The organist librarian

Sunday to Mass at Anerley and heard John MacManus has died. Dinner at Harvester using voucher - I had gammon. Monday a.m. Marshall Graham's funeral at St John's - a great sendoff. Stanford, Faure, Kontakion. Body had been in church overnight - he was confirmed at Westminster Abbey and they attended St Peter Eaton Square. Ann is his widow. Nice eats and good chat about the trip and the new choir director. Told Adrian about the Musical museum. To St Martin in the Fields to hear the wonderful Rowan Williams on encounter. Alan, Ivor, Brian Pierce, Rita there plus 2 others. Met rabbi Stephen at exhibition which I did not like much. Our conversation was interrupted by an American Jewish lady who I have often seen at the front of PreProm talks. She announced she did not celebrate Yom Kippur and could not get to the synagogue in Greenwich. When asked why she became very aggressive - said we were asking personal questions - she had visual problems because of a brain tumour. I apologise

Played Willan on Nicaea, Stanford on Garton and Alec Wyton March St Patrick's breastplate. We sang all of "I bind unto myself" and Schubert "Holy, Holy, Holy" and we will sing the Deutsche Mass adapted on Thursday and next Sunday. Rehearsed Boyce Alleluia - perhaps he will be rediscovered since the Royal wedding? Stupid boy about 12 hits emergency button on platform. Mother ignored it. Voice in response. So I said "yes that's for you". Mother had to explain to the person responding to the call. But why let him hit the button in the first place? A pleasure to turn pages for Stephen Power at the cathedral Stanford, Langlais and Parry and an enjoyable time at the Cardinal!

Up at 4.40 a.m. to get to Caterham for the vigil at 6.15 a.m. 4 psalms and had fun looking up some of the saints in the litany! Breakfast then 10 a.m. which drew a much larger congregation. The choir did well "Sing choirs of heaven" by Richard Shephard. Great to have Ben with us. I played Hallelujah chorus and Saraband for the morning of Easter. I have wriiten about the Easter organ music in the April magazine. To The Chalet Caterham to see the gardens for the NGS and owls and vintage cars and a helicopter! Fancy having that on your lawn plus a Rolls! Now beef and red wine for lunch when Dennis Woodhouse and co arrive. The Lenten alcoholic fast is ended (it didn't work too well on the cruise!) Slept after lunch. Missed Bruce's call. At evensong Stanford in A and Te Deum in B flat. Liz sang the solo in Blessed be the God and Father beautifully. Had wine and chocolate. Watched Generation game, Urbi et Orbi. Durrells, Sheffield cathedral,

Saturday unpacking finished and washing. Auditions at St John's. Did not recognise Stephen Hope but he recognised me. His playing was eccentric. Gary ran into trouble with the plainchant but Max was impressive.  To Bloomsbury Baptist to hear half of Sarah Kim's recital of transcriptions. Good to be back at Mass at the cathedral. Trains not running well. Very cold.  Played Franck Prelude and Fughetta and we sang Webbe Lamb of God. Saw Henry when I picked up the car - it was parked there because of the football. Caught up on Call the midwife, A Vicar's life, Tablets, Yo Yo Ma and the Silk road ensemble. Monday mosaic and tai chi.  Stunning playing from Daniel Cook at the Festival Hall and a most interesting interview. Met the Gillian Weir organ scholar they are looking for a successor. Vierne 6, Stanford Sonata 2 Eroica, Nice to see Andrew from Acton. Daniel Cook comes up quite often in this blog! Snow prevented us going to Acton and in fact school closed! 

Swam 20, Mass and coffee where I met Emma from Malta and Philomena who used to go to Addiscombe and made a delicious fruit cake.Michael Overbury played Handel and Stanford's Sonata Britannica at St Michael West Croydon. An outstanding talk on Amoris laetitia by Fr Ashley Beck. Interesting programme on Roman tombs and Baiae.

Lovely day. Rutter Gaelic blessing. Willan and Stanford on St Columba and Elgar Song of liberty. St John Caterham - we had an amusing drama about Paul trying to fly to Asia and going to Macedonia instead!  Brilliant talk at St Paul's cathedral by Dr Jane Williams on the Holy Spirit in the Trinity. I commented that explaining the Trinity to Muslims and Buddhists is impossible and God can more foten be found with the Buddhist community than in church.  London live showed again the wedding of William and Katherine 5 years on but horror of horrors - they did not come in the Wagner Bridal March nor was Jerusalem sung!!! Most of the chat is about the dress!  Evensong at Caterham. Elgar Symphony 1 theme, Vesper voluntary, Bach Christ lag and Ridout This joyful Eastertide. Some lovely chants.Antiques roadshow, Indian summers, The Durrells and Paul O'Grady and the Sally Army. Liz in Aylesford overnight.

17 in church. Practising Dorian. Played Willan and Hurford on Song 34, Willan on Nicaea and Mozart Serenade. I told Bill the news. Fr Leon came up to check all was well about getting away at 12. There was a meeting to appoint an auditor at 12 anyway and I go to St Paul's cathedral in good time which was as well as the room was full.  Pádraig O Tuama spoke well at St Paul's cathedral. He is an Irish gay poet and theologian who directs the Corrymeela community and he told some great stories. Good to see Michael Redman there but  William Rhind  was turned away as it was full. Home by 3.30. At evensong we sang Stanford in B flat and Caesar Soul of my saviour. Benediction. End of War and Peace beautifully done. Call the midwife and watched programme on Confucius. Delighted that Liz found the missing hangings in the shed boxes. Brought some organ music home.

14 in church. Played Stanford Gartan, Pachelbel and Walther Jesu meine freude and Murrill Postlude on a ground ready for the Festival Hall organ! More work on old photos for the family tree. I sang at evensong Stainer in B flat and Wood Expectans expectavi. To All Saints West Dulwich evensong there only finished at 7.30 so recital by Jonathan Vaughn started late. Met Alan Littell who is deputy organist there and plays at Addiscombe. Anthony Sisley plays at Our Lady's and at Anerley! Harpers, Carl jackson and the Vaughns were there. Watched War and Peace, circus and story of zoos.

Swam 20. Clearing shed Liz found a dead rat and the wood has rotted away and holes in felt. Went to guide at the cathedral and there were 7 guides and a funeral so no tours! After tea left. To Acton and the boys in the pool and making track.  To St John Notting Hill to hear Oundle winner Christopher Baczkowski who is excellent! Sam Barber was on duty. Decided not to go to Holland Park mosque iftar as I would have to hang about for over an hour. Liz enjoyed Michael Flatley and Irish dance.

Swam 20. Saw Dr Ojo - he laughed when we asked about going up Machu Picchu "You're 68 not 88!". To art and finished the rugby picture. Disappointing that a glass case cannot be found to show my mosaics - the one we used last year at the pool is broken. To interfaith lunch and made announcements. Ivor's sisters were there from Australia. Chat to David Standley about a Christian who became Muslim. To dentist and she did bottom left fillings. She has changed her mind about the right hand side and says one is to be extracted! We both went to St John's for Thomas Trotter's recital which was excellent. Stanford, JSB, Hollins, Holloway and Mendelssohn. The Macmillan was quite challenging. Helen Murphy was there! Dennis and AnnMarie dropped in. Several more returns about alley gate. Proms passes came.

Tuesday we both swam and I did 20 - it was cold again.Liz went to Brick Lane and Somerset House and then to Acton. I went to Church House for the Boroughs interfaith forum. There were reflections on recent events and I said I was bewildered but wanted the police to do something about hate crime. The MP from the Dept of Communities a Liberal agreed. We heard about Near Neighbours and food banks. I left early to go to the cathedral for evensong sung by St Paul's cathedral. Stanford in G (did not like either soloist and the men were far too loud at the start of the Magnificat, Brahms Geistliche lied. Exc sermon by Canon Oakley. Nice to see Michael Durand (with a stick) and Anne Welch. To Alexandra Palace for fine recital by Gerard Brooks. Saw Jack Beeson and the Shepherds. Coleridge-Taylor, Lloyd Webber, Guilmant and Widor (with a sense of humour!) My tea came out of the cup! Reached Acton at 10.15. Wed Sean ran about and his behind the curtains at music but he did join in some of i

Woke at 4.30 so looked at some more Lourdes pilgrimage videos and photos. Swam 20 and met John so chatted about Grangewood park and the arts week. Finished the painting. Waiting for call about new bed headboard but it didn't come so rang them and they said 1.30 to 3.30 slot for delivery. John and David out. To Balham library for scores and drove to St George's Beckenham and parked free at M and S. Heard Harry Bramma play Bach, Karg-Elert and Stanford. I suppose if you get to his age you can play Sleepers wake any time but it seemed to lack flow. Home to find bed board in porch. Sudden storm but still hot and sticky. More Lourdes and Under Milk wood recording.

Played Ave Maria and Tambling on Slane and Cashmore Processional March. Stephen lead a communion service. Andrew took posters for the station! I told Fr Paul who was off to Walsingham that brides should be told if they are 10 minutes late my fee doubles! Nice lunch and then to St John's for 2. Fr John and James played piano duet version of Brahms How lovely and All flesh is grass. Stanford in A. Nice tea and wine afterwards. Watched final of Young musician with a worthy winner Martin James Bartlett.

Dennis ferried us to the station which took ages as the traffic was so bad. He then went off to Northallerton and traced Woodhouses back to 1736. We got the 10.57 train to Leeds and Liz and I went to the Minster to hear Simon Lindley who recognised me. Easter music by Bach, Dandrieu, Langlais, Slater, Moore, Stanford and Faulkes - most enjoyable. We then went back to the station. Ann and Paul had been to the art gallery and library. We got a taxi to Lawns Wood and found the place where the ashes were scattered and the book of remembrance was opened to the page where Granddad was recorded. Back to town on the bus for tea and train back arriving at 7 and home by 8.10. It has been a successful trip.

Liz to cathedral and I went directly to Beckenham to practise the Mozart Requiem extracts for Thursday and the Faure In paradisum. Service went well despite 4 big hymns for Peter and Paul! To Crystal Palace station where behind the cafe there is a large room and we heard 2 sopranos one American and the other sang Ivor Novello accompanied on the harp by Keziah Thomas. There was a good mediaeval ensemble with recorder, singer, percussion and small harp. Christian played well including a Bach trio sonata which he likened to Pride and Prejudice and he used the copy from school 60 years before! Edward Marsh and Lefebre-Wely and 2 blues type preludes. I turned and there were 21 there. To evensong Stanford in B flat and Give us the wings of Bullock. I stayed on for the Spectrum concert of wind and brass arrangements of Sibelius, Shostakovich, Ravel and Debussy and Holst - very well played. The ideas was to see colours with the music but that does not work for me at all. Cake and wine at inte

Swam 20 and to Balham library to collect scores. Saw Ferelith she has officially retired. I missed her farewell. Came back to Selhurst and drove to Kent House. To interfaith lunch and a nice vegetarian meal as alaways. Left early and got to Odeon Beckenham early-  got a refund of Liz's ticket.The play was excellent and Helen Mirren and Edward Fox outstanding. Really enjoyed it. To Cathedral and heard end of mass with lovely Stanford and Dering motets. Rehearsal started late - this time i am on furniture duty moving chair and cushion and stool as well as Consecration torch and one of the 7 candles. Home to watch Apprentice and a long chat to Anne Nicholls about the funeral.

Sunday and Liz at Acton where she went to Mass and to James's house. I played Purcell at Mass and photocopied the remainder of the recital programmes - Debbie has done a lot but not the tricky one for the 16th so it is all done. Came home to get my tie and drove to Park hill to deliver leaflets about Thursday to Les. Never been in that park before - it was an interfaith picnic but very few there and it was cold! Adrian arrived 2 p.m. to practise (his fourth session). Very pleased that 30 came as several people in the morning had said they were not coming. St john's folk supported it well and Fr Paul looked great in a grey suit.I turned pages and pulled out stops. People liked the arrangement with the blue chairs facing the organ and delighted that John Mander came. Gordon Jacob, Bach the Dorian! and Schubler chorales, Boyce, Stanley, Haydn, Mozart, Whitlock (worked very well) and Crown Imperial. The chance to hear the organ from down below confirmed the warmth of the sound in

Woke with back ache again. Watched Mrs Thatcher's funeral which was all done in perfect British style - very stiff upper lip. Lovely music especially Stanford in G Nunc Dimittis. Pity we heard none of the organ music from St Paul's but we did get some Albinoni at St Clement Danes. David Dimbleby said De Klerk had said Mrs Thatcher opposed apartheid but she did oppose sanctions. In effect she supported the South African government. The Bishop of London gave a good sermon in which he said the line about "no such thing as society" was a misquote and Barry Mellish in fact supplied the full quote so it was a misunderstanding. To Hinsley room and 6 came for good discussion on Sharing Eden - now have the points for next month clearly laid out. Jon Dal Din was there so I paid for the June walk. The meeting next week at Hendon on Tuesday has been changed to Wednesday to suit Sr Margaret so I won't go.

Took Liz to West Norwood. Played for service at Beckenham - choir of 3 were still not great in the psalm despite rehearsing beforehand. I played Franck and Willan. After service practised Bach but still no key so had to leave. Still I had done what was needed. Checked Dupuis essay and made some changes. Evensong from King's college, London. Evensong at St John's - Stanford O for a closer walk. Watched Call the midwife and Brian Cox. Lamb shank for dinner. It looks as though the Cambridge visit cannot be in May so September 28 is the alternative. May is quiet revision time for exams. Finished Weller article on the Rushdie affair.

1800 words of Clooney essay written - only 200 to go! To cathedral to steward choristers concert. We were checking tickets on the door and it was freezing. Still we enjoyed a superb free concert. Ceremony of carols, Stanford 4 biblical songs, Britten Missa Brevis, Handel all beautifully sung and  mostly from memory - what stamina! To the Friends reception in Francis Street  -bit of snobbery but enjoyed the champagne and chatting to Jack the Queen's coachman. Home to freezing fog and heavy frost on the car.