The organist librarian

A stimulating session at Dulwich with Norman Harper. I have not been getting Couperin registrations correct. Dulwich gallery Sahlberg Norwegian disappointing. To Wallace collection to see impressive Henry Moore helmets and sketched 3. Simon Gledhill entertained us at Bloomsbury Baptist. Peterborough Chamber choir sang Howells and Mathias beautifully at Mass ably accompanied by Michael Butterfield. Like as the hart was gorgeous. Earth hour so dinner by candlelight including strawberries. Race around the world reaches China. 

We sang Rutter A Clare benediction and I played Bonighton on St Denio and Fish and Thiman on Hanover. A busy day - up at 6.30 a.m. After Caterham I went to Holy Innocents and met the Polish parish priest and he has given me a contact who might be interested in Catenians. Death cafe at St John's was very interesting. Did you know that after April everyone will pay £6000 tax when they die? The most basic funeral costs £4000! At evensong we sang Stanford and Bach. Susan Heath-Downey played well at Christ's chapel Dulwich - Andrew Carter, Mathias and Bach. Call the midwife was very moving.

Swim and Mass and had a lovely chat to Sean at coffee. St Luke's day doctor and patron of artists.  Excellent playing from Lukas Arvidsson from Sweden at St Michael's including Parry and an improvisation.  Qaisra Khan gave us 5 daily tips for mental wellbeing and asked how our faith helped us. To Holy Trinity Sloane St to hear Norman Harper play Bach, Howells and Mathias most enjoyable. Watched Bake off. 

Andrew Wilson played Andriessen, Mendelssohn, Franck, JSB and Mathias at St Bride Fleet St. Went to moving Syria display at Imperial War Museum.  Show Another glorious day. Life drawing at National portrait gallery. Another glorious day. Life drawing at National portrait gallery. Another glorious day. Life drawing at National por

To Senate House library to get 4 scores including the Berio. In the end I had two versions of Shostakovich 4. Liz took her camera back to Peter Jones for repair. The European Union Youth orchestra conducted by Petrenko performed the Berio Sinfonia but was it worth all that effort. The score is huge and amazing The Shostakovich was simply brilliant! To Acton and no pyjamas to wear as bathroom stuff all been moved into bedroom and everyone asleep. Had a shower and played with the boys. To Ham House, Richmond (NT) and 3 stories downstairs then drew some pictures. Sean ran about outside and I made a den out of branches which Ciaran loved. We had tea in glorious sunshine and I took Ciarán round the house searching for 6 treasures all of which he found. When we came back to the entrance I heard the guide say Woodcock and looking for a man with a child so I said it might be us and it was! Liz had fallen chasing after Sean and cut her eyebrow, glasses cracked and hurt hand and toe. I got the ...

Only swam 12 as we were late frost on car but I did find Liz's cap and goggles in the case. To Bromley PC and Kevin brought the Catenian banners from Chatham which was kind of him. The recital was by Laurence Carden a young player from Highgate who won the award at Oundle this year. There were one or two slips but an interesting programme including Thalben-Ball, Fletcher, Chilcott, Mathias, Geissler and Jirak. The curate presided somewhat awkwardly. There was no sgn of Ernest and Cecilia. St John's churchyard has been dug up for work on drains.

Swam 30 and saw Melvin. John Fulton will help him in Vancouver. Spoke to Liz and Ann on skype - Liz found her phone. Ciarán has throat infection and on antibiotics. To library but some scores have still not come from Ealing! To St Stephen Wallbrook despite the rain for recital by Richard Hobson of Grosvenor chapel, Mayfair. Mathias, Stanley, Bruhns, JSB, Sweelinck, Franck Pastorale and Dubois toccata. Enjoying The tiger's wife. Watched last episode of The Hour while I ate my burgers and veg and watermelon. Antiques Master on TV.

New Year's Eve was quiet compared to 2010 at Allenheads! We enjoyed the white dessert wine with blue cheese. Graham Norton's show and Grumpy old folk were both funny. To Windsor by train for Bridgeman Singers weekend. Gray in F minor for double choir and A maiden most gentle for evensong. Bertalot responses. Stayed at Travelodge and ate at Carluccio's. Good programmes on Morecambe and Wise. At chapel by 9.15 - mattins extraordinary Te Deum based on "Onward Christian soldiers" by Sullivan. Good hymns. At eucharist we sang Hummel Mass in B flat which was fun. One disaster in Agnus Dei - basses came in too early. Nice lunch provided by Arthur. Evensong Brewer in D, Mathias Sir Christemas. 6.34 train and home by 8! Stephen Power played some splendid Bach.

There was a good congregation for the service. We had a quintet and we sang Psalm 121 to Barry Rose's chant, Thou knowest Lord and Nunc Dimittis to Tonus peregrinus - the latter 2 unaccompanied as the keyboard is so naff! I played Vierne Epitaphe, 2 Brahms choral preludes and angel's farewell from Gerontius at the end. The hymns were Praise my soul, Lord of all hopefulness, Love divine and Immortal invisible and we used "O Lord hear my prayer". There was time for me to light 4 candles for the grandparents and all the names were read out. Arnold's 5th symphony on way home and William Mathias on The Choir with Stephen Cleobury.

Tidied up and then to visit church warden Cynthia's garden at 43 The Vale Coulsdon in aid of the centenary appeal. Lots of the congregation there. A beautiful garden on a slope and nice tea and cakes - she has a gardener. To the cathedral for ecumenical celebration of St John Roberts martyr. Welsh bishops and Archbishop of Canterbury preached. Hymns in Welsh to sight read tenor part! Harp. Stuart Kale sang a special piece with choir by Brian Hughes. William Mathias Toccata Giocosa at the end. We were acolytes. What a joy to talk to 2 Belmont brothers and hear Dom Brendan is off to Syria this year. They knew my SSG articles and I urged them to attend PMM! To Tate Britain to see "Rude Britannia". This did not even raise a smile and the really rude bits were oddly unimpressive. An erection is just that - funny I suppose in a way. The video of Sarah Lucas the woman artist eating a sausage and a banana was intriguing. Preferred the 2 wonderful fighter planes in the Duveen gal...

To 10.30 at Coulsdon -not many there. To Purley for 12 noon Mass. Canon Jim friendly. Bill plays the organ on one lot of stops - he stopped halfway through "See amid" - what about the story? He plays well but why "O sacred head" again! He needs some of my Noels. Lunch was Wiltshire foods and Christmas pudding. Liz had been at Cathedral and we returned for vespers - Poulenc and Mathias. Boys on great form and excited. Bruce was upset. We headed for Selsdon Park hotel - no champagne in rooms as promised and no soup for Grandma at meal which was buffet. Rooms OK and slept alright and good breakfast but leisure club not open until 10 a.m. Not really worth it and I think we were all tired! Next year Ciarán will be with us - they went to Ireland. We saw them on Wednesday which was a treat - he has grown! Liz had rehearsals for midnight but joined me in Acton. Boxing Day watched Victoria Wood and sang carols round the piano and Flanders and Swann. Small turkey for dinner a...

Up early and listened to a bit of choral evensong from Three choirs festival Hereford which I am enjoying right now on Iplayer. Mathias canticles and Mendelssohn. My bus was late so I arrived late at the pool so only 30 lengths despite it being quiet. Dan was there. Silver circle reading group enjoyed their tea. Library issues for June are up 24% which is great news! I changed into shorts on getting home but found the garden a bit cooler than last night!

David came and held ladder and got 3rd coat of tar on roof. We had coffee adn enjoyed a chat - his old school sounds horrendous! To St Michael's for recital by Carl Jackson - a good programme Preston, Ireland, Pomp and circumstance No.4, Mathias Berceuse, Langlais. Then to cathedral to sort out dates for interfaith group - will be on Wednesdays at 11 a.m. Sat in garden and read until 4 p.m. when 12 people came for the talk on Buddhism by Brian Appleyard. He spoke without notes. To St Mary le Bow on district line to hear Timothy Radcliffe on the Our Father and justice - excellent but could not hear every word. Back to cathedral for Martin Baker's recital and a good audience. Franck No. 1, Mendelssohn, Reger, Cochereau and Tournemire. Excellent. Home listening to prom celebrating 800 years of Cambridge including Stanford in A, Jonathan Harvey, Judith Weir, Saint-Saens 3 with Thomas Trotter.