The organist librarian

Yet again my 8 a,m, train was cancelled and I was on the bus to Caterham. Website says disruption until 10a.m. Please take an alternative train. There is NO alternative train! We sang This joyful Easter tide and I played Alan Ridout's cheeky piece on the tune and the more sedate Thalben-Ball. Willan on Vulpius at the end with tuba. 2 in choir. Why did we have to sing Before the throne again? Watching close of Commonwealth Games. Well done Birmingham great show #Brum At evensong played Philip Moore and Douglas Guest on St Fulbert and Bach Christ lag variations. 4 at evensong incl Jerry and myself. What is the point!  Watched The Durrells, Big painting challenge on portraits. Work is to start at St Michael Beckenham 3 years after I left! 

6 in the choir today and we sang This joyful Eastertide. I played voluntaries on this tune by Thalben-Ball and Alan Ridout. Also meditation on Slane by Eric Thiman. Godparents Sunday was interesting. I  am afraid I know nothing about my godson Jonathan Cherry mainly because his family are dreadful about keeping in touch. Lovely evensong from Winchester cathedral .Watched Versailles. 

My second Sunday of the interregnum - there are significant changes in the congregation and new church wardens. Fr Leon sings everything including the Gospel. He is enthusiastic and clearly enjoyed my playing. We managed the psalm on minimal rehearsal and I played Ridout;s fun piece on "This joyful Eastertide" (A lady asked about this hymn - she really liked it) Archer on St Fulbert and Willan on Vulpius and also did some improvising! When practising had a go at Bach passacaglia and final section of Messiah. Service now startsa round 10.50 so it means getting to St Paul's cathedral for 1 p.m. talk unlikely. Nice chicken for lunch and watched Sex and the Church and National Gallery and Rick Wakeman on Vivaldi Four Seasons. At evensong we sang Walmisley in D minor and Wesley The Lord hath been mindful of us. Benediction. Dennis and Ann Marie came down.

Saw a mouse in the lounge last night - very small but still yuk! 3 traps set. Watched Come dine with me and did some work for next Wednesday's spirituality day. The hymns at the family Eucharist were a bit naff including Colours of day. I played Handel, Guest and Ridout on Vreuchten and Willan on Vulpius. Only 16 there and the 3 kids all very young. Straight to Tulse Hill and to Blackfriars for Andrew Carwood at St Paul's cathedral on Easter music. He played Lotti, Byrd, Bach, Mahler and Elgar - interesting comments on the music. I was particularly taken by the alto aria with oboe d'amore form the Easter oratorio of Bach. Energy, rising intervals, quicker music. To St John's for 3 p.m. and Julie and David took Mary and I to Botley via the A3 and some lovely wooded countryside roads for choral evensong with their choir in memory of Trevor's parents Eric and Bronwen Wheble. A very pleasant occasion in "the most charming village in England" according to Cobb...

To St George's Beckenham expecting Andrew Kirk but he was ill so Norman stepped in - first time he had played a recital in a hoodie! Ridout 2 Nativity dances, Finzi Prelude and Bach Passacaglia - excellent. Saw Jo Harvey and Ken. Louise arrived with Ciarán - he has a nasty cough but enjoyed Cornwall. We enjoyed looking at the photos. To Sacred Heart Wimbledon - went wrong way! David Briggs on stunning form playing from memory. Guy Bonnet, Bach, Franck No. 3, Nimrod and Widor Toccata, Haydn and a 4 movement improvisation! The organ is splendid and a good audience. Liz to Heythrop and Louise went to visit Gemma and Sebastian. Ciarán happy to watch Thomas and Gruffalo and read Thomas books. Nasty cough but quite OK. Have now done all reading we were given on Helios and submitted first bit of essay on discussion forum. Watched the rest of Terry Gwilliam's amazing ENO Damnation of Faust on Iplayer. Fr Durand at mass and Huddersfield Boys choir sang Keith Roberts mass - met him - he...

There was a baptism at Coulsdon - Autumn a lovely 8 month old who had been very ill. I played Arthur Wills's Lullaby for a royal prince, some Andrew Moore and Mendelssohn Song without words in E. I didn't think the Venetian gondala song suitable! Chat to Jill Cliff about the magazine. we are to try a half hour with the girls after Sunday service which avoids me going down there again on a Wednesday or early on a Friday. Listened to Roberto Alagna's Desert Island discs (his second wife died) and Just a minute. Liz had been shopping in Croydon. To Geffrye Museum in Shoreditch to see the excellent photographs of Ethelburga tower in Battersea and Newlyn copper. The herb garden and formal gardens are delightful and it was very sunny. The smell of rosemary and thyme very strong. They even have hyssop and valerian! Swopped buses to get to Museum of London to see the excellent history of Anti-Apartheid movement exhibition. Walked to St Paul's cathedral through the lovely Patern...