The organist librarian

A lovely day. Ann busy with preparations for Claire's 21st. Finished reading "The lost art of gratitude" by Alexander McCall Smith which was a delight. To Hinsley room for 11 a.m. meeting of the interfaith group and 11 came. A most interesting discussion about love prompted by the Timothy Radcliffe passage I had provided. Hai Dang could not come after all. The new time clearly suits people and 3 newcomers and an enquiry by email! To St Michael's for Ben Horden's excellent recital Bach, Handel, Wesley, Bossi and Vierne. He is now at Northampton and grew up in Kettering. I could not recall the name of the choir director I knew there. Adrian was there and Tom whom I met on Saturday. Home for lunch and listened to evensong - a broadcast from St Paul's from 1962! To chorus to prepare for classic FM concert. Sopranos were not good again. Much chat about other choirs.

Thursday to St George's hospital whcih turned out to be an impression for a new right ear hearing aid mould. Then to Kensington Gardens to read the Tablet in sunshine before the rehearsal at the Royal Albert Hall for the Classic FM 15th birthday concert. This was packed and featured fireworks and a birthday cake which nobody cut and free coffee from the sponsors. David Parry conducted the Philharmonia with aplomb and various Classic FM presenters introduced the items. We began with "Zadok the priest" the first music played on the station. Nicola Benedetti played The Lark ascending superbly and looked wonderful! Alfie Boe sang O solo mio and Nessun dorma. Natalie Klein played the Elgar cello concerto beautifully. I enjoyed singing the Grand march from Aida and the Benedictus of Carl Jenkins. We also sang Faure's In paradisum. There was a new arrangement of Happy birthday and the encore was the Hallelujah chorus! Dorio and Sheila Melfi were in the audience and it was a ...