The organist librarian

It being half term the library was busy. Did The Tablet crossword in my lunch hour. To practice - no alto and bass singing down an octave like Paul Robeson! Covered all the music for June. Couple of thoughts - the scriptwriter of the TV Passion rather lost heart and went for a popular style and unbiblical approach no doubt to get a new angle. Why tinker with the great words already existing? The tensions between the disciples were well done and it was good that the story went on to Easter Day. Vickie mentioned some wanting livelier music - what did they mean? Gospel? The choir felt we had a good mix of old and new. It would be good to introduce some more Bernadette Farrell and revive some of the items Generations learnt.

Swam 34 lengths. It was a busy day it being half-term. Thank God Caroline is coming to replace Calix. To the Globe to get tickets for Lear in August. Tate Modern had an interesting photographic exhibition contrasting street scenes with portraits. Surprised Karsh of Ottawa was not represented. Some iconic images notably Oliver Goldblatt in Johannesburg. Walked along the Thames in the rain to the Festival Hall and found myself looking at people imagining photographing them! Free recital by Martin award winner Pei Sian Ng from Sydney - a very fine cellist playing Rachmaninov cello sonata with an excellent pianist Miyako Machida in a lovely blue dress. He was lovely to watch and the G minor made me feel sad remembering Mum and Dad and the prom concert of Rachmaninov Bells when they died. Across the bridge to Embankment and tube to Victoria for rehearsal of Saturday's ordination. We are acolytes so a bit of a waste of time!

Tuesday's swim was shorter as I was late getting up and took the car down as I needed it in the evening. To Catenian council meeting at Jim's new home in Sanderstead. A useful meeting. Wednesday had a lie-in and to Coulsdon to see Vickie. Hymns now chosen up to the end of August. To St Michael's for Riccardo Bonci's recital and Liz joined me there. he played transcriptions of Grieg, Dvorak, Vivaldi by Bach, Rossini. It was a fun programme apart from Liszt's Arcadelt Ave Maria which I thought was far too slow. The extraordinary piece from 19th century Italy based on Aida must have wowed them at Mass! We had a toasted sandwich and cappuccino at Marks and Liz got some lovely jewellery for her wedding outfit. To Allders and luggage shop looking at rucksacks and to Debenhams for china. We ended up at Ikea where we got 2 good rucksacks for £15 each, photo frames and artificial apple blossom for the library. Watched Julie Walters in "Filth; the Mary Whitehouse story...

I have been reading Desmond Morris's "The naked man; a study of the human body" and now I know why torch bearers are asked to stand with one hand on their chest with the torch in the other hand. It is an ancient Greek posture assumed by slaves awaiting their master's bidding. He says a lot about bowing and hand gestures too and even includes a photo of the Pope washing feet. Apparently our feet betray the most about our mood so keep an eye on the celebrant's feet! If he is tapping his foot or waving a foot he is wanting to leave or at least get on with things! I have even seen a celebrant tapping the altar with his fingers during the Sanctus waiting for the music to end! This is a really useful study if you are in a multinational congregation because the same gesture can mean opposite things to different nationalities! Had a quiet day - the weather was awful! Watched several episodes of BBC Young Musician of the year, spoke to Bruce, phoned 3 Catenians on the sic...

I very seldom remember dreams so I have dashed to the computer to record this one! I was to serve at an ordination but seem to have missed the rehearsal! I had my black cassock on and was following Fr Michael down a dark corridor when we suddenly confronted by a cardinal in pink. We all prostrated on the carpet because the cardinal was so terrifying and like a wolf. Next we were in Brentwood cathedral or at least a modern building downstairs crowding into a sacristy. I was given a long pink cassock with a hood and my immediate thought was do I wear the hood. More and more people crowded into a line in a room as the music started above us with me at the end. The cardinal turned to me and turned out to be friendly. There was a dash to put on the pink cassock over my black one and when we reached our places there was an elderly lady kneeling on her stool without any shoes on so I did the same but kept my shoes on! The lady then passed out from the heat so we all tried to help her. Next a ...

Fr Tim Finegan on his blog http://the-hermeneutic-of-continuity.blogspot.com has a translation of a blog from Rome. AGI) – Vatican City, 22 May – Benedict XVI gave communion this evening to the faithful who knelt in front of him, following the tradition, that is, not giving the consecrated particles into the hands but putting them directly into the mouth. Both ways are allowed in the present liturgical norms but this way underlines more greatly the meaning of the Eucharist as the renewed sacrifice of Jesus, while the other is more in line with the protestant conception which emphasises more the dimension of the meal. The Church of Papa Ratzinger is worried about the lack of respect for the Eucharist, evident from the ever increasing number of liturgical abuses which are committed in the course of celebrations. Recently, L’Osservatore Romano dedicated a whole page to this problem, giving space to a study of the theologian Inos Biffi, who denounced a crisis of faith in the mystery of “tr...

A rare Saturday off with nothing planned. Hoovered, washed kitchen floor and cleared up. Washed nets and cleaned windows. Louise came for lunch - nice meal but not so keen on ginger. Nice pudding with raspberries and a fine day. Garden looking lovely. To vespers and Mass and I was cantor. Lots of servers on for procession. It turned out to be a big sing. Oliver introduced me to David Grealy who is from Galway and is to be organ scholar from the autumn. The procession went well - I stayed at the mike and then joined the end in Morpeth Terrace for a short while. Some of the choirboys were leading the hymns. Liz was thurifer. Sunday to Coulsdon - only 3 in choir but they sang Taize Ubi caritas very well. It seems Kevin Shears did not rehearse the Rutter setting last Sunday so the tempi were too slow. Monica said she had missed me! I played Andrew Moore's voluntary on "Aurelia" dedicated to me, Vaughan Williams on "Hyfrodol" which has a splendid pedal part, and Coli...