The organist librarian

A quiet wet day at home finishing Patrick Gale's excellent "The whole day through" and watching a 2006 prom of Mozart C minor Mass conducted by Charles Mackerras. To Albert Hall via Battersea Park and Sloane Square. The concert started with Berlioz's Hungarian March. Stephen Disley played Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3 - a truly thrilling sound. I was sitting with Chris Hollis and talking about Giulini. Love the bit with the piano duet. Carmina was excellent and Andrew Greenwood very pleased. Got a 52 immediately and train to West Norwood. Liz was ahead of me but did not have keys! Buses to Coulsdon - clocks went back an hour - I was exhausted so glad of sleep although I woke early. Liz off to Louise's baby shower and then back to Brum until Thursday so lonely bed again! We sang Martin How's "Day by day" and Howells "My eyes for beauty pine". Baptism and girls practised. Buses back home - am reading Doris Lessing's "The cleft" whi...

Disaster! Jeff has been given the boot for tai chi classes so much upset and we hope we can continue. He has been doing it for 8 years and not making any money out of it. To Blackheath to rehearse Carmina Burana with Fruhbeck who is now 74. Lots of lugging chairs onto the stage and back off again and the result was many could not see him. Mark worked hard to pull things into shape.Orff does not thrill me but people like it. It's very wearing on the voice. Tuesday afternoon to the Festival Hall and things were much better and the concert went well apart from some wayward altos and basses! Khachaturian piano concerto was stunning - what technique! French pianist rather camp but brilliant! We enjoyed going to Giraffe for a meal with smoothies, burritos and cuscus - very healthy. The Hall river frontage is so much better.

The security guard arrived at the library today and he seems fine. This measure has been introduced until November and I think we may have turned a corner on this one with the kids one of whom wanted to know why she could not use the computer. I pointed out that apologising now was a bit late and the consequence of her rudeness was that she would have to wait until her parents had responded to our letter which has been held up the postal strike. To chorus where Mark brought great enthusiasm to Carmina Burana. Friday was a peaceful day with autumn glow in the evening in the park after a murky start and choir practice not very well attended. Still we went through all the music for this month.