The organist librarian

Louise went back home after breakfast. I went to 8 a.m. Mass at St Mary's - little Indian priest who said "heaven persevere you" instead of "preserve"! They now play taped music of plainchant. Pat Ryan was there. At St Michael's we sang "He who would valiant be", All creatures, Father hear and Happy are they (Mum's favourite and she died 8 years ago this week). I played Thalben-Ball. Peeters and Walton Henry V music. The CDs have arrived and look good. John Williams had made a ridiculous fuss on email about them. What church treasurer want to return a cheque? Idiot and rude with it. To St John's vicarage for garden lunch - played football. Dennis came. I went to the Prom of Elektra, Rebecca was there and not so many in gallery. Sounds like Salome last night was great but there were queue jumpers - weekend ticket holders. Amazing singers not least Felicity Palmer.

Boys quite happy. I was nice to have Louise and Dennis here and recorded the 2 proms and talk. Watched Come dine with me and Daniel Barenboim's Prom.

Swam 20 and got parcel from post office depot having gone once already without passport. Cleaned water features and put in algae control and cleaner. Lou arrived with the boys around 1 p.m. so that had given chance to tidy up and move things higher! Sean got bubble stuff in the otter feature so lots of foam. He also enjoyed the bird bath water. We cleaned up the play house stuff, They played track and watched DVDs. After the meal I went to the Hall for Mahler 2 -too late for the Martin Amis interview which I heard on the radio. Met one of the Philharmonia tenors and he confirmed Chris, David, Edward and Andrew were still singing. On checking the list I could see no soprano from our days, 3 altos and 4 basses. So Stephan has purged the lot! They joined with the Swedish radio choir and it was a good sound. Daniel Harding dared pp and all the ingredients were there but it seemed to hang fire. I used the score without the torch as I was sitting on the other side - large crowd there. The c...

A good breakfast and the hotel was busy. We left our bags and walked through the town to Priory Street. Saw ruins of St Botolph's priory the first Augustinian priory in Britain and 10.30 for Angela's funeral. Interesting to learn more about her - she sang in 16 choirs! The organist did well - the church is carpeted and the Mander is baroque and works quite well. 3 hymns. The priest knew Angela for many years. We met Lindy and Denys (did not recognise them) and we walked with them to the George in the High Street for nice reception where we met Angela's niece and enjoyed reminiscing. We then visited Colchester castle which is impressive (but no senior rate) - lovely Roman and mediaeval objects. Walked back to hotel and then on to the station to get 3.38. I went to Rachel Leach's family introduction to the Prom and Jurowski conducted LPO in Planets, Schoenberg and Scriabin Prometheus with lighting effects. It was brilliant but the audience insisted in clapping every move...

Tuesday did not swim and had a lie-in - miserable weather. Completed 2 paintings while watching CBeebies Prom - saw Mia and listened to Prom of Kiss me Kate which was excellent. To talk on Brahms. Budapest Festival orchestra under Ivan Fischer played Brahms 3 and 4 superbly. Saw Peter Stevens. The late Prom was Gardiner conducting Missa Solemnis with Monteverdi choir and period instruments. Some of it was far too fast, one generally got the feeling the pros had no idea what they were singing about. What soft passages we got were not expressivo at all. The soprano solosit was squally and the bass (Matthew Rose) sounded angry and a bit like Pizzarro. Tenor and alto soloists were fine. Met Revd Michael Bourdeaux on the bus briefly and got a taxi from East Acton. Wednesday took the boys o the Osterley Park trail and they enjoyed the logs and den and swings. To the garden centre for lunch and soft play. Tom came home early so we got bus and tube to Liverpool street in good time for the 7 ...

UP early and then back to bed for rest. To Cadogan Hall and Liz got cough mixture and strepsils for me. Louis Schwizgebel played Mozart superbly and then we had the Mahler piano quartet and Strauss Metamorphosen. Liz dropped off onto the man next to her! Pouring all day so carnival must have been a wash-out. 3 pm Ulster orchestra with Jan van Steen free Prom (surprised to see empty seats) Dvorak, Bax and Riverdance. Zhang Zuo played the Grieg concerto wearing a split skirt! To talk on Hungarian music and alarming to hear of right wing anti-semitic government. The Budapest festival orchestra under Ivan Fischer Brahms, Mozart, Schubert, Strauss, Dvorak and Kodaly. Basses at the back of the stage again makes a very rich sound. Home to see film on the zoo and Richard Attenborough RIP. 

Fr Paul Francis from St George's  and Stephen was there too it being St Bartholomew. I played Dyson and Willan on Song 34, Watson tribute to Howells and Dad's postlude. Mum and Dad were included in the prayers. Good hymns All my hope, For all the saints, O thou who camest, Forth in thy name. 28 there. To Clare's for lunch with Grainne and the kids and Dennis - very nice. To talk on Czech music which was rather dull. The Czech Philharmonic strings are superb - Janacek, Dvorak cello concerto (Alisa Weilerstein and a Bach encore) and Beethoven 7. Listened to 3 encores on the bus. 

Woke at 6 so caught up on Proms talks on Dylan Thomas, Janet Suzman on Taming of the shrew nd Ravel's home. Put up the new CD rack in the study after assembly and ordered picture frames. Used the Gerard Hulme picture frame for the bottles and it looks good. Watched the Butterworth and RVW Prom - Roderick Williams has amazing expression and diction. To vespers (3 new priests) and Mass with Fr John third Saturday in a row because he and Alexander on the only priests who can sing the Mass at the moment. He takes longer over the offertory and sermon. Amazingly we just got to the Prom in time and seats as well. BBCSO conducted by Oramo with his wife Anu Komsi hitting the very high notes in Szymanowski and Tiensuu. Ravel and Rimsky-Korsakov. Parked at West Norwood becasue of the football and home at 11.15.

Swam 20 some twinges in knees. Long chat to Ann especially about Mum and Dad's anniversary - 8 years! Cleared some of the stuff in back room and put up baskets. This meant that I missed the event at St Paul's and Lairence Caldecote at Beckenham. To Balham library ro return a lot and pick up one score. Early at hall so visited Royal College of Music museum which has Elgar's trombone and more besides.Talk about Icelandic literature and Iceland SO under Ilan Volkov gave us Schumann piano concerto and Beethoven 5 and 4 unknown works.

Only swam 14 and did my hydrotherapy exercises as my left knee was hurting. Woke up with the pain and dreaming about tonight's concert and a small choir doing an item beforehand! Collected my pictures from AgeUK and to coffee and cake at Ada and Sylvia's. They were delighted by the Faith, hope and love mosaic and Sylvia asked a lot of questions about Heythrop. She stood for Ashburton ward and lost by 8 votes because of UKIP - she is Conservative. To Elmers End to try and get castors for bedside cabinets and dropped in at the Manse to see Josie. She recognised us immediately. Excellent talk on Wilfred Owen but it was full and I was in the gallery so could not hear too well.  War Requiem wonderful ending and long silence which moved me to tears and superb soloists Gritton and Spence. Not entirely happy with children's choir who should be boys only. Tenors where were you? Sanctus and Libera me could not hear you! Basses very good and great to have young singers. Simon Halsey ...

Swam 20. Liz went to Westfield about new glasses from Boots and got new Ecco shoes for me. I went to Bromley library and got everything except the Vaughan Williams - I suspect it was filed under Williams! I was asked to email my list in advance which did not work at Wandsworth! To Lakeland for peelers. To excellent discussion on Melbourne which made it sound a lot nicer than Sydney! Carmen Callil was rude about Australia's future because of the boat people situation and Paul Abbott's comments on Scotland. Melbourne like Glasgow to the beautiful Edinburgh and Sydney. Sydney is modern but it does have the harbour walks and ferries. The Melbourne SO is the oldest in Australia and Sir Andrew Davis conducted Strauss Don Juan, Elgar cello concerto with Truls Mórk (encore Britten) and Symphonie fantastique (encore Grainger). Liz did not make it. New sofas and comfortable sofa bed at Lou's and new fireplace has arrived and bathroom tiles. Wednesday decided to have a quiet day as S...

Swam 20. To CML and got 4 scores. Liz just got to Cadogan in time. Alice Coote was indisposed but Anna Schwanewilms accompanied by Malcolm Martineau was a delightful replacement and she sang Debussy and Strauss. To Somerset House and had a look at the rudeboys photos and after picnic Colour in the work Josef Albers, Anni Albers and Gary Hulme then to the Courtauld for the prints from Breughel to Freud and some of the collection has been rehung. The cheaper Monday price is going from Monday. To St Martin's in the Fields and had a look in the Dick Sheppard chapel (statues were dedicated by Desmond Tutu and I was present) and drawings for the Bible by Annie Vallotton and touching pictures of Indian untouchable children from Hyderabad. To the National Portrait gallery for the Virginia Woolf special exhibition. Had to wait several times to look in the cases and the BP portrait award was very crowded. To Royal Academy for Stephen Hopper the lost album interesting that the cross appears ...

I spotted this little group of Orthodox Jews at Chiswick House. The father has a plastic nag over his precious hat! 

Liz dropped me at church. She got in late from the late night Prom which apparantly was fascinating - it did not impress in radio! I played Webber and Gade on Lobe den Herren, also Frank Bridge and Dad and Healey Willan on Bishopthorpe, Home for quick lunch and got to the hall early as a result. At Victoria a C2 bus splashed me so I spoke to the driver "Look at me, all because you drove too fast through that puddle" "I'm sorry about that" was the reply. When we got to the hall I went in the disabled loo and used the drier to dry off stripping off everything! I couldn't get the socks dry. Mary King on the War Requiem. A pity she did not cover more of the music and I dropped off at the end during the CD.  Tea at the RGS travel photographer and picnic in the park. Excellent discussion on the lost generation. I commented about the poor being unable to go to graves in France but forgot to mention family names like Worley dying out. Helen Dunmore and Stephen Hef...

Nice day and spent most of it in the garden varnishing the 6 mosaics and cutting up the wood and varnishing that with 4 coats then putting them up and they look good! Listened to Sally Beamish composer portrait and Greek chamber orchestra prom. Liz to Prom with Haitink and I heard Mahler 4 on way home from Mass. Fr John thanked me and Simon played. Listened to Strauss Suite for wind with score. Benedict Mason late Prom odd!

Swam 20. Liz dropped me at Kent House as she went to Mass for the Assumption at Anerley. Early at CML only to find it does not open until 11 a.m. Returned 4 scores. To the hall to get seat ticket and walked across the park to the Serpentine gallery and had a look at Princess Diana memorial fountain. Meetup with Anna and her friend and went in. Watch, phone and bag in locker then giving headphones so no sound. Everyone moving slowly and calmly and directed by the artist and assistants. I waited and did a dot to dot picture of Ciaran using peas and rice. Very calming! Some sleeping, others walking up and down. We then walked to the Sackler gallery which I did not like. The artist in video smoking and drinking and an unpleasant video of a severed head falling downstairs which Anna thought funny. I thought it very inappropriate in view of the recent events in Syria and Iraq. Bus and tube to cathedral for 1.05 mass with the new Fr Michael. Saw Louise Sage, Peter and Michael Chute. To CML a...

Woke up with the dream that I was involved with a group who only had black and white around them so there were severe decorations in a certain style which could not be changed and they seemed happy with that! It was a 30s style arts and craft very plain but attractive. The gates of the house  were in this style.

Swam 21. To art and only 4 there - did blue on picture and need to buy cerulean and lemon yellow which Norma lent me. Our pictures come down at the library tomorrow. To the tip and pait into landfill but at least lamp will be recycled. To B and Q and bought wood. 5 assistants all said try this aisle or that only one actually went to look and none tried their computers for clearseal. I ordered it from Amazon. Pizza for lunch. Preprom was 3 Peter Maxwell Davies chamber works and he was interviewed. Everyone likes him but find the music odd. Saw Michael Barnes briefly - rain coming on. BBC Phil Finlandia, Maxwell Davies Symphony no. 5 (shades of Shostakovich?) Bridge Oration and Sibelius 2. Cello encore Hindemith sonata. Spoilt by man next to me eating a roll and coughing without any attempt at muffling it. He followed the score on laptop - furious with him. Home by 11 and Liz watching Bake off.

I was at the hall by 4.30 and an excellent talk on Job with Ceri Owen. Once again the lift played up so ended up beyond lift 8. Liz decided not to come as she was late leaving and missed a train. Wonderful Alwyn Symphony No 1 in D, BBC SO conducted by Sakari Oramo in Wasps overture, Lark ascending with Janine Jansen and Job - great bit where full organ comes in - love it! There was far too mcuh loud coughing. Home to hear the late night Prom of Steve Reich conducted by David Hill.

Swam 20. Used Oystercard to be at cathedral by 10. I was boat - Jess insists in walking ahead as thurifer. Liz was consecration torch. The funeral was beautiful and well attended especially by priests and parishioners. Canon Christopher gave the best homily I've ever heard him give! At the end the Cardinal looked near to tears as were many of us. Good to see Fr Dennis and Fr Swavek. As Fr Tim Dean said Fr Michael was gold standard! He will be much missed. Had sandwich and tea downstairs - we ate there yesterday as well! To St Paul's cathedral for interesting talk on women commemorated in the crypt including Maria Hackett the Choristers' friend who has no blue plaque! To Tate Modern to see the excellent Malevich exhibition - sad at the end of his life he had to go back to realism in order to paint thanks to Stalin. The Friends room was too full so to Pret and watched skateboarders in Old Chancery court which looked dangerous! Health and safety would not approve. Buses to th...

Swam 20. Cleaned the floor and found at least 20 dead flies - yuk! Bruce on Skype. To Cadogan Hall for 1 p.m. prom - good seats. Janine Jansen and Sakari Oramo playing Prokofiev and Schubert with Itamar Golan who I thought could have had more pp. The encore was Shostakovich. None of the composers in typical mode! The 2 violins were most effective. To Central Music library where I returned by mistake the Strauss Burleske score need for the evening concert (and after all that trouble!) Still I got 4 more scores I wanted. Roast dinner at cathedral kitchen and acolyte when the body of Fr Michael was received. Vespers of the dead was simple and moving. Good to see Nick and Stephen from the choir there and lots of friends. To Prom (thunderstorm and hail) BBC National orchestra of Wales conducted by Thomas Sondergárd. Strauss, Mozart and Nielsen 5 in which the side drum player walked past us in the gallery. Francesco Piemontesi was the pianist. Home by 11.

Just watching the TV of the late night Prom I realise I definitely fell asleep in the concert - no scores to follow! The Tallis scholars are good but I do not like the sopranos Emma Kirkby tone!

At service today played Rhosymedre (played at our wedding) and Intrada of John Ireland also voluntaries on St James, Ratisbon and Malcolm Archer on Evelyns. At the end I substituted Karg-Elert with Mendelssohn Elijah section about the wind, fire and earthquake and still small voice to fit the first reading about Elijah. We sang Dear lord and Father of mankind after communion. Fr Paul had been at St James Elmers End 50 there with choir and servers. He said 120 turned up last Sunday for the baptism. I chatted to the family whose baby will be baptised next Sunday (not at the Eucharist). We had Devonshire honey cake made by Sue using the honey from the hive in the vicarage garden - delicious! I woke at 5 a.m. but reserved scores. Prom at 4 was Academy of St Martin in the Fields conducted by Joshua Bell - Beethoven 1 and he played the Bruch. Sir Neville Marriner who is 90 conducted Walton Henry V which used the organ and choirs effectively. At 7.45 the NYO conducted by Edward Gardner were ...

Up at 8 to go to Cadogan Hall to get tickets. Met lady from interfaith group at bus stop who told me Ivor has shingles. Saw Rosa and lady from Chile in the queue. To cathedral to take Liz's robes and signed 2 Pax christi petitions. Saw Rose and William. To Clapham Junction - new ring will take 2 weeks to be made smaller. To Kensington Chimes shop and the hall to get seat ticket (first in queue). RGS Travel photographer of the year - excellent photos. Sketching silver at V and A and close look at the miniatures which are breathtaking. To Cadogan Hall and saw Hannah. Lapland Chamber orchestra (none of whom come from Lapland!) conducted by John Storgards. CPE Bach, Honegger and Sibelius Rakastava. Hakan Hardenberger played Birtwistle and PMaxwell Davies Sinfonia - both composers are 80 and were present. Incredible trumpet part but neither work is pleasing in any way! Fr John at vespers and Mass and we were late so abandoned trying to get to the hall. Listened on radio Berlioz, Sea pi...

To Beckenham by car and got flowers at M and S where I parked. Peter Cook played Camidge, Vierne, Lloyd Webber and David German. His John Williams Film surprise was lost on me. The organ has some water damage.To Central Music library and got all the scores I wanted. The Prom was BBC Phil with Noseda playing Casella, Chopin, Franck with Ben Grosvenor and Saint-Saens 3 with David Goode - splendid. Saw Ben Saul and his family and Damien Howard. The talk on French music was interesting. What makes French music French? Many German influences. Stayed for the first 15 minutes of the battle of the big Jazz bands but it was very loud and could not hear the speech well. Pouring. Liz went to Acton as on Saturday she got some reading glasses - dispute with insurance company. 

The evidence for Liz's fall! Swam 20 and the pool was busy. Good to see John. To art and worked on latest picture. Home to hoover and sorting scores. Very hot again. Did consider going to Central Music library but just missed train so straight to queue. To talk and readings on translating Greek classics by Tony Harrison and it was interesting. Perhaps many know Greek drama through soap plots on TV? The prom itself by the BBCSO with Oramo was wierd. Egmont overture, horrid concerto for electric violin by Brett Dean and Oedipus Rex. Orchestra drowning soloists and squeaky seats in the gallery did not make for a happy experience! Interesting retrospective of Who do you think you are.

To Senate House library to get 4 scores including the Berio. In the end I had two versions of Shostakovich 4. Liz took her camera back to Peter Jones for repair. The European Union Youth orchestra conducted by Petrenko performed the Berio Sinfonia but was it worth all that effort. The score is huge and amazing The Shostakovich was simply brilliant! To Acton and no pyjamas to wear as bathroom stuff all been moved into bedroom and everyone asleep. Had a shower and played with the boys. To Ham House, Richmond (NT) and 3 stories downstairs then drew some pictures. Sean ran about outside and I made a den out of branches which Ciaran loved. We had tea in glorious sunshine and I took Ciarán round the house searching for 6 treasures all of which he found. When we came back to the entrance I heard the guide say Woodcock and looking for a man with a child so I said it might be us and it was! Liz had fallen chasing after Sean and cut her eyebrow, glasses cracked and hurt hand and toe. I got the ...

Swam 19 and took mosaics and paintings out of the display case - the key was in the till all the time! Bruce here for the day. Unpacked and put up new picture - plainchant now gone upstairs! Sorted out scores. Liz got a lovely book of the Mirror on our wedding and birth dates - interesting. Angela Udall died of pancreatic cancer - she was in the Chorus for many years. Also Archbishop Clancy died in Oz.

Up at 6.20 and to vigils and lauds. Gave Liz the special card with our photo and told her about the spa package and champagne tea at the Montcalm. She gave me a lovely card and a lovely ring. Breakfast together and Louise and Tom went picking your own. Mass at 11 a.m. was farewell to Tony Hemson the organist. Only knew one of the Laudate hymns but a good setting by Peter Jones. Blessing for us by Fr Nicholas in St Benedict's chapel and then to the Parish centre but the people even those who had been on pilgrimage with us were not at all friendly! Photos outside and then an excellent carvery lunch at Hedley Lodge.Lovely framed tribute from family and hanging from Carol. Family and Carol left after lunch and had a nice rest and listened to the War Horse prom on radio and after Vespers and Benediction with Dennis the Prom of Strauss and Elgar 2 on TV so missed Compline. Dennis to the station and had wine and sandwiches in the room. Monday a little late for vigils - could not hear bel...

Friday swam 20 and Bruce arrived from Jersey. Took car to check tyres and who walked up bur Archbishop Kevin. He was going to confession with Fr David Standley and he has an article in this week's Tablet on Ecclesiam Suam. Ann Marie took Molly to the kennels and we set off eventually at 11 a.m. Got to Chedworth Roman villa (NT) and had sandwiches and cake and Liz and Ann Marie arrived as we started going round. The audio guide for a £1 was excellent and the mosaics are stunning. We did try the musical museum but we were too late. On to Hereford with a diversion in Cheltenham. Lovely countryside and arrived around 5 p.m. The family were here and the four of us had fish at Hedley Lodge. Liz and I went to compline. Dennis's train arrived at 11 but by then I was in bed. Up at 6.15 for vigils and lauds then Mass at 8 with Liz and breakfast with everyone. To Croft castle (NT) and delighted to play the piano (30s numbers) and the Samuel Green organ (William Croft and Purcell). Lovely...