The organist librarian

Clapham for the film "Lion"! An emotional and touching story. To Dulwich gallery to see the outstanding Vanessa Bell exhibition. Drew a Poussin (2 female heads). Spent the evening doing youth matters meeting minutes. Saturday to South London liberal synagogue Nathan led us in pairs (with Rod Quaker) to discuss Abraham's Tent. Welcoming the stranger unconditionally. Shabbat service. Delicious lunch and launch of project by Alice. Rabbi Neuberger was there and we spoke about the Alf Dubs amendment. To Bloomsbury - huge queue outside British Museum so to Pret for tea and Michael O'Leary joined me thanks to Facebook. Daniel Moult played an English programme including Parry and Whitlock. New Hall choir sang at Mass - beautiful Haydn, Nyestedt and Mawby Ave verum. Mendelssohn Sonata No 2 at the end from David Grealy who was cantor at vespers (I was late as I stayed to hear the Whitlock). Fell asleep during pottery throw down. Got on wrong train coming back but realised in ...

Spent the morning reading. To Alan and Ivor's for a very nice lunch. Renato and Gisela were not there but everybody else was. Nice to see everyone -Hatta as odd as ever! At Mass we had the first scrutiny but not with year A gospel and the choir of New Hall school sang Haydn, Bruckner and Mawby very well. Watched Great sewing Bee. 

Baptist Church organ, Maidstone Saturday had a hot bath in the hopes this might help my right leg twinges which seem to come and go. Liz took me to Kent House to get train to Bromley South and then train to Maidstone East. Reading "The Tablet" as we traversed the garden of England. Arrived at the Baptist church on the dot of 1.30 p.m. The Walmsley organ has a fine decorated case and may have been in the Brighton Pavilion. Andrew Cessana and Lucie Prior demonstrated it and as it is 100 years since it was installed in the church I marked another centenary by playing Murrill's "Postlude on a ground". David put a major chord at the end of Mendelssohn 6 fugue - yuk! His slow movement was far too loud. We then moved to the fine Parish church of All Saints where Lionel Marchant demonstrated the Lewis organ by playing Alan Ridout Canticle of the Rose movements. I played Richard Proulx and Andrew Moore Nobilmente. The organ is sadly at the side losing much of its effect...

My Mum would have been 88 today. She would have had a party with cake and candles and smiled! Clare suggested to Ann that Mum would prefer money to be given to charity and she's right but I still think a celebration is right! How I miss her and Dad! The choir from New Hall school, Chelmsford sang at the Mass this evening and they were superb. Kyrie from Messe Basse by Faure, Thou wilt keep him by Wesley and a lovely haunting Agnus Dei from the Little Jazz mass by Bob Chilcott. Good to see Deacons Peter and Richard.