The organist librarian

To Mass then took Henry to Kelsey Park. He loved it! Pub lunch with Beckenham Catenians. Quiet time at St John's. Liz went to servers council. To Peter Sanders at Petts Wood for an evening of recordings made by Chris Town. An interesting mix including carols by Norman and Christian Strover, Bromley orchestras and 2 of my pet hates harpsichord and Messiaen! Good audience. I took popcorn. 

Played Pomp and Circumstance 1 and 4, Holst theme from Jupiter and theme from Elgar cello concerto. We sang Greene Thou visitest the earth and Fr Simon quoted Cardinal Cormac's last messages. Very annoyed that tfl expect us to walk from Victoria station to Hyde Park corner to catch a bus which could have stopped at Oxford tube stop. Got to the Prom in time. Mendelssohn Prom was lovely and an excellent Italian meal in Kensington with fellow prommers. Delicious ice cream with sambuca. Now it is raining. Gergiev Prom held up outside and started late. Prokofiev loud, Tchaikovsky piano concerto 3 fast and loud, 2 encores, Shostakovich 5. Lots of students and I spoke to one whose behaviour and constant chatting was very distracting.

Played Mendelssohn 6. Louise and her daughters sang in choir. Archdeacon of Reigate preached and gave us a seed. She is keen to get chaplains into schools and have after school services.  Haitink as wonderful as ever love the Schumann 2 slow movement theme and the Mendelssohn scherzo an inspired encore. Birtwhistle cannot be bothered with him. Elgar 2 enjoyed it. The end of an empire played by a German orchestra with an Israeli conductor how suitable for our troubled country. Great discontent that depsite being so early one cannot attend the preProm events without losing queue place.

To Dr Ojo who removed stitches and pleased with the wound. Liz to hospital after shopping.  To Croydon Minster for a lovely Recital by Gail Winter, Julie Beaumont, their mother Ann and beautifully accompanied by Jack Oades who I see was organ scholar at St Edmund's Cambridge and St.Germans. The Peter Nardone was really the highlight for me. Terry's arrangement of Humperdinck as Ave Maria worked really well and how good to hear 2 Mendelssohn duets! I looked after the boys so Louise could stay at the hospital. They were fine!

2 superb Proms. Carolyn Sampson and Iestyn Davies with Joseph Middlelton at the Cadogan hall singing Purcell arranged Britten, Mendelssohn and Quilter. Met the Rowntrees and Liz spoke to Petroc. Monday mornings have been expensive with fruit tart and cappuccino at Peter Jones. We celebrated with a delicious lunch at Cóte. Dresden staatskapelle with Barenboim playing Mozart 24 and Bruckner 3 - stunning. Fascinating talk on Capability Brown with Anna Pavord and the irrespressible Ian.  Very sad to hear of the passing of Heather Brokenshire. She had dementia and had to go in a home as Fred could not cope. 

Bus from Purley again. Played Dad's suite today (can't believe he died 10 years ago today) and Mahler Adagietto from Symphony No 5 which people appreciated. Gathering Mass and Lourdes Gloria went well. Contract signed.  2 fine proms Ulster orch Tchai 5 with exciting conductor Rafael Payare and Haydn cello conc played by Narek Hakhnazaryan and a lovely encore Lamentoso. BBC Scottish Mendelssohn MND what lovely music this is! Can't say I cared for the Hellawell and Pintscher pieces much!  So far have been to 41 proms and 25 events! Like Love Haha Wow S

Enjoyed playing Enigma variations. To match the first reading sections from Mendelssohn's Elijah. It is enough as great as any Bach aria! Also played Hurford and Willan on Song 34. The Eric Whitacre prom was an Experience! Loved The River Cam and the whole thing. I asked a question at the D.H.Lawrence but it was not broadcast. Pity It was about his style of preaching and repeating his points - very Nonconformist!  The Beethoven 5 and Berlioz Prom was well played but attracted a Hooray Henry crowd drinking wine, taking photos and coughing!

Woke early right knee hurting so tried cold and heat. I played Handel largo, Water music, March from Scipio and Royal fireworks (for the Royal christening) also Elgar Chanson de matin. We sang Come let us join, All things bright, He who would valiant be and There's a   wideness in God's mercy. Paul played really well and I turned over. 25 came and lovely tea. 

Swam 20. Clearing shed Liz found a dead rat and the wood has rotted away and holes in felt. Went to guide at the cathedral and there were 7 guides and a funeral so no tours! After tea left. To Acton and the boys in the pool and making track.  To St John Notting Hill to hear Oundle winner Christopher Baczkowski who is excellent! Sam Barber was on duty. Decided not to go to Holland Park mosque iftar as I would have to hang about for over an hour. Liz enjoyed Michael Flatley and Irish dance.

Swam 20. Saw Dr Ojo - he laughed when we asked about going up Machu Picchu "You're 68 not 88!". To art and finished the rugby picture. Disappointing that a glass case cannot be found to show my mosaics - the one we used last year at the pool is broken. To interfaith lunch and made announcements. Ivor's sisters were there from Australia. Chat to David Standley about a Christian who became Muslim. To dentist and she did bottom left fillings. She has changed her mind about the right hand side and says one is to be extracted! We both went to St John's for Thomas Trotter's recital which was excellent. Stanford, JSB, Hollins, Holloway and Mendelssohn. The Macmillan was quite challenging. Helen Murphy was there! Dennis and AnnMarie dropped in. Several more returns about alley gate. Proms passes came.

Have now done all the recital programmes and copied them. Played Rosalie Bonighton on Hanover and Postlude for ordinary time, also Francis Jackson East Acklam prelude. Only 11 at service taken by Fr Herbert. 23 came to Adrian's excellent recital and I turned for him.Lovely cream tea. At evensong we sang Murrill in E and Walton's Litany. Watched Antiques roadshow and Domingo at the BBC, also Magna Carta today.

Swam 20 with Liz. Liz got an alb from Anerley for Lourdes. To art and the charcoal is did of my school badge and lilies is to go in the exhibition tomorrow! Good selection of art to display. It was hot. Took fliers to Alan and had tea and a chat. To St John's for Jonathan's recital which was memorable. Wagner, Saint-Saens, Whitlock, Ireland, Mendelssohn 5 and Willan. Alan's photocopied scores have fingerings and some very difficult passages. Good audience including Martin How and Robert Cooper. Jonathan has small hands but very flexible thumbs! Ian Tompsett was there.

At evensong we sang Murrill in E and I waited for the Lord and Adrian played Mendelssohn 3 - always a treat! Listened to Robert Quinney live from Peterborough cathedral playing the Wedge, CPE Bach, Brahms, Francis Pott and Elgar sonata - excellent. Put Bruce and EJ's photo in the clock. Advertised events on Face Book and webinar. 

Played Christ the Lord to Jordan came of Bach both versions in Clavierubung. Found a box at church for the organ music which I am selling and also had a first look at Alan's organ music - he must have spent a fortune! Watched Christmas university challenges and some Christmas Songs of Praise. How can O holy night be the nation's favourite above In the bleak - it's not even a congregational carol! Evensong Stanford in B flat and There shall a star of Mendelssohn. To Christ's chapel Dulwich for a joint recital by the Harpers in memory of Tim Penrose and also the organ builder Bill Drake. Purcell, Wesley (which didn't work so well with the tuning), Buxtehude, Bach, Nigel Ogden. Vincent Nicholls is to be Cardinal - brilliant! 

Lie-in. We both went to our first meeting at West London synagogue with Rabbi Herman. Canon Peter was there too and we discussed some meetings. There is to be a Kristallnacht 75th commemoration in the Abbey on Nov 10th. Liz went to Harrods and I went to Southwark cathedral to hear Peter wright play the newly restored organ after the water damage. Mendelssohn, Franck, Bach and Messiaen well played. I took scores back to Bromley and to Lakeland. Listened to some Proms and University challenges. Played through the Couperin and some Bach which David gave me. 

It being close to their anniversaries I played Sheep my safely graze and Finlandia for Liz's Mum and Dad. Fr Aidan Harker was standing in and inaudible! Straight to Becket school and our Catenian table was in the shade at the start and looked good with the banners. Met 6 potentials - Steve has been working hard! It was hot. Nice to meet Steve's family and Brendan's grandchildren. Saw Kevin Moynihan and Natalie from Louise's class. Home to watch Murray winning Wimbledon at last! At evensong I read the first lesson about Jacob's love for Rachel and how it seemed but a few days to wait 7 years for her - in fact he waited 14 years! Walmisley in D minor and Mendelssohn How lovely are the messengers. Watched The White Queen and Come dine with me.

Sunday to Corpus Christi Brixton for Xavier's first Mass there. This was a joyful occasion with a full church at 10.30 a.m. and coffee afterwards with cakes. Chatted to Colette the keyboard player about the Mass of Joy and SSG. Only one item was hard to sing - Foley because of gaps between lines. Needed a flute rather than a guitar. Pity they did not do psalm for the day. Took some photos. Saw Fr Tom. Then to St George's Hanover Square for Simon Williams' 12.30 recital on the new American organ. Mendelssohn 6. He plays really well and is moving to Croydon Minster. Liz working on essay and I did some more reading. To evensong and we sang Stainer in B flat and Stanford O for a closer walk with God. Chatted to Jeremy about India and Frank and Phillipa were there. P. not keen on India at all. Adrian and Terence are off to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Worked on Liz's powerpoint all evening. Monday to Addiscombe for Kitty Duggan's funeral - she was 89 and such a happy pe...

Woke at 4 and 6 and 7. Liz off to the cathedral. I did some hoovering and reading and then to St Paul's cathedral for Sung Eucharist. I was early so did some more reading despite the Germans next to me. Lovely Bach Nun komm der heiden heiland prelude. Men sing plainchant very heavily. Byrd 4 part Mass always a treat. An exc sermon from the Treasurer. Dean presided - he appears to tbe High Church. I hated the vestments and altar frontal - purple with check pattern and blue! Nobody seems to bow to the altar apart from the 3 main clergy! Byrd Vigilate motet at communion. 3 rather odd hymns to well known tunes - why? Lift up your heads to Wareham, O child of promise come by James Quinn to Carlisle and Ye servants of God. Lovely Rachmaninov Alleluias and the responsorial acclamations worked quite well. Mendelssohn Prelude and fugue in E minor at the end but the lady from Stuttgart next to me wanted to chat - she said I had a good voice, they had been to Opera House for the Donizetti and...

By car to Clapham as trains in a mess. 6.7 miles nearly as far as Coulsdon! Arrived 9 a.m. and time to sort out things. Vicar very pleasant and is to be area Dean. People friendly. Good cantor for the psalm. Difficult to judge volume as console is under the pipes but told it was fine. Men in congregation sing well and descants in the Thorne setting! All went well and got paid as well. There are 6 applicants including youngsters and professionals so unlikely to get it! Rehearsed There is a redeemer using Bluthner piano. Did some work on Helios. To St John's for evensong - Murrill in E and Mendelssohn Verleih uns frieden. Antiques roadshow - fell asleep. Downton Abbey took a sad turn. Servants programme very interesting. Good evensong from Bath.

Asked a question at pre Prom talk about Mendelssohn - it was whether is harmony had influenced Wagner and agreed. He was charming and funny in his letters. Leipzig Gewandhaus under Riccardo Chailly played all Mendelssohn programme which was lovely. It was full so Liz didn't come. Adrian and Terence came up for a chat. I met Pauline and Sean after first prom - nice to see them. Picked up Liz from no. 3 so saw Bruce and Dennis briefly. Watched a bit of John Wilson prom on TV.