The organist librarian

Dreadful deluge. St Michael and all angels so we sang David Thorne's attractive setting of "God that madest earth and heaven". I played Willan and Thalben-Ball on Darwall's 148th and Hymne d'action de grace Te Deum of Jean Langlais which was much appreciated. It was Dad's FTCL piece and I often turned for him and I am using his copy. We heard about water projects in Uganda and relief for the Nepal earthquake from Alicia from International Funds UK. I forgot diary, coffee flask and fruit this morning but at least I had The Tablet to read and Organisms. Langlais told a master class "The trouble with you English organists is that you want to play ALL the notes". Watching Songs of Praise 10 top favourite hymns. 10. I the Lord of sea and sky (individualistic) 9. Be still for the presence of the Lord. 8. Amazing grace. 7. Guide me O thou great redeemer. 6. I vow to thee my country. 5. Abide with me. 4. Dear Lord and Father. 3. In Christ alone. 2 How gr...

Fascinating visit to Freemasons Hall. Dennis gave us an excellent tour and the restored organ is very fine. I played Moore and Thiman. There are women masons and Catholics do join. Catenians heavily influenced eg titles, regalia, room arrangement, Grand this and that which has thankfully gone. This innocent post on Facebook brought forth a tirade in which I was accused of promoting Masons who are demonic! I left the Catholic Man Uk discussion group as a result as one Paul Priest's posts were not monitored or removed. So rude and so un Christian. To Selsdon De Vere for Kairos Community Trust dinner after the golf day. Service was very slow! I was starving. Nice chat to Mary and Michael and the Aitkins. Watched 3 programmes on the Ritz hotel.

Finished Bali painting. South London interfaith group lunch. Committee was cancelled. Caught up on Antiques roadshow and Stanley Spencer and his daughters. Fr Andrew replied to the email about the young servers and threw the ball back in our court. They are the problem not us! Prom on Symphonie Fantastique.

Mass and coffee. I have not been to St Michael's West Croydon for some time. The organ recitals are no longer every Wednesday in the season. Ralph Gustafsson from Stockholm played Petersson, Rinck and Guilmant really well and we were given (!) CDs by Malcolm Kemp and Louis Brito-Babapulle - they are having a clearout! Watched Japan programmes and checked guidebooks. Bruce rang about organs in Jersey to play. Antiques roadshow. Liz went to maths. 

After many struggles with computers and my Kindle which refuses to link to our printer, the servers rota is printed! Also managed to print materials for SPIDIR refresher course on Monday. Had alie-in. Chat to Henry on phone. To Grow meeting (the usual boring format - what a misnomer) at Caterham. What a waste of time! 

Peter Stevens played so musically at St Michael Cornhill. Bach, Byrd, intriguing MacMillan, Franck Priere, Durufle Sicilienne and a blistering Toccata. Superb!Really enjoyed Food at V and A with Nelson Ferreira. Thanks Nelson! Big discussion over latte about sponsorship for the exhibition. Very exciting. Liz to maths and I went to Beckenham circle. 

Catching up on TV Proms. The Martin Brabbins was a delight. The space and Johnnie Greenwood all seemed very samey! Liz in Liverpool for national servers Mass on Saturday. The art group thanked Julie. I saw my pictures in the library. A delightful recital by James Lancelot at St John's. I must play the Harris and Whitlock again. Also included Bach, Rheinberger, Karg-Elert, Elgar, Alain and Widor. Good audience including Andrew Scott, Carl Jackson and Christopher Herrick. Returned scores to Central music library and went to Tate Britain to see Blake but there were far too many people there so I may return in January! A lovely party at Roger Brice's lovely new home for RSCM commitee members to honour Peter Wright for 30 years of briliiant leadership Astonishing that RSCM HQ did not consider it right to mark 30 years of voluntary service! Open day but could not park to visit Heavers farm school - should have walked from home! To the drome for mass for John Braburne's cause 40 ...

John Ireland Piano concerto from the Henry Wood prom - unjustly neglected and beautifully played by Leon McCauley Welsh Church for an excellent recital by Jeremiah Stephenson. First visit to Cartoon museum which is fun. Met Clare who looks after servers robes. 17 came to hear Jonathan and Raphael from Standwithus on Jewish and Christian Zionist positions on Palestine. Both spoke really well and there was a lively discussion. They will be coming again.Mass and party for cathedral volunteers and good to see Canon Christopher there. A very listenable programme from Yves Castagnet at the drome which justly got a standing ovation. Watched Gaerth Thomas with HIV,

Took Henry to the lake after Mass. The traffic was very heavy thanks to works at Goathouse bridge. Henry seemed sleepy at the cafe so we came home and he soon woke up playing track! At quiet time a good discussion on redemption and is there anybody in hell? Watched Bakeoff. 

To mosaic and Linda is back after her op. At St Michael Cornhill I was delighted that Benjamin Newlove played a British programme. We were confused that the Harwood and Stanford were reversed! To eye test and current glasses are good for 2 years. Watching Judy Dench in Borneo. Liz went to maths and I went to Bromley circle meeting.

Played Jerusalem, Andrew Fletcher on Was lebet and Willan Chorale and fugue from A fugal trilogy a favourite piece of Dad's. Good to have Jerry Garton and Anne-Marie Garton back from holiday. We sang Flocks in pastures green abiding a favourite of my late mother-in-law. Just watching bits of the last night again. I still cannot understand what the chorus are singing in the Percy Grainger! The Maconchy is a great piece! The men's chorus in the Verdi were rough. Jamie Barton was fab! Evensong with Joe Matthews psalm now plainchant and chants for canticles. As Bob not there David sang the solo in The Call. Decided not to go to Christ's chapel organ recital and watched some Prom bits and Antiques roadshow.  Sanditon is good. Mozart requiem from Proms. 

To St Augustine's Kilburn for Christian Muslim forum on spirituality and learning. Good lunch and discussion on grace at Islamic Centre of England. The speakers seem to have different views on what the subject really is. This afternoon to the Royal Academy, Zhang Jian-Jun draws human shapes! Hurrah! The Garden has examples from 250 years of the RA schools including wonderful Landseers. I sketched self-portraits by Helene Schjerfbeck sad, frightened? and was very struck to see a lady in the street with the same expression! Fr John celebrated Mass and quite rightly had a go at the noisy French servers before Mass. The choir from St John's Wood sang really well. Jamie Barton was great and a most enjoyable international Last Night. Murray John who has been to 500 proms did the chaplet really well. 

Swam, breakfast in the garden sunny but an autumnal feel in the air!  Listening to Shostakovich 5 from the Proms. Sorting out exhibition dates for the autumn - so much to go to!  Downton!!!! Fantastic!!!  To Balham library and got some guides to the Far East and saw Des. Choir practice with Joe Matthews and lots of Anglican chant!  One of the contestants on The Great British bake off plays the organ and made one for the showstopper!

Art at St Stephen Norbury and good progress on the Bali painting. So glad I went to see Mrs Lowry and son. Vanessa Redgrave and Timothy Spall are perfect and it so reflects Northern attitudes. I was reminded of Auntie Nellie. I too want to paint with love and feeling! To Tate Modern Takis can't be taken seriously. Olafur Eliasson very interesting especially Beauty but I hated the fog! Cream tea in the members room. Excellent talk on Mary in the New testament at Southwark cathedral by Dr Jeffrey John. I have the notes if anyone would like a copy. I also went to Bankside gallery and looked at the Society of watercolour displey - the prices are too high! 

Swam, Mass, coffee, hearing aid clinic at South Norwood Methodist hall (right one tube full of wax). Awesome playing from Josh Stephens at St Matthew Westminster. His pedalling in Bach Prelude and fugue in D immaculate and looks easy! Lucky Sheffield cathedral! Simon Lole could not come. Beazley awards Design museum. The Kubrick display very crowded. Several of his films I have not seen and would not want to! Loved the architecture display in the Beazley. To Trailfinders to thank Arron and he loves Japan so lots of good ideas. Liz went to the Bach prom and I went to Dulwich meeting. Brendan told us about the new website and leaflets starting with Newman.

To Mass and Henry came and played very happily. It seems Halfords did not fit the new car seat correctly at all. To quiet time. Superb Prom by Czech Philharmonic. Smetana, Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich 8. Semyon Bychkov conducting.

Swam today and Mass - Anerley church has been decorated and the floor sanded. Wierd dream about swimming in Dubai and an offer to go to the Louvre in Abu Dhabi but there wasn't time. 

An eclectic programme from Paul Ayres at St Michael Cornhill finishing with Stairway to heaven - I wonder what Harold Darke would have said. To see Clare then preProm talk on Henry Wood and Wagner. The RPO prom under Marc Albrecht was excellent. Weber, Franck and Gotterdammerung exceprts with a brand new score from CML. Harry Bramma was there.

To Riverside Winds delightful concert at St John Upper Norwood. A remarkable flute solo "The great train ride" and Rimsky-Korsakov piano and wind quintet. Served at Malta Day Mass with Cardinal Grech. It was chaotic! The French boys were back at Mass - 16 servers!! Callum Alger has started - welcome! The Prom tonight is Mozart, Strauss and Beethoven. Watched Sir Simon Rattle conducting Belshazzar's Feast, Koechlin and Varese.Played Elgar Chanson de Matin. Pomp and circumstance No. 1. We sang David Ogden Christ has no body which reminds me of Audrey Kempson whose funeral I played for. 3 in choir and Revd Sarah Goatcher gave a good sermon and had liaised with junior church as they were looking at Onesimus and modern slavery. Loved the prom BBC So with Sakari Oramo. Sibelius 5 which I love, Andriessen, Judith Weir, Night on a bare mountain. New respect for Canterbury Philharmonia tackling this work so well with many tempo changes although Sakari was faster! Have really enjo...

Chat to Ann, back playing up a bit, loaded trip photos and edited them. Welcoming at cathedral quite quiet - saw Fr Vlad and Fr Martin. Got spectacles fixed and tea at Pret. To St John's vicarage for barbecue and drinks to meet Robert Sutton and Joe Matthews new directors of music.

To Mass at Thornton Heath. The new pp celebrated. Art and Mind, body, spirit started late and not a full hour. Liz to Prom as we only got one ticket. Dennis popped in. We now have a new car seat for Henry. Watched John Wilson prom and Bavarian radio SO Sibelius, Prokofiev and Strauss. Listened to prom Rach and Brahms 2. Watched Joyce singing Berlioz with Pappano.

Swam 20. The Chinese man who always swims too slow in the medium lane asked where I had been. Cleaned my study - the dormer had been left open so bits of tree had come in and some rain. To quiet day and Michael Dorey on Fear of the Lord and hope. Only 9 there. I fell asleep during the quiet times. At mass Fr Michael Quaqoe back from Rome gave an excellent homily on Jesus's daily life. We all need to have quiet time. To Pre-Prom talk on Korngold in America. Lovely playing from Vienna Philharmonic Dvorak 9, Korngold violin concerto, Strauss Polka encore. 

Loved the Postal museum and mail train with all 3 boys. The pre-Prom was a selection of players enjoyed the violin and piano. Glorious Prom Vienna Philharmonic Bernard Haitink Emmanuel Ax Beethoven piano concerto 4, Bruckner 7.

Played Dad's Bishopthorpe suite composed 2 Aug 1994, adagio from Elgar cello concerto and Thiman's Postlude on Harwood's Thornbury. At communion I improvised on Amazing grace as Fr Charles Bradshaw spoke about Newton and showed us a bracelet which was the price of a young slave. Quite shocking. He also brought a 1200 year old cross and ancient Chiro oil lamp and a crucifix made from the tree Argentine Bishop crashed into. I was warmly welcomed back by several members of the congregation. Death cafe was as always very interesting and I raised the issue of preparing children and also how family occasions bring back so many happy memories.Liz went to prom and I listened in and watched Antiques roadshow. Back to mosaic and Balham library to get scores. The shelves are in such a mess. It is pot luck but I found 4! My first prom this season Benvenuto Cellini chorus having a ball. Hard to follow miniature score in the gallery gloom! Good to see friends again and James Shirras o...