The organist librarian

Liz home at 3 a.m. from Lourdes. Prayers for Brien and Violet George today and I played their favourites Finlandia and Sheep may safely graze also Dad's interlude on "York". Jerry paid me and has found Lourdes Gloria.  Two excellent Proms Aurora playing Mozart 39 from memory and Strauss oboe concerto. BBCSO under Edward Gardner Ravel, Debussy and an attractive choral work which apparently was in English!

A really lovely day playing organs in Thaxted and Saffron Walden but a lot of driving! At Mass at the cathedral appeal for Columban missionaries - result finished 7.15 so abandoned going to the hall for the Prom and enjoyed it on the radio! Interesting programme on Tom Daley. Good pub lunch and did some sketching. Saw Holst's house and windmill at Thaxted. Asked about Hugh Mathew but way before their time at Saffron Walden. 

Swam and returned items to CML then to cathedral for part of funeral. Martin Plunkett was presiding and he was the man I wanted to see about Sunday's vigil! To Sr Catherine and a good discussion then back to CML to get scores. Home in time to let Nick in who sorted my computer - 397 attacks on it. My new card came. To film of Haitink in 1987 conducting with Felicity Lott singing Ravel and Petrushka.  Fab Mahler 3 from Haitink and LSO especially the posthorn. Woman next to me put her stuff on the seat and got a place on the rail then lay on the floor for most of it - how selfish is that? Haitink is 87 and 50 years at the Proms conducting 88 in all!

Woke early again so swam and looked up scores. Watered garden and did dead heading. To art and painted 3 sunflowers - very colourful. This will be my summer picture. To interfaith lunch and some support for vigil outside the cathedral on Sunday at 11.30 in view of the murder of the French priest. The imam in Rouen said he had lost a very good friend. Came home and then to Kensington library - only 1 out of 4 scores found in the store. Prom was Norrington and Stuttgart orchestra - no vibrato and strings sounded weak as a result. Berlioz, Beethoven and Brahms. Spoke to Ann. In Catena twice but wrote to editor as caption is wrong! The pre-Prom discussion was on Shakespeare and religion and I am afraid the comments about German Protestant influence got me commenting on the Catholic elements in Hamlet and I also asked about Malvolio. Bishop Chartres very impressive. 

Woke up too early so looked up scores.  A most enjoyable morning at the London Wetlands centre and a quiet afternoon. The Prom was good - Dukas, (shades of Ravel and Debussy) Michael Berkeley 's rather sad violin concerto and the superb Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet.

Swam. Not the greatest day - set off the alarm when I got up early to make tea. Had a call to say computer hacked and went onto screen - big mistake as Geoff Hunter of Blue Mist wanted me to pay £415 for lifelong protection - luckily the payment did not go through and I reported it and will get a new debit card. Very upsetting. To Dulwich picture gallery to see Winifred Knights paintings - lovely. Watched University challenge, Fake or fortune, Father Brown. Provincial council at Swanley went well - Peter Tibke spoke on vocations.

Swam and to Scratchley hall - blood pressure and pulse low and in ideal position 23 re weight and height! Met Liz Ellis in Peter Jones and saw Fred Irvine. Lovely Cadogan hall prom with 12 cellos. Great soprano but high C not in score and where were the glissandi? Had a good view but sketching cellists not easy! To Georgia O'Keefe at Tate modern - too many people but did get to flr 10 and 8 this time despite the inadequate lifts!  A fascinating pre-Prom discussion on male grooming and beards! Sparkling Prom from Glyndebourne The Barber of Seville - great singing and very funny!

Played Wesley Holsworthy church bells (strangely no bell ringing today!) and Stanley. Choir of 5 sang Purcell Hear my prayer 2 part version well. Great music! I   listened to the Walkure final scene from last night's Prom conducted by Mark Wigglesworth. Super! Delivered letter in Polish to South Norwood Polish priests about Catenians. Baked cinnamon pastries. Enjoyed old films of Solomon and Arrau playing Beethoven.  As one would expect from Jurowski an exciting Beet 9 at the Prom. Pity about flute tuning and one or 2 sopranos not quite high enough also a restless audience on a warm night! Good soloists. Did not much like the new piece! Home in record time 50 minutes door to door! Enjoyed Father Brown episode. 

I enjoyed the day at Hurtado. Eugenia talked too much. Fr Leonard was chatty and he brought a lapsed Catholic called John! I spoke briefly about Explore and the Catenian bursary fund - we were asked to comment on development and I asked Sarah the speaker what she thought of bursary Fund awards. It was interesting but hot. Only 3 serving at Mass so no smoke. Fr Martin started late and I just missed a 52 so decided to come home as I was hot and thirsty. The same thing will happen next week as there is an appeal! Rose was on. Just got in as the last chords of Wagner (which is what I wanted to hear) were sounding - it says its available online. 

Lovely funeral for Gill Ness-Collins in Steyning. Sang in the choir. The requiem was held in the Anglican church which was very fitting for all Gill's ecumenical work and so many other things. It was good to meet up with old friends at lunch. Dropped Liz at East Croydon to go to Toulouse and on to Lourdes. Lovely concert Mozart and Mendelssohn.

Swam 20. To doctor and ears syringed no  nice but makes a huge difference having the wax out. Liz went to hair and I went to art and again we had life drawing which we enjoyed. Watched Fake of fortune about Lucien Freud and University challenge.   F antastic Strictly come dancing Prom, full of excellent music and fab dancing.  Did a sketch as we stood on the rail. 

Swam 20, An inspiring visit to the Way of Mercy in Westminster cathedral with the two artists.  An excellent preProm talk on Poulenc's Stabat mater and a fine Prom from BBC Singers and orchestra - Faure, Stravinksy and Poulenc. Home quickly!

To St George's Hanover Square for Edward Tambling's fine recital including Dom Gregory Murray's homage to Delius then to the Royal Academy Hockney portraits. Considering he is our greatest living draughtsman they are remarkably similar and after a while I realised how dead the faces were. Reason - no lights in the eyes just black splotches with some exceptions. Compared to Singer Sargent's portraits these are just decorative.  Early at the hall and enjoyed the film of Dame Myra Hess playing Bach and Beethoven in 1954. The Missa Solemnis was spoilt by orchestral and especially organ overload. Stuart Skelton was great but too often the tenors and inner parts got lost in a general sound. The later movements were better. How one missed the hushed amazement of "Et incarnatus est" and "Crucifixus" as Giulini interpreted it. Nice to see Mary Rouse and Martin Barry's mother but surely latecomers could be admitted to the Prom?

To Cadogan Hall  after coffee at Peter Jones for an excellent prom Debussy and Mozart - not so keen on the Ditilleux quartet! Came home as it was so hot and then back for the talk on Charlotte Bronte. Met Damian Howard and Adrian was at the Prom Munich Phil with Gergiev. Ravel Bolero, Rachmaninov 3, Strauss. Train very late and slow home at 11.45!

A lovely day for Provincial President's Sunday at West Malling with Bishop Paul Mason. Everything went so well and the music was much appreciated. About 60 came. Lovely to have the whole family there.  Watching the lovely Prom of Mozart, Haydn and Faure King's college Cambridge choir correctly dressed but why are the male soloists and orchestral male players in open neck shirts? Probably hot! Much as I love the sound of King's choir I do think that their general facial expression is so bland. You cannot sing about fear and trembling in the face of final judgement looking like that and I wonder if English choirs often try to copy this sort of face and hence do not convey the music well? Superb treble soloist and when he gets a bow he smiles. Only the large Oscar Wilde lookalike bass and one of the tenors seemed to have any facial expression at all! I think one must know what you are singing about and not rely on the voice alone to convey the expression. Look at the wonderf...

To Brockwell Park to help on interfaith stall. Duncan had also donated some nice pictures. The site was not as good with too big a gap in fornt of us so people just walked past. Met a nice lady from the Robes project for the homeless. It was hot! Home for lunch then up to Glyn Close to see Bruce. To Prom which was Boris Godunov with Bryn Terfel and no interval. The bells in the gallery obliterated everything else and were cordoned off effectively cutting the prom in half. Marion complained about the people on the seats as we left. 

Left early but held up on buses - result did not get into In tune at Imperial College and listened to it on third floor on headphones. Stuart Skelton sang well. Annoying as have been trying for 4 years to get tickets and finally succeeded. Good to see folk again, A fine concert of French national anthem, Tchaik R and J, Elgar cello concerto and lovelt encore by Falks, Nevksy - basses rough.

Thursday swam 20. Liz was at the school Mass. Watched British Muslims and episodes of Versailles. To Sevenoaks circle and they have a good programme. No meal so brought Bernard home. Friday to Balham library for lots of scores and glasses from Waitrose and cups from St John's. 

Quiet days. Monday Sean at nursery and the same on Tuesday. The trip to Maidstone circle went well - nice Chinese meal. Tuesday to Gate cinema to see 2011 Glyndebourne Meistersinger. Alas I dropped off several time. The production excellent and Gerald Finlay and Alistair Miles shone. Back at 11.30. Watched Cameron's farewell. Home and to  Dulwich meeting which was good. Read New York guidebooks

Played Sidney Campbell on Grafton, Willan on St Peter, Postlude on a ground Murrill and we managed to sing Aston I give you a new commandment. Took boys to Friends of Grangewood park summer fair and Ciaran coloured a dragonfly and we designed a mural. My photos on display. Then to Kevin Ingram's lovely garden for President's Sunday lovely food. Drove to Acton in Lou's car and boys slept well. Watched Eurocup final. Monday walked Sean to nursery. He was a little reluctant but gave me a kiss and I went to mosaic and grouted Sean - looks great and then tai chi. A quiet afternoon tidying up and doing various things. Drove to Maidstone for official visit .Impressed by Peter the visiting gentleman and good chat to Michae Reidy. Fr Petre from Rome was present. The turnout for dinner was low - it was Chinese and quite nice. No speech, no joke! Home by 11 and got petrol. 

Lie-in. Ironing and emails. To Central music library and got 100% of scores on my list. Fr Michael at Mass - only 4 of us at Vespers - priests in Walsingham. The mass was long as we had an appeal for Apostleship of the sea and the Cardinal Vaughn schola sang Palestrina and Mawby. Louise brought the boys and we practised the Rutter, Gloria and psalm for the 17th. Watched by royal appointment about Steinways and jewellery. Programme on Heathrow.

Excellent service from Autoglass - new windscreen fitted and new wipers so I was able to drive to art after all where we had great fun with the Brit school students. Did 4 quick lifedrawing efforts. I was very pleased with the double portrait. Julie now has my pictures for the library exhibition. 2 of the ladies gave me items for the interfaith stall. To East Dulwich picturehouse to see Absolutely Fabulous which was funny. Home to change into evening dress for the Old Johannian Delville Wood commemoration dinner at Institute of directors. Excellent and it was free! It was very moving to read of the bravery of Fr Hill. Sat with the new head and Penny Peregrine. Delighted to meet Michael Lugton from Edinburgh. We were home after midnight. Friday lie-in and took duvet and tie to cleaners and delivered the pictures to Alan Gadd. Worked on July 17th details and sent church emails. Right hearing aid giving lots of problems - hurts my ear so going to doctor to get wax removed first and usi...

To John Fisher school Purley for 3 Explore sessions with year 12 young men who are much more mature and asked some sensible questions once they got over the sex ones. In fact we were able to talk about the sacramental aspect of marriage much more and also our future. We saw Fr Clark as we were leaving. I went to Caterham for a meeting with Jerry at the vicarage which was positive. To Acton. Spent a quiet day with Sean watching Wimbledon. Federer on great form against Cilic. Lousie met us near to East Acton so we got tube to Shepherds Bush and 3 delayed trains to Selhurst. Got to Redlibbets golf club at 7.30. Meopham/Medway Towns joint meeting and an excellent meal and Ubbo and William were good. Home by midnight. 

a lovely day at the Kent Catholic schools partnership first sports day at Ashford presenting Catenian cups and medals. Norwood circle meeting this evening with an American quiz. Dennis and Brendan Fitzgerald won! Peter picked me up at Ashford station. The evnt overran by 45 minutes and I dashed onto a train at Ashford which went the wrong way so had to coem back from Canterbury West! Liz picked me up at Kent House and Dennis and AnnMarie came to dinner.

Played Walter Webber and Neils Gade on Lobe den herren. A new recruit in the choir and we sang Robinson's Lord give me faith. To St Paul's cathedral to hear the wonderful Patrick Woodhouse (no relation) speak about Ettie Hillesum. Played for evensong at St John Caterham - Andrew Moore pieces. To iftar at Hyderi mosque Streatham - 4 speakers on extremism and a good meal. Liz went to South London's president's lunch at Lorenzo's having been to Our Lady of Victories for Mass celebrated by Fr  Tony T homas. 

Played for Croydon Minster hymnathon including several tunes I have never played before! I played for 45 minutes then we had bacon butties and I got the bus to Caterham.  An interesting afternoon at St John Caterham fair meeting people and the kids and adults enjoyed having a go on the organ. I rang a bell for the first time!  The choir from St Agnes cathedral Rockville sang at Mass.

Swam 20, new hearing aids at Guys hospital, welcoming at the cathedral, Royal Academy summer schools and summer exhibition (some lovely paintings) BP portrait award at National Portrait gallery, met Liz for dinner and enjoyed Jenufa at ENO. As always I preferred Jean to the winners. Schools stuff rather disappointing.