The organist librarian

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.

Phone rang at 4 a.m. Dennis in Salford hospital with abdominal pain and later in the day had appendix removed. To Heythrop for 10 a.m. rehearsal which not all servers attended. Any way worked it all out and it went well - Bishop John on good form and a nice lunch. Chatted to PPs from Wanstead and New Barnet and Fr Tony and John Dal Din. To Battersea Park peace pagoda for the 28th anniversary celebrations. Bruce Kent not there but Pat Gaffney spoke. Nice Indian dance, violin solo of Vivaldi and interesting Harmonise sign language choir.Rain held off for most of it. On bus with John and Tina. Vespers and Mass with Fr John. Spoke to Ann. Cardiff singer of the world song prize won by the fabulous Jamie Barton.

Woke early - watched programme on Heritage from Berkeley castle where lost Vivaldi scores were discovered. Still no sign of baby but Liz stayed home. To cathedral hall for Year of Faith conference about the new evangelisation - some of Liz's class were there and Brother Ben. Interesting especially Fr Michael Holman SJ now principal of Heythrop. Third speaker I was dropping off a bit. To vespers and Mass and I looked after Fr Michael Durand. Choir sang Bruckner and Rheinberger. Watched University challenge episodes and Royal Edinburgh military tattoo.

Nice lunch. Played for Christian Aid service at 6.30. A little peeved to find a CD playing on my arrival. A good presentation about Sierra Leone which Andrew a Durham university student had visited. Farewells and handed over my keys so a little sad. My grand finale was the Karg-Elert Nun danket which we had at our wedding. Thanks be to God for happy times! Watched final of Young musician. Excellent recorder, stunning piano playing but the cellist was the clear winner playing the Walton concerto. Simon Reeve on Indian Ocean was most interesting.

On bus and tube to Baker Street. Nice toasted cakes and coffee at Weatherspoons and we later had a good burger and beer there for lunch. 10.30 a.m. rehearsal and I slipped on the riser on the stage - wooden and not clearly marked and slippery. My left shoulder bruised, neck and side aches a bit and right shin has scabs where it got skinned. At the time I thought I was OK! The sopranos consistently sang flat so I got on the back row with David from Brighton and Peter! Actually the concert was much better and it was lovely to see Norbert Balatsch and meet his wife. Lots of faces from the past including Keith Chaundy, John Sims, Liz Letsky and Pat Stephens. Fiona, Pam, Eleanor, Muriel and the Shirasses were singing. Nice to do Shepherd's farewell in French. Vivaldi Gloria and Faure Requiem and everyone singing Hallelujah chorus. The conductor Robert was not very good. It was interesting to change the Charles Mackerras room. I took 2 photos from Orange and put them on the display which...

Porridge on the balcony in glorious sunshine. Gaz took us to the Crowne Plaza hotel which is lovely. To the town hall but could not get in and had lost John Wells number. Eventually mayor's office reception took us thorugh to the lovely hall. A magnificent Klais and played 2 pieces. John demonstrated the 2 stops based on Maori instruments which the Maori no longer know how to play! Buffets lunch up the Sky tower and went up to the top deck. Loads to eat - very good value! Saw skywalk folk and people jumping off! To Albert Park to see lanterns. Met Vickie for coffee. To Town hall and Gas, Rosie and Justin for free Auckland choral concert. Lovely violinist in Vivaldi. We all joined in the Hallelujah chorus! It was full. BAck to our hotel room for tea and then walked through Albert PArk to sit lanterns all lit up and large crowds. A delightful day.

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...

A rosewood angel from Madagascar. Today we read of the Visitation and Elizabeth's joy at meeting Mary her cousin. O King— King and Desire of the Nations, made one by the cornerstone of your coming, of your being. How can it be? The cornerstone rejected, misused as rubble for rocks and stones to hurl and smash. They didn’t understand then (and often we don’t now) that cornerstones are for fastening onto, for building up, for foundations and transformation. Come, O King, Desire of the nations, Cornerstone. Save for us, formed of clay, the opportunity of being transformed by your peace. From Hasten the Kingdom: Praying the O Antiphons of Advent by Mary Winifred, C.A. (Liturgical Press, 1996). Dec 21 left work at work to be at Royal College of Music in good time for the orchestral rehearsal. Chatted to Peter Stevens the King's senior organ scholar who remembered our visit to the King's loft. He was playing the Harrison orgna in the great hall of the college which has paintings ...

Tuesday had my final dental treatment and Judy suggested I go to the Mayday eye clinic as a floater had appeared in my left eye on Sunday. It was thoroughly checked by Dr Hun and nothing was found so now I must get used to the floater whizzing around my eye! The Sharing in his life group had a good discussion and I served at Mass. James has joined the team and really looks the part! I also saw Sarah and got the fliers for "Understanding Islam" copied. Liz is to do sacristy duty on 3 days. She is busy redecorating at Grandma's while she is in King's with a urinary infection and bleeding again. She is getting much better care there than at Mayday.At Chorus Robert rehearsed for Classic carols including his own rather good arrangement of "Silent night" which is one carol I loathe! Thursday to King's to see Grandma and chorus where we rehearsed Elgar Te Deum and Vivaldi Gloria. The rehearsal was taken at short notice by a young man with beard and heavy rimmed...