The organist librarian

After Mass took Henry to Kelsey Park 19 degrees! Today we celebrate St George transferred from the 23rd as Easter week took precedence. Universalis gives 6 alternatives for the second reading at Mass! Just seen Fr Dominic Robinson on Britain's Easter story with Gareth Malone. Most enjoyable! Watched Songs of Praise. The Dean of Southwark Annual report wide-ranging and engaging.First opera at West Norwood picturehouse fabulous singing ROH Faust and new depths in the production. Wed swim and both to mass and coffee. St Joseph the worker. Excellent spirituality day with Mary Lean on Prudence. I went to the National gallery to see Boilly. Unimpressed by Sam Scully. I did find a beautiful early Pieta. Stunning singing and dancing at Linbury theatre Cape of Good Hope a sad tale of refugees.

Played for memorial service at Caterham. Interesting that some men were in shirtsleeves no tie and jacket and the young men were in dark suits. Jerry sang solo in the 3 hymns Goodbye Heythrop conference lovely to see old friends and great address from Peter Vardy. Gounod Romeo and Juliette from the Met conducted by Domingo on radio 3. Quaqoe at Mass, Piano final of Young musician.

8 am at St Mary's - sang 2 hymns to Mary and Kyries. Rick Baxter there.  In honour of the Assumption played Liszt's version of Arcadelt's Ave Maria,the Gounod and Schubert and Boellmann's Angelus finishing with Dandrieu on Ave maris stella. Fr Leon remarked that I had played the tune for "Her virgin eyes" after the gospel and started his sermon with reflecting on Thomas Ken's fine hymn which we sang after communion.

Tuesday X68 to Holborn tube to King's Cross 9.45 train to Leeds. Walked to Jurys Inn and very helpful manager got us into our larger room with view. To Royal Armories museum and this was most interesting and included sections on peace and live demos. Saw 2 of the 3 floors including hunting and War. Eventually ate at Rajas next to the Opera House - huge pizza! Faust was very well done and the seats were in the middle of the Upper circle which felt close to the stage and reduced for OAPs! The production used a lot of video and it really worked. Excellent singing too. Peter Auty and James Cresswell outstanding plus Marcin Bronikowski and Robert Anthony Gardiner. Juanita Lascarro and Sarah Pring also very good.

To Beckenham for organ recital and found Harry Bramma was standing in for indisposed recitalist (that seems to happen often at St George's!) We were treated to some great Bach chorale preludes. More reading. Liz to confirmation planning. Only one soprano at practice and had a chat to Audra afterwards about PCC comments which was reassuring. Saturday to Heythrop mass for St Francis Xavier and the mass was for Sr Hilda. Liz served. More reading in library but felt quite tired. Tea at M & S and bought a new hat as mine lost at Brentford on Wednesday. Fr Paolo sang well at Mass and excellent choir from Prior Park school Bath - Bairstow Let all mortal flesh, Vittoria, Tallis O nata lux, Gounod. Took Sammes score to Adrian and Dennis came down. Fish pie I cooked yesterday was OK despite spilling pepper on the broccoli.

Thursday finished at 2 and met Liz at the Royal Academy. The Treasures of Budapest very well displayed with brown walls. Odd how the really great paintings stand out in such a collection - Raphael, Goya, Monet, Toulouse Lautrec. Interesting to see work by some of the artists mentioned in Caravaggio: a life sacred and profane by Andrew Graham-Dixon which I have just finished. Tea in the friends room and a stroll round Fortnum and Mason - brilliant presentation of tea! Walked to St Martin's in the Fields where we had chicken supreme in the cafe. Our Metro offer seats in the upper circle were good and we thoroughly enjoyed Faust which I had not seen on stage. Delicious chocolate icecream at 2nd interval.Lovely music and orchestra under Edward Gardner on great form. Toby Spence excellent and a brilliant production and more religious than I expected. We met John Almeida on the train.Friday staff meeting and Julian came to do PRP interview. At choir we tried the John Harper settings.