The organist librarian

A fine homily from Fr Stuart Meyer at Mass today on the Gospel reflecting on how John Profumo and Jonathan Aitken gave so much to others after their disgrace. The media have a lot to answer for.  Unhappy to see crib at Mass. Why not close the curtains? Tree up as well.  Watched lovely programme on Sheku. Both of us  t o St Mary at Hill for a delightful concert by Follia featuring Telemann and Noels. I think I play some of them too quickly. Sam Stadlen outstanding on bass viol and he played an amazing piece by Marin Marais Les voix humaines. Great to see Yat-Soon Yeo. We were late thanks to trains and bus running late. Good practice for Tuesday's carols at Caterham. Surprised to find Brian putting up tree at same time but it did not bother us Tanya has arrived! Liz came.Got Radio Times and cake and pudding at Aldi. Sweetmakers at Christmas and Harrogate Christmas.

Woke at 3am yesterday no wonder I dropped off during Finding Vincent! 4 am today - Liz has a bad cough.  Ciaran spoke so well at assembly and it was all about baptism. The singing is much better. To Field's for eggs Benedict delicious. A great sendoff at the cathedral for Mgr Augustine Hoey who was 100. Faure requiem, Jerusalem the golden, Let all mortal flesh, Tell out my soul, Widor Toccata. To Courtauld to see Soutine portraits and drawings.  Follia really are an excellent ensemble thanks to  Yat-Soon Yeo  for telling us about the St Mary at Hill concert Telemann in Paris. No doubt that Telemann stands head and shoulders above his contemporaries except Bach and Handel. Very glad that Paul allowed us both to serve and I was book and Liz was mitre. The Cardinal and Fr Alexander thanked me. I dashed off to see Mary Goggins at Mount St but they want to charge by the hour which is a shame. 

To Mass. Dr Ojo removed last 2 stitches - I can swim again!  Lovely concert by Follia at St Mary at Hill. Lovely to see  Yat-Soon Y eo  and the girls. Part of the Bach St Anne's festival. Did 2 sketches. To National Portrait Gallery.  Lovely exhibition The encounter at NPG but too busy to sketch. BP award very busy but some good works. Excellent preprom talk on the sea in Greek and Atlantic worlds. Brian Cunliffe on good form. Korngold,  I don't believe it. A second choral work where words could not be heard at all. Sirens by Hillborg might as well have been in Ancient Greek. Some walked out. Some effective writing. Scherazade ruined by family 3 boys running about. Who made this a family Prom? Unsuitable. Attention spans are short these days and the Rimsky has many quiet passages. No steward in gallery. Complained. Watched end of gay history programme and bits of Sargent prom.