The organist librarian

Lovely concert by Emma Tring, Robin Martin, Anyssa Neumann and Tristan Horne at St John Upper Norwood and great to meet the composer Andrew Toovey. TheAlas no cantor this evening so most of the Mass was said. I think the Macmillan sanctus could have been sung as it is not responsorial. Johnny sang and played at vespers.  Jonathan Dove and Christopher Fox were particularly fine and really liked Andrew's Almost. 

Swam, Balham library for scores and Waitrose, art and did 3 large drawings. Excellent talk on Shakespeare and acting by Michael Pennington. Shakespeare prom was fun with Walton, Finzi, Sullivan, Jody Talbot, Porter and Rodgers and saw  Robin Martin  playing.

18 in church. Organ so out of tune I did not play Elgar Spirit of the Lord as a result. Sumsion Cradle song, Peeters Canzona, Andrew Moore and Walter Webber on Lobe den Herren. I have no idea why we are singing Lead kindly light to dreary tune Sandon! As I have been told by email that my contract is to end when the church closes for building work I am now actively looking elsewhere.  Lovely concert at the Royal Festival Hall John Wilson conducting the Philharmonia - Sea symphony well sung, Wasps overture and Finzi clarinet concerto. Sally Matthews and Roderick Williams. We saw Susanna Martin and Fr Michael Holman. We went tith the gallery prommers and enjoyed the meal at the Persian Sigurgh restaurant.

The Couperin went really well and I felt very confident having played movements in Cambridge. It really worked as an entity. It was the first time I had played it right through with the chants sung. I played the Kyrie movements before the service which overran by 20 minutes - we had 5 long hymns too! It was good of Stephen to bring communion to the organ - I played Benedictus during communion. There was a good spread for the bring and share lunch and Liz came to Kent House. Adrian conducted and we had a good choir of 10. The Vespers was lovely and the Bishop censed and blessed the organ and Pitoni's Cantate domino a perfect choice! Norman played brilliantly - lovely Faure, Finzi and Strauss. 2 fun items and the Bach Passacaglia. It was great to have the screen and watch him play. Lovely tea and cakes! To St John's for a splendid evensong Wood Coll Reg and Faire is the heaven requested by Fr John. Watched Antiques roadshow and Downton Abbey. 

To St George's Beckenham expecting Andrew Kirk but he was ill so Norman stepped in - first time he had played a recital in a hoodie! Ridout 2 Nativity dances, Finzi Prelude and Bach Passacaglia - excellent. Saw Jo Harvey and Ken. Louise arrived with Ciarán - he has a nasty cough but enjoyed Cornwall. We enjoyed looking at the photos. To Sacred Heart Wimbledon - went wrong way! David Briggs on stunning form playing from memory. Guy Bonnet, Bach, Franck No. 3, Nimrod and Widor Toccata, Haydn and a 4 movement improvisation! The organ is splendid and a good audience. Liz to Heythrop and Louise went to visit Gemma and Sebastian. Ciarán happy to watch Thomas and Gruffalo and read Thomas books. Nasty cough but quite OK. Have now done all reading we were given on Helios and submitted first bit of essay on discussion forum. Watched the rest of Terry Gwilliam's amazing ENO Damnation of Faust on Iplayer. Fr Durand at mass and Huddersfield Boys choir sang Keith Roberts mass - met him - he...

All went well at Coulsdon - a baptism for Baptism of the Lord. Ellie Lyon came to start with Molly - she plays cello and sings well! Practised. Liz went to Croydon Primark and BHS. I went to St Paul's Cathedral to hear Norman Harper play Buxtehude, Finzi and Reger - what a sound. Marilyn, Michael and Martin were there. Antiques roadshow and Lark rise is back! Monday swam 22 - Mervyn was there. Diane asked me to move into the slow lane and there was music on! To tai chi - 3 there. To Catenians on Monday evening - got 2 new Norwood ties for £15. 22 visitors and 2 visiting gentlemen. Philip was back. Tuesday swam 24. Took AnnMarie to pay for new carpets and get swatch and she painted at Glyn Close.

To Town Hall for Unison meeting about discrimination at shortlisting stage. To the Albert Hall to queue for prom. Given a numbered place so able to go to Royal College of Music for chat between Stephen Johnson, Piers Burton-Page (he used to come to Southfields library) and Rob Cowan about British music. Bax Tintagel for the Proms and Malcolm Arnold! The importance of hearing music live rather than just on CD was stressed and promming proved this. I was lucky to get a chair in the arena - pays to come early! I chatted to a nice man who had heard the Moeran Symphony performed. I did not know it but loved it! The Finzi Grand Fantasia and toccata for piano and orchestra was another unknown and ideal for the Proms. Best of all was Elgar 2 which was very moving - I felt goosebumps. Vasily Sinaisky conducted the BBC Philharmonic. On return home (452 and train straight away at Battersea Park) found only Moeran recorded on HDD!

Superb singing at the cathedral Mass this evening of Mass and motets by A. Gabrieli with the boys soaring up and basses ending low! Padrerob has excellent comments on his blog about the Ascension which RCs now have to celebrate on Sunday and St Brendan's Day. We are told that the shortage of priests has meant that holy Days of obligation must move to Sundays. I think this a great shame. There is no shortage of Catholic priests - what of all those who left to marry? Bring them back into ministry and the problem is solved. Last night we had Sung Eucharist at Coulsdon. We sang Harwood in A flat and Croft's "God is gone up". Last year we managed the Finzi! Thanks to PadreRob's blog for the picture which is fun! Find it here