The organist librarian

Swam 20, Mass. A very special day on a New commandment. We washed each other's feet accompanied by Taize Ubi caritas and shared the peace and reflections. 12 plus me! I spoke about Lourdes and Wintershall. CD player played up but phone was OK. 3 new people there. Excellent talk on Czech uprising with Sir John Tusa and Rostropovich playing the Dvorak concerto at the Proms on the day the Prague spring was suppressed. Alas at the concert the orchestra were often too loud for the cello soloist. Dame Ethel Smyth and Strauss Heldenleben OTT.

Henry stayed overnight as good as gold. Mosaic then amazing Prom Joseph Tawadros playing the oud.Mosaic group visit to Orthodox cathedral Hagia Sophia Moscow Rd and Rita Day came. Early at Guys and seen immediately about hearing aids. Infection in right ear so operating on one ear only.  Pre prom talk on mountains. Enjoyed Mozart Nocturne for 4 orchestras, fell asleep in the Haas work for 4 alpenhorns, nearly got the brolly out in Alpine symphony! Big organ part. Ivan Volkov and BBC Scottish.

Swam.  To Kensington library to get scores which are all in store. Assistant produced Mahler 1 (2 versions) so took the large one and Rachmaninov Symphonies. So I explained I wanted Rachmaninov Piano concerto no.4 which she found but the Ravel songs have gone awol! To Leighton House for the superb Alma-Tadema exhibition - he could paint anything! Do not miss! To Cadogan for a brilliant concert with Il Pomo d'Oro and the young cellist Edgar Moreau who is exceptional! Tried to do some sketches as the whole group had amazing hair!  Loved the talk on cuneiform with Irving Finkel from the British Museum. Bournemouth SO played well but in Belshazzar the national youth choir needed more male voices to balance the orchestra. Was it a good idea to have the choir sing so loudly in the Prokofiev? Belshazzar needs a lot of vocal stamina. The Beethoven and Strauss were lovely.

Excellent morning at RFH as part of St Alban's organ festival. Saw Matthew Martin. Attractive work by him for trumpet and organ. Lovely Angelus by Vierne. Rheinberger violin and organ. Cochereau Bolero organ and side drum played by Marko Sever. Well done all especially Joseph Beech and James Orford. People power at Imperial War museum excellent.   S ent letter to The Tablet as Rick Jones did not know what Levit's encore was so told him to check BBC proms website. Critics!  An excellent appeal for Aid to the Church in need at the cathedral Mass. Presented Joseph with his 18th birthday card and present. Listening to prom on way home. Reckoned I would be late at the hall and not get in for the Strauss Actually the Beethoven 3 chat was first. Skype to Liz in Lourdes. Listened to prom from Hull.

Liz decided to stay home. Bychkov conducted BBC SO in Thomas Larchner (outstayed his welcome) Wagner Wesendonck lieder well sung by Elisabeth Kulman I  was greatly amused by the comment at the preProm talk that Richard Strauss was so middle-class he would shop at Waitrose. Where would composers get their food? Britten Aldeburgh stores and Fortnum and Mason. Elgar Worcester and delivered. Vaughan Williams Dorking and delivered - good English beef. Wagner - no shopping for him - everything paid for by somebody else! German composers - German shops Chopin and Szymanowski - Polish delicatessan n.  Alpine symphony with a terrific storm featuring the organ! An hour to get home.  Watched Prom with Barenboim and Argerich playing a 10 minute encore! 

Lie-in so no swim. Listened to Salome from the Prom with the vocal score -  a splendid performance.  After lunch watered the garden and went to Central music library. I got to the hall at 3.45 and the talk was about Philip Larkin featuring Andrew Motion. Excellent. A very fine Prom conducted by Simon Rattle of Rachmaninov and the Firebird with full score. Liz was babysitting as Louise went to Budapest. Watched some University challenges.

Louise went back home after breakfast. I went to 8 a.m. Mass at St Mary's - little Indian priest who said "heaven persevere you" instead of "preserve"! They now play taped music of plainchant. Pat Ryan was there. At St Michael's we sang "He who would valiant be", All creatures, Father hear and Happy are they (Mum's favourite and she died 8 years ago this week). I played Thalben-Ball. Peeters and Walton Henry V music. The CDs have arrived and look good. John Williams had made a ridiculous fuss on email about them. What church treasurer want to return a cheque? Idiot and rude with it. To St John's vicarage for garden lunch - played football. Dennis came. I went to the Prom of Elektra, Rebecca was there and not so many in gallery. Sounds like Salome last night was great but there were queue jumpers - weekend ticket holders. Amazing singers not least Felicity Palmer.

Swam 20. To CML and got 4 scores. Liz just got to Cadogan in time. Alice Coote was indisposed but Anna Schwanewilms accompanied by Malcolm Martineau was a delightful replacement and she sang Debussy and Strauss. To Somerset House and had a look at the rudeboys photos and after picnic Colour in the work Josef Albers, Anni Albers and Gary Hulme then to the Courtauld for the prints from Breughel to Freud and some of the collection has been rehung. The cheaper Monday price is going from Monday. To St Martin's in the Fields and had a look in the Dick Sheppard chapel (statues were dedicated by Desmond Tutu and I was present) and drawings for the Bible by Annie Vallotton and touching pictures of Indian untouchable children from Hyderabad. To the National Portrait gallery for the Virginia Woolf special exhibition. Had to wait several times to look in the cases and the BP portrait award was very crowded. To Royal Academy for Stephen Hopper the lost album interesting that the cross appears ...

Nice day and spent most of it in the garden varnishing the 6 mosaics and cutting up the wood and varnishing that with 4 coats then putting them up and they look good! Listened to Sally Beamish composer portrait and Greek chamber orchestra prom. Liz to Prom with Haitink and I heard Mahler 4 on way home from Mass. Fr John thanked me and Simon played. Listened to Strauss Suite for wind with score. Benedict Mason late Prom odd!

Swam 20. Liz dropped me at Kent House as she went to Mass for the Assumption at Anerley. Early at CML only to find it does not open until 11 a.m. Returned 4 scores. To the hall to get seat ticket and walked across the park to the Serpentine gallery and had a look at Princess Diana memorial fountain. Meetup with Anna and her friend and went in. Watch, phone and bag in locker then giving headphones so no sound. Everyone moving slowly and calmly and directed by the artist and assistants. I waited and did a dot to dot picture of Ciaran using peas and rice. Very calming! Some sleeping, others walking up and down. We then walked to the Sackler gallery which I did not like. The artist in video smoking and drinking and an unpleasant video of a severed head falling downstairs which Anna thought funny. I thought it very inappropriate in view of the recent events in Syria and Iraq. Bus and tube to cathedral for 1.05 mass with the new Fr Michael. Saw Louise Sage, Peter and Michael Chute. To CML a...

Swam 20. Cleaned the floor and found at least 20 dead flies - yuk! Bruce on Skype. To Cadogan Hall for 1 p.m. prom - good seats. Janine Jansen and Sakari Oramo playing Prokofiev and Schubert with Itamar Golan who I thought could have had more pp. The encore was Shostakovich. None of the composers in typical mode! The 2 violins were most effective. To Central Music library where I returned by mistake the Strauss Burleske score need for the evening concert (and after all that trouble!) Still I got 4 more scores I wanted. Roast dinner at cathedral kitchen and acolyte when the body of Fr Michael was received. Vespers of the dead was simple and moving. Good to see Nick and Stephen from the choir there and lots of friends. To Prom (thunderstorm and hail) BBC National orchestra of Wales conducted by Thomas Sondergárd. Strauss, Mozart and Nielsen 5 in which the side drum player walked past us in the gallery. Francesco Piemontesi was the pianist. Home by 11.

At art drew picture and then drove to interfaith lunch where there was lively discussion about ramadan and Gaza. Home for tea. Joined Central Music library and can take out 20! Got 14 scores. Pre-prom talk on Richard Strauss and lieder with Graham Johnson. Excellent playing from RLPO under Petrenko. Strauss Festival prelude with Prof Ian Tracey at the organ, BBC singers singing Deutxhe motette, 4 last songs and Elgar 2 beautifully played.

Woke early and took Liz to Brixton to go to St Pancras and train to Lourdes. She was greeted by VN on arrival in rain this evening. Played Finlandia Dad's favourite, Sheep may safely graze Mum's favourite and we sang Happy are they my Mum's favourite hymn. Also sang Christ be with me so played Stanford on Gartan. To West Norwood and bus to Brockwell Park. Very hot - gave out lots on interfaith bags once I found the gazebo of Faiths together in Lambeth and got lots to do interfaith quiz. Alan and Ivor were there and some other helpers. People looked so stressed and hot! To Grangewood park and had cake and drink and joined the Friends of the park for £3! Saw John and Louise (he goes to the pool) and introduced to Karen organiser of Thornton Heath arts week and people are delighted by the mosaics. Home for tea then to the hall. Pat Barker and Owen Street on war and authors reactions to it. Poetry read by Stephen West. Fabulous Prom from World orchestra for peace conducted by ...

Swam 20. Decided not to go to art and craft this week as went to St John Smith Square to hear Catherine Ennis - Handel, Bach, Sweelinck, John Gardner and Saint-Saens. Splendid playing. Cleared up ready for cleaning tomorrow. Prepared dinner and took Dennis to station. Liz was at college all day. Richard Strauss from Festival Hall on radio - Alpine symphony conducted by Maazel. Come dine with me hilarious.

The Couperin went really well and I felt very confident having played movements in Cambridge. It really worked as an entity. It was the first time I had played it right through with the chants sung. I played the Kyrie movements before the service which overran by 20 minutes - we had 5 long hymns too! It was good of Stephen to bring communion to the organ - I played Benedictus during communion. There was a good spread for the bring and share lunch and Liz came to Kent House. Adrian conducted and we had a good choir of 10. The Vespers was lovely and the Bishop censed and blessed the organ and Pitoni's Cantate domino a perfect choice! Norman played brilliantly - lovely Faure, Finzi and Strauss. 2 fun items and the Bach Passacaglia. It was great to have the screen and watch him play. Lovely tea and cakes! To St John's for a splendid evensong Wood Coll Reg and Faire is the heaven requested by Fr John. Watched Antiques roadshow and Downton Abbey. 

To St Mary's to practise - fitted in between roaary and 12.10 a.m.mass. There was a delay starting and I played Sumsion and Bairstow and Willcocks arrangement of Veni emmanuel (Dermot's favourite) and I know. 7 choir members there so they sang well also people from the Railway club. At the end Michael Fleming's arrangement of Now the Green blade riseth. We got a little off the rack going to Long Ditton but did see the grave - it's a lovely cemetery and nice meal at the Ditton. We gave Louise Sage a lift. Parked at Battersea Park and of course the one night there was no 452 straight after the concert! LPO under Jurowski Bantock, Prokofiev Piano concerto 3 stunning playing from Anika Vavic, Sibelius and Also sprach. 

After lunch Liz drove me to Crown Point and I got a 417 to Clapham Common. Arrived at the picturehouse just in time for Ariadne auf Naxos of Strauss live from Glyndebourne. Fabulous singing especilly the sopranos and Thomas Allen. Interesting production which worked well! Jurowski conducted. Home by tube and train. Liz went to Chiswick for rehearsal and then to Acton.So pleased 2 essays are done - cna now concentrate better on the dissertation. Met elizabeth from tai chi and Fr Dave at underground station.

X68 to Waterloo and northern line to East Finchley. Asked TFL chap at station for St Mary's church and he said to walk up High Road - we should have taken the bus! Any way found church and it was a 2 manual Wyvern and all went well. Carole's mum was 92 and was buried with his first husband in Marylebone cemetery - Stokowski is buried there. Carole and Kevin took us to the very nice lunch at Albany House which has a museum about Stevens ink! Walked to station and got 82 bus to town and then to the queue for Last Night list. To V and A - fashion is open but the ballgowns display is not that cheap. Saw the Tony Cragg sculptures there and in Exhibition Road and the British photography display. Had tea and chocolate muffin -  a lovely day again! Bruce took our swimming tickets. To presentation with Juliet Stevenson of Proms poetry awards with Wendy Cope and Ian McMillan who is a scream. A lovely prom Haydn and Alpine symphony - what a storm - thunder machine, wind machine, full orga...

Listened to proms recordings Delius violin concerto with score played by Tasmin Little and Nielsen 5. To pre Prom talk with Dutch violinist, English flautist and French cellist both studying at the Royal Academy. The audition for the orchestra is daunting playing to a camera! They re audition every year. The Prom was conducted by Daniele Gatti who came up to the gallery to be interviewed for TV. Superb strings Wagner, Berg violin concerto with a lovely encore (Bach) Strauss and Ravel and Wagner encore.

Cannot believe we are nearly halfway through the season! Last night the pre Prom talk about religion and music with James MacMillan and Andrew Carwood was fascinating. I asked a question about "from the heart to the heart" and both gave good answers. Andrew said St Paul's does everything from the heart and if the boys don't like a setting it is not repeated! Tristan prelude and Bruckner 6 well played by BBC Phil conducted by Juanjo Mena who is proving to be excellent after his dull debut last year. The premiere of MacMillan's Credo which has not set before - an effective work delivering the text clearly. Liz came home as she had a spot removed from her back today. I got to Acton at 10.30. Woke with a sore right shoulder. Ciarán wanted track made! Went with Louise to Westfield library which is lovely and lunch at M & S. Watched more Olympics. Pre Prom talk with Edward Gardner about his reading. Prom tonight BBC SO played really well for Semyon Bychkov Schubert ...