The organist librarian

Just caught the train back as we had a Baptism. Had no warning of it! I accompanied the anthem Let all mortal flesh arr Sir Stephen Cleobury on the organ as we had 3 strong singers. Flor Peeters fest Prelude on Innsbruck, lovely tune, Canzona and Ciacona dedicated to my friend Ralph Downes. They went well as I had played them in Jersey. No mention of St John Henry Newman canonised today in Rome but I played the tunes Gerontius and Shipston! Also practised Prelude and angel's farewell from Dream of Gerontius for next Sunday. Love that so much. Drove to Acton - still wet. Lovely birthday lunch roast belly of pork. Prosecco and Liz had ordered a delicious cake. Drove back with Bruce at a slow pace. Claire came to talk about Doterra and I fell asleep. Took her home. Watched Sanditon. Bruce up early tomorrow. 

To Worcester for the Society of St Gregory AGM. Delays on tube meant we missed our train and had to pay. Stayed at Travelodge and visited Greyfriars House NT and the Commandery where we learnt a lot about the Civil War. Evensong at the cathedral lovely Poulenc Tenebrae. James Lancelot is temporarily in charge. It seems Peter Nardone left under a cloud. Sadly no organ. Excellent drink at the Cardinal's hat and delicious Italian meal. Fr Brian from St George's great company. Excellent lecture from Alan Smith on Elgar and St George's. Fr Paul Gunter gave a most interesting Crichton memorial lecture. What a treat to play for Mass despite a difficult rehearsal - very hard to hear what was being said. Daquise is not great! I played the Vesper voluntaries using the stops Elgar used. 1 and a half hours from Paddington to home via Tulse Hill. This is in fact the first time in all these years that SSG has asked me to play anything and it is all thanks to Alan Smith. 

The large choir of King Edward's school Witley sang well at Mass. Schubert, Bruckner and Bainton. Wettest day so far missed bus so train and replacement bus to Caterham. We sang Campion Never weather-beaten sail and I played Griffiths on Regent Square and Andrew Fletcher Impromptu. Great final evensong for Adrian and lovely party. Great to see so many from the past. Stanford, Bruckner and Elgar Great is the Lord. It was all rather loud and lots of timpani from Paul Brough.

Celebrated William Boyce this morning voluntary 1, Alleluia and Solemn March. Good that his music was played at the Royal wedding. Krish Kandiah on paradoxology at St Paul's a most engaging speaker who clearly lives what he believes. If a bus service is not running tfl should put notices at every stop and inform staff. Just wasted 20 minutes waiting for a 17 and eventually walked to Cannon Street and thence to London Bridge. Played Elgar Vesper voluntaries at evensong. Charming I can imagine the young Elgar cycling home after vespers humming them on a summer evening. Antiques roadshow. Jeremy Thorpe exposed. 

Snow! Superb playing at Bloomsbury Baptist by Thomas Trotter. Bach,Wammes and Elgar sonata. Organ club there in force. Watched Michael Portillo in Georgia and Azerbaijan. Also Civilisations with Simon Schama. Emails about public speaking.       Played Brahms O God thou faithful God and Herzliebster Jesu and we sang Ah holy Jesus. Took hot water bottle to warm my hands! No service tonight which is a relief as the buses take an hour each way.                                            

Remembrance Sunday. Faure Pie Jesu keyboard played up so switched off and started again. Elgar For the fallen a great piece. Good to have Steve playing the trumpet Old 100th and Gordon Jacob national anthem. He messed up on last line of Old 100th and did not play the Jacob fanfare but I kept going.I met Linda's husband.   My mockup of the guide for children to birds in Westminster cathedral is ready to test run! Roll on Dec 2nd! To Stephen Disley's recital at Christ's chapel Dulwich - an unusal programme. Nice eats. The Bach Fantasia in C minor was dull and so was the Gibbons. I liked the Thiman, Carvalho and Bach Fantasia in G. Watched Cenotaph and listened to Gloucester cathedral evensong. Worked on animals at cathedral first draft. Howards End on BBC.

Played Peeters on Ewing and Boellmann Chorale and minuet from Suite gothique. He died 11 Oct 1897. We sang Brother James' Air and a simple hymn by John Bell Bread blessed and broken which I did not know. Also Jerusalem the golden.  The 3 monks from Downside who were at mass last night now on radio 3 singing Gregorian chant.  What a delight Elgar's Vesper voluntaries which I played at evensong tonight are. Earlier I was enjoying playing the Enigma variations on the piano tenderness combined with gentle humour. Got to Purley and train cancelled so home on buses.  Jonas Kaufmann on TV what a singer! Otello from Covent Garden. 

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.

To the funeral of Eileen Haines at Sanderstead with Canon Jim Pannett. He remarked that I should have played. I had offered but the family decided not to change the arrangements. It sounded like a feeble instrument. Gerry apologised at the reception. Gill was there. News of the passing of Laurence Jones aged 90.  A most enjoyable prom from BBCSO and Sakari. Sibelius, Saint-Saens piano concerto no. 2 with brilliant pianist and Elgar 3. Boys spent the day relaxing and I finished 2 books.  Enjoying Halle prom Dvorak New World effective use of 4 actors and films. Mark Elder on great form. 

Rained heavily all day. Swam and Mass. Stuart was amused about the readings not being fixed.  21 people at Nigel Groome's recital at St Matthew Westminster. The Leighton worked well not so sure about the English music on a baroque organ. Marcus Wibberley is playing next Wed. Torrential rain and British Museum heaving. Hokusai sold out but enjoyed British landscapes.  Readings about the Spanish civil war preceded Ballad of heroes which is a fine work.Brian Elias cello concerto some fine moments. Purcell arranged by Elgar a curiosity. Excellent Enigma will real ppp. Liz did not come. Jennifer very restless again but at least she took her boots off. Louise and boys have arrived. 

Played Elgar Chanson de matin, Ave verum, Andrew Moore Nobilmente and Janacek Fanfare from Sinfonietta. Got earlier train. Changed at Purley and train came from Brighton Pride packed so waited for Tulse Hill one. It was nice to be home early. Liz went to Mass at West Norwood.  Khovanschina proved to be an interesting marathon with a good talk and excellent chorus. 6 to 10.15. Have now done email invites to the party. Several cannot come. 

Friday 27th a quiet day at home catching up on emails, etc. and watching Father Brown X 2! University challenge X 3. Saturday to Bloomsbury Baptist for the excellent organ day. Had to drag myself away from Dame Gillian Weir's masterclass on Bach and Franck. She really told us how to play rhythmically. The RCO students with Simon Williams did well.    William Whitehead told us about progress on the Orgelbuchlein project which will feature at the Proms on Reformation Sunday. He played pieces by Ronnie Krippner and Gabriel Jackson. Alexander Binns played Bach and Herbert Brewer and Paul Hale told us all about Binns organs. To vespers and Mass and Peter Stevens played Dorian toccata. Lots of servers. Sunday back to Caterham and trains OK. I played prelude for Candlemas and Moore Light of the nations. Vi and Peter in choir and we managed Nunc dimittis chanted. The communion hymn needs to be on organ. I think Jerry needs to choose well-known hymns to start and at communion. I playe...

For Christ the King played Elgar Imperial March (bells started late and had to cut it short - no light) and Walton Crown Imperial. We sang  Stephen   Cleobury's setting of Let all mortal flesh with Linda and I singing top A in the descant! The keyboard works better than the piano and being in the chancel the singers sound better. Good carol practice and a new recruit. Will try for more at the fairs.  Christ triumphant has to be one of the greatest hymns with a wonderful tune. Lovely to have Bruce with us for lunch of lamb and Christmas puddings with pinot noir. Dennis and AnnMarie came down with Molly. Watched Planet earth II, Pentecostal Brixton church. Lovely programme on Sheku.

Remembrance sunday went well with an excellent trumpeter for Vaughan Williams Old 100th and Last Post, also National Anthem. We sang Give rest O Christ and I played "For the fallen" by Elgar. The bells continue up to 10.15 so alas no opportunity to play Solemn melody and Nimrod.  A delightful meal with the whole family at the Roehampton club to remember Lyn Callan. Thank you Rosemary! Tea with  Dennis Woodhouse  and  Ann- Marie Woodhouse .

Turned out wet. Got parked near Nat History museum in good time for rehearsal which went very smoothly. Back to door 2 and interviewed by the Telegraph about the flags dispute.   We went to the recording of The Choir about Parry's Jerusalem  and I met David Owen Norris in the street and complimented hom in his famous chords on Proms Extra! Full marks to Petroc on Radio 3 for mentioning that we are gallery prommers! As Auntie Flo said it was a once in a lifetime experience and we really enjoyed it! What a wonderful concert - full of lovely music. Florez was superb and brilliant acting. Great to see 16 young singers in Serenade to Music (definitely a desert island piece and we recently saw the score and photos at Leith Hill Place where RVW grew up). Thank you to all our fellow Prommers in the gallery (which alas Katie dd not mention but Sakari did) and to all the staff at the Hall. Linda came up specially to say hello. How proud Mum and Dad would have been - they are comparing ...

Tuesday swam 20. Brilliant playing by  Alexander Pott  at Grosvenor chapel - Tomkins, Byrd and Bach. He makes the difficult sound easy. Spoke to his mother and a family from West Midlands.  To Tate Britain to see conceptual art - preferred Mark Wallinger and Sophie Michael's films and the Duveen dancers!  Fascinated by summer houses near Serpentine. Unimpressed by paintings at Serpentine gallery.  Excellent preProm discussion of Elgar 1 and BBC Philharmonic did not disappoint! A triumphant end. Dutilleux score hard to follow! Cannot imagine Rostropovich playing it! Simpson and Davies not really impressed. Empty hall put off my unknown works?  Lovely day at Whipsnade with the boys and Louise driving the new car! Saw baby giraffe, lemurs, sea lions, train ride, tiger, cheetahs, lions, zebras, elephants, rhino, moose, meerkats, etc.  The discussion of Henri Dutilleux is very helpful and I asked a question as I find his music bewildering and got lost in t...

A quiet day at home with Sean happily playing. Dorset chamber choir sang at Mass - splendid Langlais Gloria from Messe solenelle. I went to Beckenham circle's supper which was delightful. I left in good time to get to the cathedral from Kent House. Dennis and AnnMarie tuned up late and then said they were going to the cinema. They were supposed to babysit Sean so that meant Liz could not go out and I was annoyed.  Played Chanson de Matin of Elgar and Dubois Toccata. Sang Hurford Litany to the Holy Spirit. Had to rescue Celtic Alleluia copy from under the pedals! A lady called Imogen loved my article in the church magazine. To St Paul's on Thameslink to hear Revd Judy Hirst from Durham on Struggling with holiness. Quite good. Saw the boys in the car before they left. Had lunch in garden very sunny then back to Caterham for discussion with Jerry. Contract and choir and repertoire,  At evensong played Dad's voluntary on Ar hyd y nos and Robert Groves's variation and Elga...

Daniel Moult played brilliantly at Bromley Parish church - about 50 there and nice cakes! Jean Francaix's Suite Carmelite interested me. It is 6 portraits of Carmelite nuns. I know a nun just like No. 4 - rushing about and constantly chatting with little apparent conclusion! I drove there behind an old lady going at 20 mph. On the way back no less than 8 drivers waved their thanks as i waited for them. Courtesy is not dead! Sme work in the garden. Played Elgar on the piano - Salut d'amour, Chanson de matin, Enigma variations. Fr Jerry wants to discuss Shona taking practice on first Sundays. Emailed and have deputy organised. A couple of singers withdrew - everybody is making excuses. Barry Williams thinks St Michael's behaved very badly and Coulsdon not much better. Watched Sewing Bee, Venice and Versailles programmes. Upstart Crow about Shakespeare is funny. 

Lovely day. Rutter Gaelic blessing. Willan and Stanford on St Columba and Elgar Song of liberty. St John Caterham - we had an amusing drama about Paul trying to fly to Asia and going to Macedonia instead!  Brilliant talk at St Paul's cathedral by Dr Jane Williams on the Holy Spirit in the Trinity. I commented that explaining the Trinity to Muslims and Buddhists is impossible and God can more foten be found with the Buddhist community than in church.  London live showed again the wedding of William and Katherine 5 years on but horror of horrors - they did not come in the Wagner Bridal March nor was Jerusalem sung!!! Most of the chat is about the dress!  Evensong at Caterham. Elgar Symphony 1 theme, Vesper voluntary, Bach Christ lag and Ridout This joyful Eastertide. Some lovely chants.Antiques roadshow, Indian summers, The Durrells and Paul O'Grady and the Sally Army. Liz in Aylesford overnight.

Liz went to see Clare. I practised on the piano including the Elgar Vesper voluntaries two of which Peter played yesterday. Watched the rest of the tribute to Max. Designed Catenian presentation and ordered photo frames. Hannah arrived at Clare's and asked for a lift to Mass (!) so instead of going on the train, I drove up. It poured coming home and we went on a windy route. Fr Brian preached really well. Watched the end of Quartet - lovely film and booked for the night at Hythe. Paul O'Grady and the Salvation Army is a good series.