubles re-emerging. To St Paul's at the cathedral were singing vespers. Transport for London advised bus 344 to the Elephant and then a train from there to Blackfriars. I could also have stayed on the 344. I could not find the rail station entrance in time so used my initiative and got a bus 100 to the cathedral arriving at 5 p.m. Too late to serve of course but Liz did and there was full team including Deacon Peter and Decaon Ed, Fr Archer, Fr Michael Seed. Magnificent Palestrina and a fine sermon on Paul from Mgr Mark. I got the car keys from Liz and she set off for Stansted and Dublin for nearly a week which does not fill me with joy! I hate sleeeping alone! To Dvorak rehearsal and all 11 tenors for the trip were there! "Music and liturgy" has arrived.

The search is over - I have scores of Kyrie and Agnus Dei from Mass No 3 in D minor thanks to CPDL and a gracious church musician in Austria called Mr Meissl who put them on to the internet for free from his church's large music collection. Rather nice music too - no wonder Kevin Munro liked it so much. I am listening to a wierd version of the Mass on an electronic keyboard sound.

Moved garden rubbish up to Grandma's where there will be a skip to clear the garage once the new bathroom is done. Bus held up by the police closing roads around Vauxhall and Victoria but got to the Hinsley Room in time. 29 at the course and Chris on great form. Stayed and had tea with small group members and looked at Louise and Tom's official wedding photobook which arrived today. It is lovely! The photo cutting the cake isn't in the book!

Tony Ruane of Swale circle will be buried on Monday. His funeral is in Sittingbourne. The church only seats 150 so there will be a live relay to teh Capel Hall. He was a charming man and had been Provincial President. I cannot go as I will need to take leave to play for Kevin Munro's funeral on Tuesday. I am still trying to find scores of Hummel's masses (Kevin often spoke of them to me) for that service.

The CTBI materials for the week can be found here and they are rather good this time. We are urged by Paul to pray without ceasing. when we left the Abbey service on Friday we were given a rather useful booklet from the Bible Society with biblical quotes about unity. The Dean of St Paul's gave an excellent sermon at Vespers on Sunday. He told of how as a young curate he became angry at a funeral where the 2 sides of a family would not speak and he refused to allow them to leave the crematorium until they spoke to each other. We plan to be at Vespers at St Paul's tomorrow at 5 p.m. sung by Westminster Cathedral choir. It was most unfortunate that St Paul's cathedral choir sang evensong at the cathedral on Friday night when we were at the Abbey service. Mgr Mark preached at Westminster Central Hall on Sunday.

We are being liturgical this year and keeping the crib up until Candlemas. The cathedral must be one of the few places in London with a Christmas tree still up. We did find some decorations hanging from the ceiling which got missed on Twelfth Night!

The full moon was very low in the sky this morning and evening and looked wonderful in the night sky. It reminded me of a lovely evening in Istanbul overlooking the Bosphorus but I could not be romantic as Liz was not on that chorus trip! At times the hazy moon behind bare branches looked like a Caspar David Friedrich painting! 38 lengths of the pool yesterday and 40 today plus tai chi with Tony yesterday afternoon. He explained the 5 Chinese elements and the exercises for each one. I particularly liked the water one - low scoop to pick up the water. On BBC2 Peter Owen Jones a C of E vicar followed the footsteps of St Antony to live alone in the Egyptian desert for 3 weeks. In previous programmes he did kung fu in China and was an Indian holy man. There was another query about my doing health and safety course. What my intentions are! Who knows? After a day like today with electricians, computer cleaners, drilling, staff shortages I might retire now!I enjoyed reading The Tablet in the...

At Coulsdon we sang Oldroyd Mass of the quiet hour and Harris "Holy is the true light" at David Steer's request. In the congregation was the original treble soloist for the Mass and I am trying to persuade him tow rite about the experience. The choir gave David a framed photo and there was sherry after service. We sang "Thy hand O God has guided" and Thiman's voluntary on Harwood's "Thornbury". Met with Vickie to choose music for February. Home for lunch and then to Vespers at the cathedral where the Dean of St Paul's preached and the choir sang Palestrina. Tom Winpenny from St Paul's played Bach and Reger in his recital. I was cantor at the 5.30 mass and all went well except for the plainchant Gloria which I didn't know. Martin Baker improvised amazingly as always. Watched some of Antiques roadshow and Lark rise to Candleford. Malcolm Hubble will deputise in June and November and I did the February music list. Songs of Praise featu...

The organ club visited St Andrew's. I did a demonstration of the organ using Flor Peeters Ciacona and some short baroque pieces to show off the solo stops. The 4 foot flute on the Great has a slight chiff which works well in Buxtehude. The oboe and clarinet sound good although the organ is a little out of tune thanks to the church heating. For the first time in 3 years I went into the organ chamber! There were 40 present including several friends so I felt less nervous. They included the organ builder Eric Shephard who knows Francis Jackson well, Ian Tompsett and Joan Hadley(?) who used to work at Balham music library. I certainly played better today as a result. They are a bit like anoraks taking photos of everything. They had a coach which was as well as the traffic was horrendous - the rail bridge was closed! I joined them at Coulsdon Methodist church - a dark interior but quite a nice organ. I then drove to Westminster Abbey for 3 p.m. evensong. Stanford in B flat ( a little to...

I just love "Deacon's Decaff" !

An excellent meditation at meditatio

The 100th anniversary of the founding of the week so Liz and I went to the Churches Together in England service at Westminster Abbey at 5 p.m. There were many people there including some dear friends - Rosemary, Terence, Derek, and I met Joy Peck in the street and she said she was going. The music was splendid - Stanford in A Magnificat, Taize, a beautifully dressed Armenian choir. A wonderful sermon from the woman president of CTE from the Salvation Army. She quoted Churchill "Never give up" The Cardinal and Archbishop of Canterbury both gave inspiring messages. Fr Michael Seed said one of the prayers. I rather felt the prayers were too long and wordy punctuated by the Gospel choir. I'm not sure "Selby" by A.J.Eyre is a good choice for "O for a thousand tongues to sing" and the organ in "We are marching in the light of Christ" needed percussion! It was fascinating to have Bible readings in Yoruba, Korean and Greek. What an occasion! Got the ...

Devoured the bestseller by Ian McEwan "On Chesil Beach". This is about the disastrous wedding night of a young couple in 1962 and is brilliantly written and it makes you think about life! Highly recommended. I was so keen to know the end I skipped over a chapter and then reread it!

Ivan's funeral at the cathedral - Simon playing the organ but no singers. Good to see Graham from St John's and James O'Donnell there. First met Ivan at Belmont Abbey on retreat with the late much missed Dom Alan Rees. Ivan was such a nice man. There were 35 at Understanding Islam which was excellent! Liz came too. Skyped Ann and Paul in Wurzburg - they enjoyed Singapore! I have at last finished the rather dry book "How to understand Islam" and now have Chris's book to read!

Sir Simon Rattle's choices were interesting - Mahler, Bach, Haydn, Janacek and jazz. He chose his partner Maddalena's voice as his final choice because he said he is a sentimental old man! And his book "Don Quixote" because he loves reading novels and his luxury a cappucino maker. I went back to church for 3 to practise and evensong went OK - Sumsion in A, Mendelssohn "There shall a star". I played some Noels. Nice reception in the vicarage to say farewell to David and Carol. On TV watched Rosemary Neldon in Soweto and how she formed her string orchestra and violin school - wonderful woman. Sense and sensibility came to a joyful conclusion and Antiques Roadshow was from Liverpool.

It's been an interesting week! Liz is delighted that the back fences have at last been replaced. On Wednesday the Understanding Islam course started in the Hinsley Room ably led by Dr Chris Hewer. 27 people came so I was very pleased and the session was excellent. I went to the National Gallery and enjoyed the exhibition of German stained glass. Part of the gallery was closed because of a strike! In the evening the Chorus party was distinguished by superb food prepared by Jackie and an enjoyable quiz. On Thursday I visited the new Wellcome Trust exhibition in Euston Road. The collection is very well presented and there is a virtual library. The exhibition on "Dreams and sleep" was fascinating. The chorus started rehearsing Dvorak's wonderful Requiem for the Istanbul trip ably directed by Mark Griffiths. Friday Liz was out with Fr Swavek and the catechists for dinner while I took choir practice. I was home in time to see the remarkable C of E vicar Peter Owen Jones on ...

To circle meeting where Peter Mills became our newest brother. Here he is being greeted by our President Philip Chandler and Declan O'Hara Membership officer.

Adoration of the Magi by Velasquez We had solemn vespers last night with incense and a great team of young servers at Mass much appreciated by Father Mark. We even had consecration candles for the first time on Saturday evening! At the end Oliver played "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" which he said he had played at a wedding! It worked well. Watched HDD of programme on British choreographer working at the Bolshoi for the first time and the remainder of the Pavarotti programme. His father had a great voice too! Friday evening we had Peter Owen Jones in China at Buddhist monasteries learning about kung fu and meditation. Today we sang Darke in E and Ouseley's "From the rising of the sun" and I played Buxtehude and Gade on "How brightly shines the morning star". John didn't feel up to Three Kings by Cornelius as like me he had a cold. Listened to John Humphreys on Desert Island Discs. The Bishop of Rochester is causing controversy by saying there are ...

Thursday did some more weeding of the shelves in preparation for the West Hill stock which should arrive soon. Liz got fish and chips from McDermotts and we ate it at Grandma's. She had had her hair done and was looking forward to Gordon's visit today. I watched most of "Carmen" from Covent Garden on HDD. The tenor Jonas Kaufman was outstanding both singing and dramatically. Liz spotted a boy she knows from St Helen's school in the cast. The production was excellent. Also saw start of programme on Pavarotti in 7 arias. Jay Cormier's meditation today in "Daily reflections for Advent & Christmas 2007-8" is about moments of revelation like the moment the disciples first met Jesus. Such a moment for me was when singing Don Basilio in Figaro and the audience laughed in the first act trio when I sang "Ah how delightful". After months of preparation and rehearsal this was a wonderful moment and life was never the same again! Yesterday I was ba...

St Basil the Great who is commemorated today with his friend St Gregory of Nazianus. To the Hinsley Room for 12 noon. Eileen led a meditation on Christmas 2007 and then a silent meditation. After lunch we looked at Luke 1 and thought about "My peace I leave with you". I spent some time at the crib, checked the interfaith leaflets were still on display and picked up "The Tablet" from our servers locker. It was a useful time of contemplation and we were asked to think about how we had come through crises. I see God working through people to help me achieve peace of mind. The sun will rise tomorrow, all will be well, we will get to heaven. Christmas 2007 was so much calmer than Christmas 2006. Elizabeth's intimate greeting to Mary should be expressed by us in the Peace at Mass. We are the Body of Christ and I am sure Jesus touched people and embraced them. I thought too about the beautiful "Sure in the shining night" by Lauridsen we sang at Windsor. I rem...

Last night after a relatively quiet 9 to 5 at work Liz persuaded me to leave the quiet comfort of the lounge to go to St Paul's cathedral for the 11.15 watch night service. The Cambridge Heath Salvation Army band played very well and the precentor Canon Lucy Winkett spoke excellently. The cathedral looks splendid and I liked moving to the great West door during "Lord for the years" to hear the famous quote used by King George VI "I said to the man at the door of the year give me a light". We drove up via Tower Bridge and heard the fireworks. The journey home took a long time and every bus was packed! We go home at 1.45 a.m. Today we spoke to Ann on Skype having got Dennis on the mobile at midnight. We went by train to Westminster Cathedral and served at Mass. Fr Michael spoke about Mary and the Trinity and Deacon Ed said he had seen the fireworks from their roof terrace. Watched a lot of TV including the Vienna New Year concert, 3 hour programme on Vaughan Willi...