The organist librarian

Enjoying Handel's Theodora from the Proms. Louise Alder and Iestyn Davies on great form. Schmidt Symphony no. 4 impressive and the pianist played 2 encores! Great British bakeoff. Loaded photos from trip onto computer. To St John for Carl's recital - all unknown music and quite enjoyable apart from the Demessieux. Cross with John who criticised Belmont Abbey organ as too loud. 

Back to the swimming pool!  Excellent talk and performance of Israel in Egypt complete original version. Part 1 not as exciting as later parts originally funeral music for Queen Caroline.  Boys looking tanned and relaxed from French trip. The quiet day on the Pharisee and the tax collector went well and played 2 Kyrie's sung by the cathedral choir Vaughan Williams and Palestrina. 20 came. First prom Philharmonia Stravinsky, gorgeous Ravel and Adams.  A superb late night Prom with the Monteverdi choir Schutz and Bach cantatas. The skill of the composer and the instrumentalists amazing. Home at 12.30 a.m.  the annivrsary day turned out different. Liz went up to Glyn Close as Ann-Marie's back window in her car had to be replaced. So I went to Mass alone and missed art as picked her up.  After the splendid champagne tea at Library lounge Marriott County Hall a great conversation with the members of Bremen chamber orchestra who are doing amazing work in a school. Th...

St Lawrence Whitchurch Little Stanmore played Handel and Andriessen Handel visited and Chandos anthems first sung here. Our guide was gallery prommer Stewart! I had been there before.  Excellent mushroom pie and Sir Titus beer outside at Grimsdyke former home of W.S.Gilbert who was a one for the ladies. The Nicholson organ in Pinner parish church rather disappointing. Tried to visit the Linleys but they were out so had tea in the park. Bishop Nicholas confirmed 19 at Mass. I need a thinner cassock! Liz was at St Vincent's schol fair and went back to Acton for post fete outing. 

Woke early right knee hurting so tried cold and heat. I played Handel largo, Water music, March from Scipio and Royal fireworks (for the Royal christening) also Elgar Chanson de matin. We sang Come let us join, All things bright, He who would valiant be and There's a   wideness in God's mercy. Paul played really well and I turned over. 25 came and lovely tea. 

I played pieces on Dominus regit me by Willan and Vernon Griffiths and Worthy is the Lamb. £139 collected at Lewisham maternity unit for Tommys! To Homebase to get paint and then a lovely roast lunch at Oval Lounge. To LAMAG event on faiths and education. Sarah Thorley and Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi - most interesting. Hard to sketch him as he kept moving about! Jeremy Rodell was there so booked July date. Fr Adrian McKenna-White was very chatty. I sang at evensong. Eyre in D did not inspire and Weelkes Hosanna was just loud. Nice Dandrieu on O filii. Gareth was there. To Christ's chapel Dulwich for RCO 150th anniversary recital of Handel by Catherine Ennis. Watched QI.

I played Faure Apres un reve and Pavane before service - a departure for me and it seemed right for a family Eucharist. Farrell's Share the light went well on organ rather than piano. Paul forgot first hymn and put it in before the readings - the dreaded Blaenwern. Then he said now we sing the Gloria - No we don't! Servant song, Father we adore you and Shine Jesus shine. Bonighton's Ordinary time more or less made a good ending. I have now stamped all the music I am taking over and got 2 boxes from the cathedral for the items to be sold. I have taken my files of hymn tune preludes and index to church. Met Liz at Victoria and we had a delicious brunch at Le Pain Quotidien - I had smoked salmon, egg, pain au chocolat, yoghurt, breads, orang juice and cappuccino. Quite delicious. To ENO for Rodelinda - a clever production and superb singing. The end of Act 2 duet was a high point. My hat was at the stage door! I was lucky as I lost it on Jan 29th and they normally dispose of ...

Served as requiem at the cathedral for John Stewart aged 92 with the Durufle requiem. The black vestments and pall rather made it very sad and not much of a celebration of her life and no organ at the end. Only one hymn! Think I preferred Eric's! Tube and train to Greenwich for the film of Giulio Cesare from the Met - joined up and sat with Terence, Adrian and Mary. Fabulous singing and staging. Alice Coote  was Sesto. Liz had got the car and picked me up at Elmers End. Bruce here to do back garden.

Friday woke late so no swim again! Met Phil in street and saw prommer from LPC. Got a birthday card for Louise and later posted it and got food. To St George's Beckenham for recital by Michael Bell of Chislehurst, Lemaire's Carmen themes (tremulant - ugh!) Mozart changes by Garonyi - leave Mozart alone! First movement of the Whitlock sonata which is dedicated to Dorothy L. Sayers and reflects Rachmaninov and Delius who died the year it was composed. On return home I checked Dad's score of it - fiendishly difficult! Did some work. Produced my first column on forthcoming art events and ROH student standby scheme for The Lion. To ENO for Julius Caesar - we got Metro offer £55 upper circle seats for £10 each! A brilliant production with great singers especially Laurence Zazzo. Very clever production with excellent dancing. Home by 11.55. Anna Christy is a singer to watch!

Played for funeral at Purley which was a Latin requiem said by Fr Michael Clifton of blog fame. Alas he did not use mike and most of it was inaudible. The Allen digital is not great. To preProm on Judas Maccabeus and a good performance with John Mark Ainsley and Christopher Purves on great form and good chorus.Adrian and Terence came for a chat. Saw Roy Parker the night before.  Friday watched excellent King Henry IV part two and programme on Vermeer.

Wednesday to Wigmore Hall for free concert by Connaught Opera who go around entertaining old folks. Good pianist Carol Wells and bass but the soprano had no high notes and a wobble. She changed her dress 5 times! Then to St Michael's for excellent recital by Richard Townend with flautist Hans-Georg Reinertz - Bach, Salome, Buxtehude, Dubois, Hilding Carlsson and Dudley Buck. Proms Plus was Jane Glover with her literary choices read by Simon Callow. I asked a question quoting Elif Sharak on why we read novels to get out of our box and this went down well. Saw John East in the queue. Nice new piece by Fung Lam. Rachmaninov 2 played well by Kirill Gerstein and Prokofiev 7. Last concert Handel Water music and home by midnight.

Liz to morning prayer and preparing for confirmation. I worked on the essay up to 3200 words which is good! I missed playing Wyton and Thiman on Veni creator! To 12.15 Confirmation with Archbishop Vincent. It was hot and long. Sad that the sequence was again said! I got the food from the kitchen to Vaughan House for the simple party which was pleasant especially as the outside area was available. I went to 3 p.m. recital by Thomas Trotter at Methodist Central hall where the organ has been rebuilt. He played from memory Handel concerto, Schumann and the Elgar sonata. Stephen Disley was there and met a man from Madras! Liz to evensong and took plates back. I had a shower and listened to 2 items from the choir book for the Queen with the score. Church Music by Julian Philips sung by Truro and Sincerity by Michael Finnissy sung by Wells. Both difficult but beautifully done. Wells also sang Skempton and Howard Goodall's Love divine.

It took a couple of hours for the on line system at Covent Garden but I got a ticket for the Trojans! Reading Peters on Jesus and Muhammad and watching Rinaldo from Glyndebourne on TV. Liz's eye not good. Sharon cancelled her party as her mother is in hospital.

Lovely Victoria at morning prayer and tenebrae elements with strepitus most effective. I was mitre bearer again! To Acton and a lovely lunch cooked by Tom - scallops and salmon and chocolate mousse. Front garden now cleared and grey slate. Ciarán had a great time playing in his room and reading his new Mr Men books. To the vigil at 8.30 p.m. stunning Dvorak Mass in D, Palestrina Sicut cervus, Handel Israel great fun. Lots baptised and received and confirmed. Another fine homily. Fr Alexander sang well and we had bees twice! Fr Paolo sang the litany. Brian read and nice to see him. Concentration torch - because eminarians are there Liz has been torch all week! To the common room for champagne and drinks. Took Patrick home and got home about 1 a.m. Up OK and to Coulsdon for my last Easter there. Baptism - one hymn got left out "The day of resurrection" (can't say I really like that one much) and we sang "The strife is o'er" and "Jesus Christ is risen to...

Got to hall early and went to pre-Prom talk about the programme for families and kids can bring instruments. Clarinet next to me was doing really well! Tuba, violin and flute from the youth orchestra played - excellent. Sir Colin Davis conducted Symphony by Stravinsky, Susan Graham sang Ravel Sherezade and Tchai 4 - all with scores. Brilliant playing and singing! Stayed on for the late night prom with Marc-Andre Hamelin playing Liszt - astonishing technique. Had score for Venezia e Napoli. Left at 11 home at 12 - tired! Seems Liz has lost her phone - spoke to her on Skype. Thursday to South London interfaith lunch. Catriona did an excellent resume about the riots which led to an interesting discussion. Nice eats including watermelon I took. Home and out again to be at talk about Handel. Glyndebourne Handel Rinaldo - stunning singing and playing. Alfredo had a score printed from the interent so I bought programme and we followed. He left after second act and gave me the score! He is fro...

Up early having woken at 3am mulling over retirement speech -once again the pool was closed so early to work and cleared up outside including a tramp's clothes, bedding, bottles and syringes! Did a lot of donations and more clearing out. To Maureen's farewell do at HDLS at Wandsworth Town and everyone talking about mine! To ENO for Handel's Radamisto - lovely sets and costumes and stunning singing especially from Lawrence Zazzo and Ailish Tynan.

Spoke to Ann. To Tooting common for Age concern South Wandsworth meeting and I ended up chairing a meeting I had not attended before! Nice home. To Hinsley room for Eileen Dutt on "Blessed are the persecuted" and silent meditation. Home for 2 and painting lounge. Jasmine white on green has meant 3 coats. Listened to excellent evensong from St David's and Handel's "Il resurrezione". Watched programme on tenors and Young apprentice.

Painted kitchen and dining room - first coat is done but foreman wants a second coat! Listened to radio 3 all day - Handel, Dvorak and Martinu. Bet very ill and slipping away - a severe stroke so all in our prayers. We were able to have our breaks in the sunshine - not like October at all!

30 lengths and drove to work so car was available near the library after the concert. Just in time. Finished at 1 and after lunch to Victoria and Albert to see the wonderful new ceramics gallery. I'm not into ceramics but I was impressed. The glass gallery is also very fine and the sculptures. Had a brief look at the special exhibition about Fear and death in contemporary design - unimpressed. To Royal Albert hall for rehearsal and concert with Northern Sinfonia. Jonathan Schiffman a 29 year old conductor did well. Alex James from Maestro did Khachaturian Adagio - his tummy was hilarious! Carl Jenkins conducted his Benedictus (very slow and lovely cello solo) - spoke to him as Liz says his wife recognised me at the theatre in Bath - she used to use Putney library. It was packed and a good programme. We sang Carmina 1, Zadok, and 1812 (fireworks!) The Priests sang Panis and Pie Jesu of Lloyd Webber. They signed our CD and Liz said they were charming. They seemed reluctant to take a ...

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.

A quiet day - 3rd of 4 Saturdays in a row. Reading group went well - 7 came and had enjoyed Hardy's Woodlanders. 8 for silk painting. Liz needed the car as Louise was going on a Mothercare shop with her and Grandma. She picked me up. Smoke vespers with Fr Michael Archer wearing a magnificent blue cope for the Assumption. Met John the new intern from South Wales. Tribal choir of Galway came over specially to sing at Mass - Bruckner Ave Maria, Mozart Spatzenmesse and best of all Rachmaninov Bogoridtse. They did well and David Grealy was playing - he used to sing with them. Listened to Stravinsky Orpheus on way home from the prom and enjoyed BBC2 recording of Handel prom with the 16 including alto Ian. Watched Jam and Jerusalem part 1.