The organist librarian

When I went to the open garden at Burbage Road the lady serving tea greeted me by name and I did not at first recognise her. It was Cindy Kennett who used to sing in the chorus. Of course her hair has changed! She said Janet her great friend has alzheimer's in Nottingham. I met her sister (whose house it was) and the wife of Aziz who sang bass. Small world! It wasn't long before the name of Giulini was mentioned! Funeral went well. If I had known Jill was a ballet teacher I might have played something different! Finished with CD of The Swan. Jeremy Lloyd played well at Cornhill especially the Elgar! To Forest Hill to see Ros and quiet time at St John's. Now catching up on Planet Child. Buckingham Palace and Victoria and Albert's influence on British music. Liz arrived. Tuesday swam and saw the manager. Henry played happily in the garden. Poulenc Dialogues of the Carmelites from the Met overwhelming and very moving. So relevant to today. Wonderful singing and the orche...

Up early for Van Gogh and Britain at the Tate. Some lovely paintings they are all about himself and discoveries like Christopher Wood. Members special opening 8 to 10 Saturdays a wonderful idea! Some rooms I had to myself! The queue outside Tate Britain at 10 horrendous. So glad I was there at 8. Abandoned Cadogan square garden idea as wet. To St John East Dulwich for Andrew Chadney's recital. Some out of tune stops. Buxtehude and Percy Fletcher. Nice chat to John Webber. Bridge adagio too slow and no flow. Sitting in the hospice with John East and listening to radio 3, I spoke to John about that superb passage at the beginning of part 2 of Gerontius illustrating the sleep of the soul. "I went to sleep and now I am awake. It is the voices who say the Profiscere hither the echoes come. Go forth upon thy journey Christian soul." As Alan Rees said "This is a loving God welcoming us home". Who can imagine the music in heaven? John Bell said all the strange harmonie...

Swim, Mass, art. Quiet afternoon at the hospice with John East who seems comfortable. The staff are wonderful! Met Sidney Buckland who grew up in Berea and wrote books on Poulenc. CCJ event at Wimbledon synagogue Clive was a delightful speaker on the diversity within Judaism. Good for networking too.

Got back OK from Barcelona. It was an early start to get the coach at 8.30 so we missed Mass at 8. Long wait at the airport and it was true security was chaotic. Nothing much to do apart from a cafe, duty free and one shop. Train and taxi from Gatwick. Home at 3.30 p.m. tired. Unpacked. To Dennis and AnnMarie for dinner and Tasmanian apple cake. Henry sitting up and trying to crawl. Watched 2 episodes of Victoria which is excellent. Monday to mosaic (I was late as I put the Ocado shopping away) forgot to take glue.They are off to Ravenna.  Fr John gave me lovely bread and would like to come to the party. To St Martin Ludgate for concert by Maria Thomas playing the lovely Poulenc oboe sonata. Jim Wells sang Faure - not sure it worked singing in French about sensuality. Julian Cable played the piano very well and a good audience including 10 gallery prommers and supporters. Good flautist as well. The Telemann worked well. They know each other through the Hampstead music club. To Bec...

Coffee and cake at St John Upper Norwood excellent Poulenc and Danzi from Jay Bevan (clarinet) Timothy Kipling (flute) and Antony Ingham (piano). A rediscovered piece by Poulenc for unaccompanied flute "Un Joueur fe flúte berce les ruines".Beans from the garden. Returned scores to Westminster.  Very nice farewell party for  Brian O'Mahony  and Francis Thomas after Mass. We shall miss them both so much. Met the new intern Oliver and the new organ scholar Johnny. Watched Songs of praise for Diana. 

Design museum has 2 excellent exhibitions Breathing Colour by Hella Jongerius and California with interesting history of computers, surfboards and skateboards among much else. Ben Uri gallery has a good display of Polish artists.  Cadogan prom by Christiane Karg and Malcolm Martineau - Duparc, Ravel and Poulenc. Interview with Gerald Barry about his new work Canada which turned out to be as awful as expected. Stravinsky and Beethoven from Birmingham orchestra. Chris Tew on train and ate with Adrian as Liz did not go home. 

Unpacked and watching the Trooping - good old Britain. It's hotter here than in Botswana and Zambia. Good flights with SAA apart from the muddleup on the flight home. As it happens I needed 2 seats so I could elevate my leg. I grazed it getting off the safari vehicle so had to have treatment at the Avani hotel. We met a lady from Florida who said she normally came to London every year but not this year. Understandable but sad. The LMP concert attracted a good audience no doubt attracted by community choir singing Adiemus. Ken Burton conducted Vivaldi Gloria. Good for all to hear Poulenc and Mozart. The ensemble in the organ concerto was remarkable. Hot and trains replaced by buses so going whole way on tfl buses. We sang Day by day by How and I played Ronald Watson Elegy in memoriam Herbert Howells and June Nixon improvisation on Adoro Te. She signed my copy when I played it at Melbourne cathedral. Happy 50th birthday to her. Super concert by the London Mozart Players at St Joh...

Maundy Thursday to art and completed painting of Mum and Dad for May 9 Bereavement support day. Played Night so traurig William Wordsworth and Bach O sacred head. We sang To mock your reign and Ps 88. Good Friday 3 hours excellent meditations with art. Practised the Vigil psalms. Ben came and Susan but not the new soprano. Sketch of Picasso's portrait of Poulenc.   Watched BBC young dancer, Decline and Fall, jaguars. 

Brilliant virtuosic playing from Louis Lortie at the Cadogan Hall. Catching up on Proms Extra. The bay where we usually sit in the gallery was transformed! Ann now in South Africa and Louise and Tom and the boys with Bruce in Jersey.  To Beckenham meeting which was held outside. Watched The Zoo and Versailles - fell asleep downstairs. 

Swam 20, An inspiring visit to the Way of Mercy in Westminster cathedral with the two artists.  An excellent preProm talk on Poulenc's Stabat mater and a fine Prom from BBC Singers and orchestra - Faure, Stravinksy and Poulenc. Home quickly!

Swam 20. Took advantage of shade to put new felt on shed roof in some places 2 layers on top of the old roofing. Looks good and should last - had it 32 years! To Thornton Heath library to take photos of the display of our pictures which looks great. The reading group was not happening so to Tate Britain to see the lovely Barbara Hepworth exhibition. What a carver she was and how she used different stones so skilfully! The family intro to the Prom was great not quite as lively as last year and BBC Newsnight were filming. Violin, clarinet, cello and piano led by Sarah and she got the kids playing Mozart! The prom was excellent. BBC Welsh conducted by Sondergard. James O'Donnell playing the Poulenc, Symphony of Psalms and Haydn. Te Deum and Mozart 41. To Acton.

Liz and I swam - I did 20. Yesterday little woman removed my bag from the disabled change room and did not answer knocks on door. Liz reckons she was having chemo. I cleared the patio and rearranged it. Fixed wires to the fences. Spent a lot of time doing Catenian invites to clergy and widows. Listened to Festival Hall organ concerts. Thomas Trotter was brilliant and Andy Scott gave a good interview. Poulenc and Berlioz very good.

Took Liz to Shirley Oaks hospital for initial discussion and I fetched the turkey, beef and sausage meat from the butchers. It seems what I got was smaller than ordered! Not my fault. Liz goes back on Jan 7. Nice ham lunch with Bruce and EJ and opened the lovely present they brought including fudge. To Westminster Abbey carol service which was lovely despite the coughing and talking over the organ voluntaries but Messiaen and Dupre do not appeal at all. Rutter, well-known carols and very nice Poulenc, Victoria and new carol by Toby Young. I'm afraid James O'Donnell's arrangements are not a patch on Willcocks! Home to watch John Bishop.

Tuesday to the Chrism Mass and we were communion torches. Good to see Brian and Derek and other priests we know. Haydn and Missa de angelis which felt like a step backwards. Poulenc and Mozart Ave verum. Good homily from the Archbishop. Nice lunch in hall and the Archbishop greeted me by name! Had a chat to Fr John from Shepherd's Bush among others. To Acton and picked up Ciarán from Maples. Watched programme on P.G.Wodehouse and Easter bake off also The Iron Lady with Meryl Streep who was excellent. Wednesday Liz went to St Helen's for farewell so we went to music and Seán was on great form and we had lunch at Marks. Ciarán played track and then I went off to college for our last lecture which is sad. We had a good presentation from Daniel and wine and chocolates from Kim. Liz was late back from RCIA - full moon. Ann Widdecombe on humour in religion.

Li to the cathedral and I read 3 articles listening to radio 3 including Poulenc Concerto for 2 pianos. Wrote art exhibits round up for The Lion. Bruce came for his suit adn I picked up Dennis and Ann Marie at 1 p.m. Claire drove us over to Acton using Satnav so we went a diifferent way There were 8 baptisms but it was a lovely occasion. Dennis was godfather and at last we got a photo of the whole family. To the George and Dragon for hot food and delicious chocolate cake. Both boys were impeccably behaved and Ciaran did some good colouring-in. Home by 8.30 and dropped off during Antiques roadshow. Watched Michael Wood on India. Lovely Songs of Praise on choral singing from Soctland.

After the Ealing PMM day to Westminster cathedral for evensong sung by St Paul's. Howells Coll Reg and Poulenc Exultate Deo.Exc sermon about evensong quoting Stephen Hough and Betjeman. Martin Ball was there and I was sitting in front of our choir men! Liz went to the bunfight but I returned home and to choir practice.

At Coulsdon Tony Trent was there again and we sang Hail blessed virgin Mary and For Mary mother of our Lord. To the Oaks to eat picnic. 2 p.m. at home next to Coulsdon methodist and 3 p.m. at Crystal hone which was very hot and not much response. We sang Rocking and Stille nacht, To St John's for lessons and carols - Poulenc Hodie went well,  Britten Hymn to the virgin. Borrowed trestle table for Christmas. Antiques roadshow compilation. Tired out! John Linney brought Nicole and Robert Fraser bought Benjo.

Monday 27th back to work. Excellent Prom at lunchtime Susan Graham singing French songs - Debussy, Honegger, Rosenthal, Poulenc. On way home Martinu Concerto for 2 pianos and Bartok Dance suite. Tuesday 28th to Redlibbets golf club, Sevenoaks for provincial council meeting. Interesting report and we were all asked to speak which was good! Circles will not like being audited! Bach motets from proms beautifully sung by the Monteverdi choir. Listened to evensong Wed a.m. Eton choral course from Faversham - Parry Great service, Taverner Dum transisset

At Coulsdon found pedals were now working again and Vickie was back from sabbatical. I could not find Dad's march so played "Lullaby for Claire" instead and Karg-Elert Nun danket to mark our wedding anniversary. Unpacked. Listened to Poulenc's Figure Humaine with the score from the BBC chorus prom and Mozart Piano concerto 17 with score, Parry's fine Elegy for Brahms and Brahms Symphony No.4 conducted by Andrew Davis. I had planned to go to the proms but too much to do at home. Monday back to work and lots of emails plus a new children's librarian and replacement for maternity leave cover so that's good. I went to St Edmund's Beckenham to play for the 1 p.m. wedding and the 4 friends sang beautifully and all went well. Fr Ashley Beck celebrated. The Prom featured Harold in Italy by Berlioz. Tuesday to Age concern active days in Tooting and some useful info about local history groups. The reading group enjoyed Trollope's "The way we live now...

To 10.30 at Coulsdon -not many there. To Purley for 12 noon Mass. Canon Jim friendly. Bill plays the organ on one lot of stops - he stopped halfway through "See amid" - what about the story? He plays well but why "O sacred head" again! He needs some of my Noels. Lunch was Wiltshire foods and Christmas pudding. Liz had been at Cathedral and we returned for vespers - Poulenc and Mathias. Boys on great form and excited. Bruce was upset. We headed for Selsdon Park hotel - no champagne in rooms as promised and no soup for Grandma at meal which was buffet. Rooms OK and slept alright and good breakfast but leisure club not open until 10 a.m. Not really worth it and I think we were all tired! Next year Ciarán will be with us - they went to Ireland. We saw them on Wednesday which was a treat - he has grown! Liz had rehearsals for midnight but joined me in Acton. Boxing Day watched Victoria Wood and sang carols round the piano and Flanders and Swann. Small turkey for dinner a...