The organist librarian

Drove to Caterham. Saw several vintage cars this morning presumably trying to get to Brighton. All Saints Howells Sine nomine and Francis Jackson. We sang I sing a song of the saints of God. Carols practice and practice with trumpeter. Lunch at the Kerala lamb biryani, Ferrero Rocher icecream, mango juice. £17.  All Souls 4 p.m. Vierne Epitaphe and Berceuse. Purcell When I am laid in earth. Now playing for Mass at Sacred Heart. The electronic is temperamental about starting very odd. All went well and Fr Sean and everyone very friendly. Watched programme on Morris dancing. Simon Reeve in Mexico and Texas. 

Swam, we both went to Mass. Bravo Fr David Price for splendid playing at St Michael Bedford Park. Good to honour Francis Jackson, Bach Toccata in F and especially Langlais Te Deum one of Dad's FTCL pieces so know it well. Must go back to playing it! Also Stanley and Franck. It is 32 degrees. Glad I put my Indian cotton shirt on. A warm afternoon welcoming at the cathedral. There was a wedding rehearsal with a lot of kids - what looked really silly was the mother carrying a toddler - far too young to take part in a procession down the main aisle!  I was delighted that the children were enjoying the children's guides.Excellent meal at Mantanah Thai which I cannot believe has been open 25 years and we have lived up the road for 43 years and NEVER been there! It was delicious!

Delightful recital by Paul Hale at St John Upper Norwood. Harris, Bach, Bedard, Willan, Schumann, Mulet, Franck and Nigel Ogden as an encore. What a treat! Loved his story about FJ being asleep during the Willan. 

Up at 6.30 a.m. 2 buses to Caterham as train replaced by bus at that time but now running. Played Gordon Slater on "St Botolph" as we sang my favourite Marian hymn "For Mary mother of our Lord". Beautiful tune. I am afraid " Shall we not love thee mother dear" feels very Victorian. We sang "People look East" which seems very appropriate as people were very busy after service preparing for Christingle and Midnight. I think I have 4 sopranos tonight so descants are on. Lloyd Webber on Helmsley a great piece and also played Noel pour L'Amour de Marie. Compliments about carol service but more importantly ecumenical first.  Washing put away, presents wrapped, dishwasher loaded. Delicious ham lunch with squeak and Aldi Chrstmas pudding. Can now settle down to listen to King's - let Christmas begin!  Served at 6 p.m. mass at the cathedral which was packed. Blessing of the crib. Ex-choristers sang lovely Reger and Stille nacht. Missa de angelis...

All Saints. 2 girls joined choir and we sang "I sing a song of the saints of God". Played Howells and Francis Jackson " Sine nomine".  To St Paul's to hear Dave Tomlinson on black sheep Christians. He spoke of Muslims receiving communion. I recall the Holy Land where our Muslim friends shared so much but at that point we were not as one. We need to address those within our churches who are not open and welcoming. Pope Francis has much to say on this. Evensong for All Souls. Played Nimrod, Vierne Epitaphe and Solemn melody.14 there. Watched 2 Poldarks. Swam, Mass, mosaic, tai chi.  National Portrait gallery to see Cezanne portraits and the excellent rehung early 20th century gallery.  Lots of Churchill! Loving "Call me by your name" on Kindle and far better than the film. This book really makes you think about the past experiences one has had or might have had! Watched programme on Sydney harbour bridge and 2 Songs of Praise.To Catenians - horrendous a...

After swim and Mass I finally got to Halfords to get a new interior light bulb. They do not take out interior lenses as they easily break but they lent me a plastic prong and I got it out. I then realised I was in the back and the childlocks were on so had to climb over into the front seat. It must have looked very funny. They did not have the bulb but the scrapyard across the road did! Let there be light!  David Hill played brilliantly and musically at St Michael Cornhill. The Bach was the last piece my Dad played before he had the second stroke fantasia on Komm heiliger Geist, Willan, Karg-Elert and Francis Jackson.The Jackson was his doctorate piece and it is very fine. To Guildhall gallery to see Nature morte and Barbican music library to see Sir Simon Rattle exhibition.  Thanks to  Jonathan Rennert  for telling us about Monday choral evensong at 6 at St Michael Cornhill I enjoyed the Howells and Bainton. Well done tenors! The sermon was rather good. Do we reall...

A day of mixed fortunes spent at Caterham. 2 girls came to sing one of them 5 minutes before the service and Folake was late. We sang For the fruits of all creation at both services. Good Harvest lunch.  A day spent at Caterham. Harvest and we had 2 youngsters singing this morning and choral evensong. Harvest lunch was excellent. Our table lost out as we did not have all the clues! We sang For the fruits of all creation at both services and I played Francis Jackson's voluntary on East Acklam - happy birthday 100 year old! Also played Statham on Monkland, Lloyd Webber on Fair waved the golden corn and Peeters on Wir plufgen. Very disappointed that the first choral evensong since Jill left was marred by the cleaner of the hall who was unpleasant to me and downright rude to Andrea. Sadly Andrea chose the moment to have a go at Jerry about poor publicity which he of course did not like. She quoted  Matthew 25 and I am afraid that Margaret's comment was very unfriendly. I cannot b...

Swam 20 and to Mass - St Michael and all angels. Tried to upload photos again very slow. Watched Great British bake off. Got 100th birthday card for Francis Jackson. Victoria and Abdul is an excellent film - funny and sad and very apposite.

Sketching at St Stephen Norbury. Went up to the organ but could not get it to work! To Farm St to see Sr Catherine (she was pleased that I am trying to get to daily Mass) then to the Estorick collection to see the works by Balla - well worth the trip. Excellent joint recital by  Bridget West  and Adrian Adams at St John Upper Norwood. Good to hear some Francis Jackson (100 in October) Buxtehude, Howells, Elgar, Guilmant and JSB, We picked up Dennis and Henry on good form, Molly not impressed! Liz made delicious fruit loaf for it. 

Have now done all the recital programmes and copied them. Played Rosalie Bonighton on Hanover and Postlude for ordinary time, also Francis Jackson East Acklam prelude. Only 11 at service taken by Fr Herbert. 23 came to Adrian's excellent recital and I turned for him.Lovely cream tea. At evensong we sang Murrill in E and Walton's Litany. Watched Antiques roadshow and Domingo at the BBC, also Magna Carta today.

At Peter's Southwark cathedral he had to get off the stool and stop a workman drilling! He played Heiller, Jackson, Moore and Latry. Watched VE day Abbey service with new anthem by Judith Weir.

We set off on the X68 and I asked Liz if she had the senior railcards. She went home and came on the train so we all got the train OK. Taxi to Bowen House which is very near Park Grove and very comfortable and turned out to be great value at £70 for b and a huge breakfast! We had a look at No. 22 and walked round the Monkbar walls. Went to Banks with Dennis and he bought me the 90th birthday tribute book to Francis Jackson with CD and I bought him an organ tutor by David Sanger. Champagne tea at Bettys was as always very special. We then walked the walls from Jewry to Monkgate and back to the hotel. I tried No. 22 again and a woman came to the door and said she was getting ready to go to work and shut the door! Wednesday we went to York cemetery and David was very helpful finding the records and taking us to the graves. Thank goodness we had photos of the graves and a spade for clearing brambles and earth! We bought a book about the cemetery. Dennis drove us to North Otterington and ...

Book bearer at morning prayer and tenebrae - lovely Victoria and an excellent homily from the Cardinal. Shopping and tea at Marks. Beautiful  evensong from Chichester featuring Bairstow Lamentations and Jackson in G. Had a fun day putting family tree onto ancestry.co.uk. Picked up Ann and Paul from West Norwood and Dennis came. To Beckenham for Vigil and Fr Paul sang Exultet very dramatically and effectively. Only 19 there but the singing was good. One baptism. Hallelujah chorus got a clap and a Bravo! To cathedral by 10.30 in time for consecration prayer. Choir sang Gabrieli but of course missed the Vierne. Vierne 6 at the end - splendid. Home by 12.30.  It seems Martin Baker composed the Mandatum music on Tuesday and choir sang it magnificently on Maundy Thursday.

I am reading Francis Jackson's 'Music for a long while@ and have found another reference to Dad. 'A wedding wouldn't be the same without Here comes the bride' said one. Herbert Woodhouse in 'The Star' Johannesburg quoted and seemed tacitly to concur with my somewhat dubious statement that to take the Mendelssohn from the stage and present a travesty of it at a church wedding was 'almost sinful'..... Erik Routley is quoted as saying most weddings were 'strictly idolatrous, sentimental and religiously depressing occasions'! Dad certainly played both wedding marches at weddings so he must have altered his view or accepted the inevitable!

Here is Francis Jackson's other reference to Dad (which would have pleased him immensely!) 'I flew to Burnie on the north coast of Tasmania for a recital in St George's Church; another in Launceston, plus a civic reception, and one more at Hobart. This was all overseen by Herbert Woodhouse, well-known as a York organist and now president of the organist fraternity in Tasmania.' It might have been better to write York-born as Dad was better known in South Africa and Australia and he was chair of RSCM in Tasmania and the President of the organists association. This visit was in 1978 but was often talked about in our family - FJ made a great impression! 

At lunch time we had a long break so walked to Southwell workhouse - it proved much further than we thought but worth a visit. Sunday morning cereals and cooked breakfast. We sang a jolly operatic Mass by Durand (better known as a publisher) and a tricky Alleluia motet by Anerio. A good beef lunch at the Piano. Evensong was Jackson in G, Shephard introit and Bairstow Know ye not -  a York tribute Afterwards there was an excellent tea with lots of cakes. We drove to St Barnabas cathedral Nottingham where Simon was concelebrating and we went for a drink. Got lost getting petrol but eventually found the road back to Southwell. Monday pointed out water in kettle in our room tasted awful and suggested some improvements. To Woolsthorpe Manor where Sir Isaac Newton grew up - an excellent science display and hands on experiments and the famous apple tree. After coffee to Audley End which is a magnificent house - guided tour and cream tea. Lots of fine paintings and grand rooms! Drove home...

Finished reading the Pieris book. Liz went to course retreat at Tyburn. To St George's cathedral for Peter Wright's excellent recital of Bach, Vierne, Cochereau, Bairstow, Jackson and the Leighton Et resurrexit again. Not impressed that Mark Johnson ignored me - it was the St Cecilia day as well. Norman Harper was most welcoming and there was a reasonable audience. On 344 with Dorio to St Mary le Bow. An excellent demo by the church secretary of the Kenneth Tickell 2010 organ which is a real treat. I played two Andrew Moore pieces. There was a good turnout too. To M & S for tea and cake. At Mass RCIA candidates were enrolled. St George's Sudbury all male choir did not distinguish themselves! Nice meal of pork chop. Michael Portillo has continental railway journeys series!

Listened to evensong recorded from Winchester college chapel featuring Jackson in G and For lo I rasie up and St Edmunsdbury cathedral with Richard Allain's introit "Cana's guest". Come dine with me form Oxfordshire was interesting. Doing more reading as well.

Woke late so no swim again. To St Mary at Hill which I do not recall visiting for Peter Wright's playing of Brahms preludes and Bach Fantasia in G. Excellent and nice to see a church empty of chairs and art celebrating the sea to look at. Peter talked about Francis Jackson's 95th birthday and still playing. Priscilla had meningitis 2 years ago and has recovered well - she is a Quaker and an ideal match for FJ. Peter had fractured his little finger but is recovering. Also had a look in St Magnus the Martyr which is Forward in Faith and has a fine model of old London Bridge. To Heythrop and coffee - gave Fr Dave leaflets. Met Faye West in the little Lion office and happy for me to write about art and music. Worked in library and had dinner with Michael and Simon. Michael Barnes on Buddhism excellent! The chat forum has now been set up. Watched Gareth Malone in Manchester airport and Come dine with me worst ever candidates!

Woke at 6 and then at 8 a.m. Revd Deborah Matthews rang from St Paul's Clapham so going to play/audition on October 14th! Checked on Prom recordings and SSG forum - sounded off about yesterday's Mass. Listened to 3 choirbook items from recent evensongs - Jackson, Osborne and Skempton.