The organist librarian

CThird Sunday of Easter started at Blackfriars Oxford, John Wilson at St George's cathedral. In passing noted outdoor service at Guildford cathedral with birdsong and 2 excellent  boys singing a hymn "We have a gospel to proclaim". Really enjoyed the zoom meeting with St John's folk. YouTube St John Caterham and St John Upper Norwood. Excellent sermons. Leeds cathedral with 4 priests. The road to Emmaus is so relevant right now! Cleaned the garden water features and got them running. Watched Easter day organ recital from Washington cathedral on YouTube. I have finished going through Dad's 7 volumes for my life story now I must start on my own extensive files! Started clearing photos off Liz's laptop making sure they are on external hard drives. Watched Becoming Matisse and Flemish masters.

John Wilson at St George's forgot words of Regina Coeli! Bishop John Arnold great homily at Salford cathedral with virtual music. Catechism and Upper Norwood. Zoom Slifg prayers and chat. Recorded Victimae Pascali as most liturgies omitted it! Did hear it sing at St Peter's Blackfriars Oxford and Salford. Gloriana from Tom kept stopping. Twelfth night from National theatre with Tamsin Greig as Malvolia and interesting interview. Renee Fleming in Rosenkavalier and Merry widow from Met. Painting most days. Romeo and Juliet from Globe. Race across the world.

Disaster on Thursday my laptop screen covered in lines. John Lewis say guarantee does not cover it so claimed on home insurance. Using kindle and tablet. Getting lazy Following Mass in bed from cathedral, Clifton cathedral and Fr Paolo at South Ruislip. Loved Unorthodox and Friday night dinner on TV via firestick. Treasure Island from National theatre. Rosenkavalier from the Met  Renee Fleming final Marschallin 2017. Royal ballet amazing Metamorphosen. Come dine with me. Forgot quiet time, clap for NHS and not painted but done work on life story going through photo albums and boxes. Zoom with family. Chats to Ann.

Up late, some of Mass from Parsons Green, went through photo albums and added photos to my life story blog, Watched University challenge and Alexander Armstrong's programmes on gardens at Easter.

The Priest at Clifton cathedral said 3000 watched the Good Friday service and reminded us all that we have the whole Easter season to think! Lovely singing from St Peter's and the cathedral. Another wonderful homily from the Cardinal. Then it was time for a delightful zoom with all the family! Richard sent some youtube selections including Stanford Te Deum in B flat. Virtual evensong from St James the Great Leicester was good. Excellent lamb and pumpkin pie for lunch. 

Morning prayer from Bishop's Stortford with blessing of Easter food. Office of readings from South Ruislip.  Tenebrae from Blackfriars Oxford.  enjoyed the last part of Pilgrimage to Istanbul last night. The Sufis were amazing.  Finished reading Say Yes to Life Ruth Valerio's excellent Archbishop of Canterbury Lent book 2020.  Easter from King's was very different and enjoyed it especially the Wesley and Bob Chilcott . Great to have lots of Charles Wood. The Guite poem was beautiful.  Enjoyed the Vigil from the cathedral lovely singing and a wonderful homily. Super organ at the end!  Lent is over (and it seems to have been a long time this year - I have been home since 11/3 a month). Wine opened! St John's from the vicarage. Strange to be at home in the dark with a candle lit.

Programme on Kusama.  Today Dean of St Paul's, Salcombe and Lucy Winkett, faithinisolation and we watched the Cardinal celebrating Mass and the Pope. Father Brown. Now watching National Theatre Jane Eyre.  Night prayer form Clifton cathedral.  Sung morning prayer and office of readings from Bishop's Stortford. Fr Carlos Ouito I think with guitar. The liturgy from St John's, Tenebrae from Dominicans Oxford and Tallis lamentations from Nova Scotia (all on youtube)  The liturgy from the cathedral was very moving. How we miss the people being there. The cardinal is very close to the people, he did not receive communion because we cannot.  Sanders (from Ely) and Victoria reproaches on YouTube. Cosi fan tutte from ROH with Thomas Allen.

Z oom quiet time meditation. I seem rather subdued today. The prospect of the Triduum I think. Normally I would play for 4 long services and sing at evensong. Maybe a home Triduum with suitable music will help.  Morning prayer from Portsmouth, Spy Wednesday, Fr Andrew at cathedral, Upper Norwood and Salcombe. A profound meditation on how the hierarchy has been turned upside down from Fr Daniel French. Fr Paul Grogan is a delight. I ahve been working on the life story and have reached 1991. Also did some painting. Vespers from the cathedral. 

Palm Sunday like no other! Ann on Skype, family Eucharist from canon of Portsmouth's garden, Caterham service, Upper Norwood excellent, Fr Stephen Langridge on Faithinisolation. Most moving of all the Cardinal at the cathedral. Fr Andrew singing and organ! Recorded 2 hymns. Death café on zoom was fascinating. Evensong from Ripon and Newcastle with recorded music. Daniel French in Salcombe. 

I have been working on my life story again and am very struck at the number of concerts, operas and ballets that were broadcast on BBC2 in the 70s. Now we are reduced to the occasional programme on BBC4 often not announced in advance. Lord Reith would be horrified! The same goes for religious programmes on TV which are a shadow of what used to be shown.  Part 1 of the St Matthew Passion Netherlands Bach society Van Veldhoven on YouTube. Superb soloists and I like the way the soloists sing everything. The 6 boys shine through!  St Matthew passion part 2 wonderful. Mark Potter amazing. Just listened to Kathleen Ferrier accompaniment is so plodding! I grew up going to hear this on records (Klemperer) which Anna Gabler played on Palm Sunday in Johannesburg and Dad and I sang chorales.i first heard it live in Florence in 1972 with Kurt Equiluz. Bach choir once and once at St Martin's. I think at the Proms and sang it at St John's. It's like Everest a gigan...

Really enjoyed One man, Two guvnors with James Corden from National Theatre. At 8 we were clapping the carers. St Matthew passion Vaughan Williams in English and piano, Willlcocks incredibly slow, Cleobury good but I think I would prefer something to watch and there are several on you tube. Watched ROH Acis and Galatea 2009, start of Joseph and dream coat then Pilgrimage part 2. Serbia and Bulgaria clearly have many treasures .Zoom session with Mick. More painting faces. Sat Fr Andrew at cathedral, Stephen Wang excellent on crisis. Delightful conversation between Chief Rabbi, Cardinal and Welby. 

Clearing and cleaning study prior to set up to paint. The light up there is great! That well known hymn comes to mind "Dust of ages left for me, let me write my name in thee". Various baby bits moved to landing to be handed on when all this is over. Call to wife below. "I found a mouse!" Mrs Glum "What.........!" "Old computer mouse, silly". Old radio had it. Luckily St John's hospice returned the one Liz Woodhouse bought for John East (they were supposed to keep it. No radio 3 on their TV system). So now Schubert and Mahler. Our Lady in oils (Ian would be horrified). I have the two portraits to work on as well. Old radio chucked and started using the one we took to the hospice for John East.  The Tablet just rang to say I had won the crossword competition. My 4th time! My trip to the Post box was my last time out apart from the garden.  You tube has a modern production of Madam Butterfly from Swedish opera. It struck me how "Me too...

Last 3 sessions of icon course but there will be more. Fr Tom hosted a zoom meditation which worked well. Watched more Butterfly. Animal park, Bake off, Gauguin, corner shop through the years, Waitrose poshest supermarket. Meat order came. Saw David when I was putting boxes out - first neighbour we have seen since 11/3. Henry on path with Dennis.