The organist librarian

Swam, Mass for St Dominic's day. Met Mike at Crystal Palace station cafe.  Went to see "Dunkirk" truly the horror of war. Good lunch at Byron burgers.  Tonight's prom a highlight of the season Damnation of Faust conducted by John Eliot Gardiner excellent soloists and chorus. Some speeds were a little fast. The talk about the devil with Peter Stanford and Revd Sarah Layton fascinating.  Suggestions for music for demise of Liz's laptop? Dead march from Saul? Cast me not away? Lord let me know mine end?  Prom highlights so far Bach and Berlioz with Gardiner, Shostakovich played by Benedetti, Finnish folk music and Cellist Edgar Moreau.  252,000 have read my trip advisor reviews!

Friday  wrote tribute to Ron Archer for Judy and sent it to Simon and Francis. Great loss of Revd Andrew Wakefield in Wimbledon - mentioned at last night's meeting prayers by William and Anne Marie put it on Facebook. Saw him at interfaith gatherings. Watched Secret of Beethoven's 5th symphony. Ian Hislop and Gardiner trying to prove it is about revolution - not proven. To Paul Nash at Tate Britain. Not a fan of surrealism but he can paint and create atmosphere by leaving people out. To oil painting and good progress on mixing colours. Liz at practice. Watched Jo Brand on Bake off. 

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!

Tuesday did not swim and had a lie-in - miserable weather. Completed 2 paintings while watching CBeebies Prom - saw Mia and listened to Prom of Kiss me Kate which was excellent. To talk on Brahms. Budapest Festival orchestra under Ivan Fischer played Brahms 3 and 4 superbly. Saw Peter Stevens. The late Prom was Gardiner conducting Missa Solemnis with Monteverdi choir and period instruments. Some of it was far too fast, one generally got the feeling the pros had no idea what they were singing about. What soft passages we got were not expressivo at all. The soprano solosit was squally and the bass (Matthew Rose) sounded angry and a bit like Pizzarro. Tenor and alto soloists were fine. Met Revd Michael Bourdeaux on the bus briefly and got a taxi from East Acton. Wednesday took the boys o the Osterley Park trail and they enjoyed the logs and den and swings. To the garden centre for lunch and soft play. Tom came home early so we got bus and tube to Liverpool street in good time for the 7 ...

Swam 20. Spoke to Paul 'Fuzzy; and he has been on to the college chaplain and archivist still  waiting for the Head! Booked overnight stays in S.A. look really good. Rob Sceales is coming - the replies so far are great. To Bromley library and got 11 scores - staff very helpful. Saw a lovely book about the English landscape and composers. The only one not found was Gorecki. Late meal and just got to pre Prom talk on Mahler in time - it was full and I was sleepy. I spoke to the floor manager about being 'on air'. Waking up too early and working on dissertation adjustments. Excellent concert Mahler 2 Janssons conducting Bavarian radio SO. The chorus in white tie and tails came on after part 1 - they were amazingly quiet so much so that I couldn't hear them! Stayed on for Bach conducted by Gardiner - excellent but sleepy. Saw Peter Stevens and Joey Draycott from afar.Home by 12.15. 

Slept trough the night and swam 30. Discussed money and holidays and phoned up about Russian river cruise for June 2012. Did music list for October - really tricky as no bass for the whole month. After lunch to the hall arrivin at 3.15. Put our names on informal queue list for the last night and at 4 p.m. put on formal list at 17 and 18. Liz then went to Acton to babysit as Lou and Tom on river cruise. I sat in Imperial college garden and read the programme. Chat to Eugenie and at 5.45 to interview with Sir John Eliot Gardiner about the Berlioz version. Amusing about Wagner who he finds boring! &.30 concert version with some staging. I had miniature score in German, libretto in French and English and for the second half Alfredo gave me his French vocal acore! An interesting work with lots of delights. Chorus were excellent. Got 52 eventually and 11.21 last train from Kensal Rise. Ciarán not too happy about Mam going off on train Liz had got off but he eventually settled down.