The organist librarian

More work on Last Night painting and article for Catena at last. Louise set off for Suffolk with the boys. To South London Catenian foundation dinner which was excellent but drank way too much wine. I was sick as a result of the mince at lunchtime. Earlier we served at the reception of our friend Hannah Perrera"s body into the cathedral where she was a faithful parishioner and I went to the David Hockney at Tate Britain.  We served at Hannah's funeral and choir sang Mozart Requiem. Nice reception. 14 on tour of cathedral mosaics. Tea in cafe. A great success. Loved Art of France part 3 and the Big painting challenge. 

Swam 20. Ivan came for his first session 90 minutes went well. Watched Mozart in London. Finished packing presents. My new razor I bought in Greenwich for Acton is good.  On radio 3 this morning George Malcolm playing Bach goes to town by Benjamin. Must find my copy. I had forgotten how subtle his playing of the rhythms is!  At Hyderi mosque Streatham for interfaith celebration.    It was really interesting and the Mayor of Lambeth who is the first Muslim to be mayor and a woman was there.

A lovely day at Leith Hill Place beyond Dorking. Have long wanted to visit Ralph Vaughan Williams' childhood home and there is an excellent soundscape presentation and delicious home baked scones and cakes! Played Vaughan Williams on the Broadwood piano. The pre Prom talk on Mozart's Requiem was excellent - not so sure that the singers among the players worked so well in the hall. Enjoyed the clarinet concerto and bass aria and now watching it on TV. Everybody looks a bit spread out and the result is some singers singing too loud.

Swam, Bromley library for scores - got all I required and donated Alan Burtonshaw's Messiah score used to raise money for St Christopher's Hospice in 1986 to local studies library.  Conducted tour of Red House and Hall Place Bexley. Topiary, Tudor hall. Liz at Tony Hawes' funeral.  Great 8OOth meeting of Medway Towns at Gravesend!  Lovely stay at Gravesend and safely home in good time. Excellent party last night with Chris the singer and dancing. Great to meet so many good people!  Really enjoyed Mary King's workshop on Mozart Mass in C minor and chatted to the excellent pianist Caroline on the bus. Served at vespers and Mass and Mum and Dad were prayed for (10 years since they died!) Fr Martin Plunket celebrated with a Columbian priest currently in Rome. No cantor! We got to the prom and were unimpressed by the first piece. Mahler Ruckert lieder not in same order as the score! Mozart Mass was great!

Lie in.  To cathedral to do guiding but once again there were 7 on so little to do and mot that many visitors. After tea I went to the hall and enjoyed the young composers compositions conducted by Nicholas Conlon. The prom was Haitink at his best - Schubert and Mozart - quite delightful.

A delightful lunch with Rosemary and Lyn Callan, A superb prom from Glyndebourne Entfuhrung aus dem serail - wonderful singing and acting. T he smelliest man in London near me during tonight's Prom - not nice! Later Liz saw him getting Linda to thread a needle to sew a split in his trousers! Fab dinging and acting from Glyndebourne cast! I spent the first 2 acts sitting at the rail with my score which amused me as there was a long spiel in German and a very short translation beside it!  Watched Eric Whitacre Prom on TV on return home. Lyn is 75 tomorrow! 

Swam 20. Took advantage of shade to put new felt on shed roof in some places 2 layers on top of the old roofing. Looks good and should last - had it 32 years! To Thornton Heath library to take photos of the display of our pictures which looks great. The reading group was not happening so to Tate Britain to see the lovely Barbara Hepworth exhibition. What a carver she was and how she used different stones so skilfully! The family intro to the Prom was great not quite as lively as last year and BBC Newsnight were filming. Violin, clarinet, cello and piano led by Sarah and she got the kids playing Mozart! The prom was excellent. BBC Welsh conducted by Sondergard. James O'Donnell playing the Poulenc, Symphony of Psalms and Haydn. Te Deum and Mozart 41. To Acton.

Swam 20 and Liz went off to college. To art and Julie lent ne a good book on sketching. I did my first sketch of a landscape in my sketchbook copying a not very good wall painting in the hall of a mountainous lake. There was a flurry of emails about organ tuning and decided to stick with the current unequal temperament. I have informed John Williams that Bill will let Debbie know things as I refuse to have any more unpleasant emails from him! To Notting Hill Eat and then to hear David and Elizabeth Wood read Mozart's letters and play clarinet and piano including clarinet concerto slow movement. Rita was there and told me she was refused absolution! Home for an hour and then on bus to Streatham South London Islamic centre. 5 came for conversations and I was paired with John Buddhist from Brixton. We hope to meet at the Brixton centre.

The indexing of Alan's music is I think complete. To St John's for celebration of Catherine's life which was very different! Lovely poetry and Jane Austen and Mr Pooter, glorious Saint-Saens Le Cygne on cello, Benjo playing Beethoven and best of all Mozart adagio from the clarinet concerto. Pope Benedict XVI described him as the greatest theologian and he was right. God was there. We also sang Count your blessings, Yield not to temptation and Cym Rhondda, Jack was there - his daughter is Benjo's girlfriend.

Up early and swam 20. Helped with bibliographies while Liz worked on the essay and reflections. Hoovered and cleaned kitchen floor.  Watched Britten and violin chamber proms on Iplayer and Schumann Piano concerto on TV. Pre-prom talk on Mozart in Vienna - Third programme style! Lovely prom from Mahler chamber orchestra conducted by Daniel Harding. Mozart led straight into Schumann Symphony 2 which confused the audience. Mozart Piano concerto 25 and Sibelius 7 - such joy! Elizabeth from St John's gallery along with a load of people with squeaky shoes. The lady next to me introduced me to the organist of St Bartholomew Sydenham who is interested in the Hayes vacancy.

Left home at 8 a.m. and got to Tonbridge via Riverhead at 9.30 then the nightmare of trying to find the church (drove right past it!) and then Waitrose car park which was  long walk with a heavy box and hymnbooks and organ shoes! All went well and the Mozart was OK despite one manual and pedals and no expression! It was appreciated and then to Spa Hotel for a lovely reception. Sat with Jim and the Shufflebothams. Got banners from Paul and delivered them to Brendan. On arrival home a letter from Laurence Jones. To Meditatio for excellent talk by Br Patrick Moore on the Victorines and then to Euston to once again meet Liz back from Manchester!

Swam 22 and put down black stuff in front garden then stones came and Bruce spread them out. To mosaic and tai chi - Tony was late and I left at 1 to get to Heythrop. Got vouchers for restaurant for filling in student surveys. Spoke to Eddie Howells and Bob Thomas about Eckhart. The seminar was on love and knowledge in Christian spirituality in relation to Augustine, Bonaventure and the Cloud of Unknowing. Stefan had some great cartoons! Paul was good on Bonaventure. Had dinner and then to Covent Garden for a most enjoyable Zauberflote on student ticket £8! Christopher Maltman was excellent as was Brindley Sherratt. Home to watch final of University challenge.

Swam 22 - woman in yellow cap insisted on going fast in our lane when she could have gone in fast lane! Some people! To Heythrop to see Michael Barnes and discussed essays and dissertation which is now Meister Eckhart and Buddhists: what appeals to Buddhists? Think I can cope with that. Chatted about opera and Giulini. Had a delightful lunch with Michael Redman - always an interesting chat. Worked in library on Eckhart reviews. No. 9 bus on a lovely sunny afternoon to Somerset House - a good exhibition on Becoming Picasso 1901 at the Courtauld and then a fine photography exhibition in the East Wing. Some amazing photos. To SS Anselm and Caecilia in Kingsway for Mass celebrated by the Archbishop for Michael O'Leary 50 years as server and diocesan award and 50 years of Guild at the church. Ian Coleman directed Mozart Spatzenmesse and Palestrina. Not sure his unaccompanied psalm setting worked for the congregation! Home to watch programme on Turner.

After a late night an early start to get bus to Brixton and tube to arrive in good time for 9.30 mass. I was crozier for Bp John Sheringham - he can't sing and his voice is unimpressive. Paul M said nothing as usual. The choir sang Byrd Mass and Mozart Ave verum. Judges looking impressive in their full rigout and wigs. To Post Office and they had my diary - I said it was red/brown (The clou ro my new one for next year) and it is green. Great to have it back.  Met the nice bass from the cathedral choir on the train. To mosaic and more painting for half an hour. Linda away next week. Ta'i chi - no session next week. Bus to St Paul's Clapham and met secretary and Deborah Matthews the vicar who is very nice. Had a good chat and liked the organ - a Forster and Andrews. Quite a few have applied! Did my practising and returned home. Liz had taken AnnMarie to dentist after attending the requiem at St Helen's. After dinner Colin picked me up for Catenian meeting - official Provi...

Tuesday to lunchtime concert at Grosvenor chapel. Martin Ball was there. Richard Hobson played Bruhns, Clerambault and Bach very well. Picnic in park and took family's photo. To Royal Academy to see lovely Impressionists and tea there.Lovely day. To the prom and the pre Prom talk with members of the orchestra of the Age of enlightenment - clarinet, flute and horn - interesting to hear about the instruments and Mozart's use of them. The opera was well staged so moved from seat to rail at times holding score. Superb singing. Liz missed the prom again. I went to Acton. Wednesday to Chiswick for some shopping and Ciarán enjoyed playing at Starbucks and in the sand at Ravenscourt Park. He was very good about leaving the playground and we then got caught in a downpour. Had lunch in the cafe as we were wet including ice cream. Dried off and to Stratford for the opening of the Paralympics. Fantastic atmosphere and huge stadium. The show was great - especially liked the dancers like th...

Only swam 24 as water was cold. More clearing up and hoovering. To St Pancras Church for piano recital by Ian - Beethoven, Chopin and his own Carmina. He plays really well and from memory. Chatted to Michael. To Heythrop and saw Fr Rocco, Philip and Luciana. 2nd tutorial with Damian who says essays could get a higher mark with some changes. To St John's for sung mass of Corpus Christi and procession over carpet of flowers, Bishop Jonathan of Croydon in new Roman style outfit and zucchetto! Mozart Sparrow Mass and Ave verum with orchestra,

Our front door! After the excitement of the amazing river pageant, we travelled over to Acton on Monday morning in good time for the street party. Liz made some excellent cupcakes and we enjoyed meeting everyone. We eventually retired to the house to watch the concert which was spectacular and included Lang Lang, Rene Fleming and Alfie Boe. Tom was out with Mark and Stella but cam home to rejoin the street party. We were up quite early on the Tuesday and drove home to watch the St Paul's service and the lunch and procession of carriages. Dennis and Ann-Marie had grandstand seats for the whole day opposite the Palace! We went up to Victoria and just saw the Red Arrows in the flypast. We served at the special mass with Mozart's Kronungsmesse with orchestra and a fine homily from Archbishop Vincent. Nice to see Brian and Fr Michael Dunne. Wednesday worked on the 2 essays and eventually decided to send them in. Sorted out organ music and now have a large pile to disp...

To Brentford and Ciarán and Merle enjoyed Tamba's session - having a break form it really worked! Nice korma lunch and Ciarán was dropping off so happily went in the buggy. It was a very wet day. To cathedral for Grand organ festival. Winfried Bónig of Cologne cathedral played really well. Bach, Pachelbel (did not know he was offered an Oxford post!) Mozart and Karl Hóller. Read Tablet and Paul Harris on meditation. Chris at Catenians on Tuesday told a story about a 21 year old playing at Cologne without permission and not being stopped because he was good - I was unimpressed!

To Heythrop for mass and sang in the schola. Mozart Ave verum, Fr Andrew played so Gerry could conduct. I heard the voice of Jesus say and To Christ the Prince of peace. To coffee and chatted to Michael Smith who retires in 2 weeks. To Royal Academy and Liz went to see the Hockney again. I enjoyed the Zoffany although it was a but cramped and the small Hawksmoor display. Back to Heythrop for dinner and chat. Damian was 15 minutes late and Siriol did a good presentation on Peters. Raymond less so. Then went on to talk about the Trinity. Home to see Catholics on BBC4 3rd and last episode and there was Rose in the cathedral sacristy and right at the end both of use serving on a Saturday night Assumption vespers! Several people saw it. Watched the Make Bradford British part 2 and outraged by some of the racist remarks.

Monday swam 28. To mosaic and tai chi, Liz to meet new tutor and mentor and to confirmation class. To St Martin's in the Fields to hear black theologian Robert Beckford on radical compassion. He sees the Lord's Prayer as a political manifesto! Interesting chat to my neighbour about Constantine. He had some good points but a poor presentation.  Pancakes with nutella, To More than Gold HQ for borough champions meeting. Pleased to see Lindsey and meet Christine from Bromley. We heard of various needs and met in local area groups. Then to Conway Hall for Faith Matters MOMA Measuring anti-Muslim attacks. Mansoor there. Clearly a major problem and Peter Oborne chaired. The Deputy mayor for London did not show but we heard from Simon Hughes and Eric Pickles. Javed Khan from Victim support and I spoke to him afterwards about professionals feeling they must leave their faith outside the door at work. Impassioned appeal from a young woman. Pity there was no question time. Sat in Red Lion...