The organist librarian

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. 

Sunday and Liz at Acton where she went to Mass and to James's house. I played Purcell at Mass and photocopied the remainder of the recital programmes - Debbie has done a lot but not the tricky one for the 16th so it is all done. Came home to get my tie and drove to Park hill to deliver leaflets about Thursday to Les. Never been in that park before - it was an interfaith picnic but very few there and it was cold! Adrian arrived 2 p.m. to practise (his fourth session). Very pleased that 30 came as several people in the morning had said they were not coming. St john's folk supported it well and Fr Paul looked great in a grey suit.I turned pages and pulled out stops. People liked the arrangement with the blue chairs facing the organ and delighted that John Mander came. Gordon Jacob, Bach the Dorian! and Schubler chorales, Boyce, Stanley, Haydn, Mozart, Whitlock (worked very well) and Crown Imperial. The chance to hear the organ from down below confirmed the warmth of the sound in ...

Thursday to London boroughs interfaith forum - not so many there. It was held at London Fire brigade HQ and we had a free tour of the musuem with some fine engines from the past. Liz to Douai abbey until Saturday for course retreat. She took the car so used buses. Served 5.30 mass with Bishop John Arnold for Catholic union - I was book. Watched Rev and Symphony. Friday to Ealing Abbey on X68 and tube. 25 mass settings and salmon lunch. Visited the abbey garden with Fr Alban. Sr Jean did a good job and sisters wanted to know Liz was. On tube with monk from Worth and home briefly before buses to choir practice. Saturday more reading and to Coulsdon to practise and 6 p.m. Songs of Praise which went well. Acting archdeacon Barry Davies dedicated the new furniture - the last time I saw him at interfaith forum he was going to lose his post! We sang the Greek chant Beatitudes and Barry's introit although he was not there. Fish and chips and a difficult quiz - I got 7 of the paintings r...

Practised before service. I woke at 5 a.m. but got back to sleep eventually. Played Boyce Solemn March, Parry's Tranguilly and Darke from Little Parry book, Statham Divertimento on Monkland. Straight home and via underground to South Kensington as buses affected by cycle race. Choral workshop on Spring symphony by Anna Flanagan as lively as ever. Tenor next to me Ian Jones from ALlegri singers Bromley felt like me she could have covered more ground and not spent so much time getting bits right. The whole point is that we want to sing the music and get a feel for it. Tea outside at Victoria and Albert and had a look at the Jain manuscripts display. To PreProm talk about the concert and really enjoyed it. It was a repeat of a concert conducted by Britten himself in 1963. Purcell Chaconny (newly arranged by Jody Talbot in Hamilton Harty style!) Cantata misericordium with score - beautiful, compassionate, Sinfonia da Requiem (score) and Spring symphony (score). New torch makes a differ...

At Coulsdon we sang Boyce's Alleluia and I played "I know that my redeemer liveth" and Bach chorale preludes for Easter. Had a look at pieces by Avison and Andriessen. Saw a memorial to Charles Avison in Newcastle on Tyne. Took Ciarán to Crystal Palace park - the playgorund very crowded so we fed the ducks and went to Colet Manor farm where there were pigs, sheep, goats, ponies, alpacas, rabbit, guinea pigs and a ferret. The dinosaurs have been restored. Dennis and AnnMarie took us for a meal at Harvesters - Ciarán a bit restive but he went off to bed quite happily. Liz took him to the cathedral for Mass this morning. Spoke to Ann this morning. Watched Antiques roadshow, excellent moving programme on Royal Wootton Bassett and Country house revealed.

Tuesday to Bromley Parish church with Liz to hear Adrian Adams play Alcock, Boyce, Elgar,Reger and Bach. Nice coffee and sandwiches with Terence beforehand. Liz has been painting and went to osteopath. To cathedral for evensong sung by St Paul's cathedral choir. Philip Moore responses, nice chanting, Stanford in C Gloria sent shivers down my spine which doesn't happen often, Britten Te Deum in C. To Westfield to see The King's speech which was so moving. Louise treated us. Brilliant film!

Worked Saturday and before I left tidied up and hoovered as Ciarán and Louise came to stay! To St Anselm Tooting for Mass. Ciarán awake at 7am Sunday - I worke 3 to 5 am so read Tablet - I did crossword. We sang Boyce Alleluia at Coulsdon and first outing for the John Harper settings. Molly rehearsed and I got tradecraft stuff and practised for my recital. After lunch took Ciarán and Louise home. He is trying a step and enjoyed the lake this morning. At St John's sang Gibbons short service and Ireland Greater love - Liz did the solo. Howells Psalm Prelude Set 1 no 1 at the end.Martin Baker remarked that he only played Howells twice a year at the Abbey - not enough I say!

Monday to Beckenham circle arriving late - found a good way tube to Stockwell, tube to Brixton, train to Beckenham junction. Long chat to John Parker was GLC architect. Meryl has been twice to look at selfissue positioning and take photos for possiboe refurb. Tuesday off at 2 after more weeding. Picked up Harry Mellor and drove to Redlibbets golf club near Sevenoaks for provincial council meeting. New PP Peter Stevens urged us to be more professional and then waffled on and gave summaries of reports submitted by people sitting there. I got my raffle prize of wine and miniature for 3 years - how long as this sentence? Wed lie-in and spoke to Ann at length. To St Michael's for Gary Sieling's recital of anniversaries - Stanley Vann, Schumann, Boyce, Wesley. Liz shopped and joined me. Mackerel for lunch. Wrote article for Oremus about interfaith group and rang synagogue. To see Ciarán and he rolled over from back to front for first time. Louise off to Whitney Houston concert. We w...

To St Michael's for the lunchtime recital by the organist of St Martin's-in-the-Fields. He plays really well - Bach, Boyce, Howells and Boellmann Suite Gothique. Two interesting Chorale preludes by Favid Bowerman (born 1936) on Old 100th and Guiting Power. Tea and teacake with Terence and Adrian. They had been to 17 proms and enjoyed the Mahler and LSO and the operas. They are going to Don Carlos tomorrow. Reading Richard Wright Native son again - it is excellent. Reading group in November. We have the recital programme for 2010 - amazing that international folk will play just for a free lunch! Vespers on radio from Assisi sung by the RSCM millenium youth choir under David Ogden - very good. More Facebook messages and Bruce rang. Ann in Hobart with Paul as Bet has had a severe stroke. Watched the last episode of The Tudors. Liz painting kitchen ceiling.

Claire arrived OK and Liz picked her up at Stansted and there was a hold-up on the motorway. We had 2 baptisms at Coulsdon and the Boyce Alleluia went really well. We added in a communion hymn to "Liebster Jesu" so I played the Bach preludes on the melody. At the end I played Finlandia Grandad's favourite as it is near his anniversary. As it is Sea Sunday we sang "Eternal father". Fairtrade stall so I stocked up on muesli and biscuits. Spoke to Ann, Paul, Dennis and AnnMarie on skype with Claire. Abandoned plan to go to Alexandra Palace to hear Francis Jackson as it would have taken too long to get there. I practised for Tuesday's songs from the shows. To St John's so Claire could see where the ashes of Mum and Dad are buried and I sang at evensong - Noble in B minor, Balfour Gardiner Te lucis, Michael Fleming's splendid Palace green tune to "Sing praise to God on high". Christopher Moore played. Josie and Grandma came for a meal which Clai...

Thursday lunchtime to the revived meeting of the Battersea community forum. It is so sad to learnt that so many agencies in the area have closed. Battersea Mission with its proud record is closed and the CAB are no longer in North Battersea despite the enormous demand. Yvonne Carr centre is awaiting reopening. The Garfield centre has closed. All that are left are the libraries, Katharine Low settlement. the Wilditch which has changed and South Thames college which now teaches building crafts and ESOL which is so badly needed is no longer provided. I made useful contacts with outreach workers based in schools. Sarah suggested that yet again the library might fill the gap! Liz went to Gill's to work on maths. I watched the rest of "The Apprentice" - there do seem to be some impossible people this time - some I could never work for like Debra who just does not listen! Friday to practice and I felt more relaxed. We looked at some new items in Oxford book of flexible anthems n...