The organist librarian

Heavy rain. Swam, mass by the time I came back roofers had fixed chimney and roof and cleared gutters. Art and started Lourdes painting. Lunch then to Keats House Hampstead Heath. An excellent tour. I have been to the Rome House and his grave. Sitting on bus at front buggy got on kid holding wet umbrella open which mother took off him. Guess who got wet? In depth discussion on Wagner with Stephen Fry and John Deathridge. It overran and had to rescue my bag from stage door. Super Philharmonia Prom. Webern went seemlessly into Mahler 10. Act 1 of Walkure great singing and playing. I dropped off and had to find place in miniature score! 

To Hatchlands near Guildford to play the historic 3 manual Walker organ for an hour (NT). They also have an amazing collction of keyboard instruments including pianos owned by Elgar, Bizet, Chopin and Mahler. I was asked to join the roat of volunteer organists but it is too far from home! We tried to get to Winkworth Arboretum but the traffic was horrendous so headed to the airbnb in Cranleigh where we enjoyed the garden.  We arrived early at Wintershall for the amazing Life of Christ. A superb day and the whole experience was very moving. Weather could not have been better. The feeding of the 5000, the fishing scenes, the Passion and the Resurrection scenes just wonderful. Came home via Cranleigh (Liz had left the plants she had bought at the house) and M23.

2 splendid Proms Mahler 6 Daniel Harding and Vienna Phil and Bach well tempered Sir Andras Schiff what an achievement! Puzzled by the BBC proms poetry some of which had little connection with the music. Painted a picture at art and returned scores to Penge, Balham and Kensington libraries. Returned scores to Westminster on Friday in between getting number for Friday night and Last Night. Could not change rucksack as Mountain Warehouse shop in Eccleston street is closed. Rain. 

Two wonderful Proms. Schubert quintet beautifully played and Pittsburgh SO under Manfred Honeck Mahler 1. Anne-Sophie Mutter played the Dvorak. I took party invites to mosaic group. Had to make do with chocolate cake instead of fruit tart at Peter Jones. Sketching at V and A and David Owen Norris on nature in music - he is brilliant. Saw Colin Hartley.

I just thought of a word Mum used to use if she could not remember what something was called. Something like oojacapivvy.  Underwhelmed by Matisse at RA and a lot of people there including Dame Monica Mason. The Tudor portraits at the Royal Society of Antiquaries very fine especially Mary Tudor and Edward VI's hair and coronation procession.  Sakari Oramo conducted Mahler 2 with ponderous slow final movement. Where were the deep basses? Unimpressed by flutes and mezzo soloist. Good to see film of Gilbert Kaplan conducting it. Still have the page of score he gave all performers in 2005.

Lie-in. Did not go to Gallery prommers picnic or Oscar Romero mass and film at Southwark. Instead had a quiet day at home as Sunday is a long day.  Catching up on proms Schumann cello concerto and Hindemith and NYO TV prom. Ades Polaris sounded far better on TV than in the gallery. Schubert unfinished and Mahler 10 very moving. David Owen Norris talk he is a genius. Liz was at Mass and arrived at the start of the Prom. Parked at West Norwood because of match and home by 11. 

Back to swmming. Returned scores to CML and did some welcoming at the cathedral but I had to give in as my right knee was playing up. Early at the hall and it was cold and damp. No talk to go to - ticket only quiz. Berln Philharmonic with Rattle Mahler 7 amazing, Boulez Eclat autograph score which I managed to follow most of the time! Home to listen to late prom. Elliot Carter and Boulez with scores but neither appealed! 

Bus from Purley again. Played Dad's suite today (can't believe he died 10 years ago today) and Mahler Adagietto from Symphony No 5 which people appreciated. Gathering Mass and Lourdes Gloria went well. Contract signed.  2 fine proms Ulster orch Tchai 5 with exciting conductor Rafael Payare and Haydn cello conc played by Narek Hakhnazaryan and a lovely encore Lamentoso. BBC Scottish Mendelssohn MND what lovely music this is! Can't say I cared for the Hellawell and Pintscher pieces much!  So far have been to 41 proms and 25 events! Like Love Haha Wow S

Trains replaced by buses from Purley. For the Assumption played Ave Marias by Bach/Gounod and Schubert and Vernon Griffiths on Maria zu leben. We had a procession and we sang Lourdes Gloria and Gathering Mass which went really well, Simon Lindley's lovely Ave Maria. Dandrieu on Ave maris stella. Drinks in the vicarage garden and we had lunch in our garden.  An interesting interview with Charlotte Bray and we heard 3 chamber works which I rather preferred to her new cello concerto. At last a Haydn symphony played by BBC SO conduted by Oramo and a fine Mahler 5.

Swam and returned items to CML then to cathedral for part of funeral. Martin Plunkett was presiding and he was the man I wanted to see about Sunday's vigil! To Sr Catherine and a good discussion then back to CML to get scores. Home in time to let Nick in who sorted my computer - 397 attacks on it. My new card came. To film of Haitink in 1987 conducting with Felicity Lott singing Ravel and Petrushka.  Fab Mahler 3 from Haitink and LSO especially the posthorn. Woman next to me put her stuff on the seat and got a place on the rail then lay on the floor for most of it - how selfish is that? Haitink is 87 and 50 years at the Proms conducting 88 in all!

To 8 a.m.Mass at St Mary's - the African priest went on at great length perhaps because the emeritus Bishop of Uganda Frederick was concelebrating?  Played theme from Elgar Symphony 1, slow movement of Bach/Vivaldi concerto, Andrew Moore and Leighton Fanfare. Very poor turnout - Bill read lesson from the choir loft! Only 7 there. Canon David Herbert.  Excellent Life story prom and intro with composer Murray Gold and Sir David Attenborough.  Discussion about the San Francisco SO and a fine Mahler 1 but why the Schoenberg and Cowell concerto? The pianist Jeremy Denk played with his forearms! Home within an hour.

A hot day with lie-in.  Stunning Mahler 9 from the National Youth orchestra Prom on TV conducted by Sir Mark Elder.Watched University challenge and Barenboim's encores at the Prom -  he certainly dominated the triple concerto.  Stunning Mahler 9 from the National Youth orchestra Prom on TV conducted by Sir Mark Elder (with score).  Served at Mass and had an excellent dinner at Il Posto so we missed Mahler 6 at the Proms but we went to hear Andras Schiff play the Goldberg variations - a rapt audience. 

To Aylesford for a day with George Herbert led by Felicity Young. It was excellent and we had Vaughan Williams settings. Sylvia and Sheila were there. Mass at noon in choir chapel. I took lunch. Finished at 3.45 and drove to Selhurst. Served at Mass with Fr Brian. Decided not to attempt getting into the National Youth orchestra so brought scores home and was tired as I dropped off during Mahler 9. 

Swam 20. To mosaic and the green tiles are perfect for Mary's robe, did the orange sections and started on the gold. Cadogan for an excellent Prom Apollon Musagette quartet playiing lovey early Webern written as a love piece (very suitable for our 41st anniversary), Coln Matthews and Beethoven. Excellent lunch at Ask Italian Gloucester Arcade with Pimms - 25% off too! I went to see the Luxury and Indian and Burmese 19th century photos at V and A. Liz went to OLV and shopping.  Most interesting discussion of the trial of Oscar Wilde but my question was not broadcast! Wilde's grandson was there.  Bravo BBC Scottish and Donald Runnicles Triumphant Mahler 5! Much as we liked parts of James MacMillan's 4th symphony there was just too much going on! Had he been in the monastery enjoying the bells? Home to water garden and watch CBeebes Prom which Ciaran went to. Whitlow on middle finger of right hand still hurting a but. 

SS Peter and Paul played Peeters on Sine nomine, Moore on Aurelia, Titelouze on Annue Christe. Gigout Toccata went well at quite a pace! Crystal Palace station then Spectrum at St John's excellent wind ensemble. 21 at organ recital at St Michael's strawberry cream tea! At the station Count me in session with simple rhythms and saw Sue Carroll and Alan Thomas, Community choir sang a madrigal - it includes Duncan. Then to St John's Spectrum octet playing Faure, Massenet, Debussy and Mozart. Had a chat to Fiona about her paintings based on music and tried a new tea. David Wright did not speak and some of it was ponderous but 21 came and I spoke to him afterwards. Stephen and he both apologised. Nice cream tea and met the organist from Penge URC. Home and Liz came back from first Mass at Hounslow. Dennis came to Spectrum concert including Shostakovich, Sibelius, Holst, Mahler (not so good) and Camilla Jepesson singing Gershwin and the Blue Amen. Nice chat to Fr John. Not many...

Another lie-in - interestingly my weight has not gone up. I little ache under left arm may be from the fall the other night. To art and good work on lilies and school badge.To Senate House library and 10 scores returned and my ticket no longer needed. Was £55 worth it? Probably not and in future I will rely on Westminster central music library. To preProm discussion about the season. It seemed more relaxed this year perhaps because Edward Blakeman is only standing in. Most of my twitter points were raised - coughing, applause between movements, poor light in the gallery, the stupid new seating system, even the threatened new air conditioning. 3 people asked about Haydn. My request for Dvorak Requiem and Stabat Mater was not put. There were some interesting points about the changes of singers and the poor turnout for the Cleveland and modern items on BBC4. The Mahler 3 was excellent - the Leipzig Gewandhaus forces and superb posthorn solo conducted by Alan Gilbert.

Lie-in and no swim - still coughing and cold. Long chat to Ann. To art and worked on badge and lilies. To talk on saxophones with Tim McAllister who was soloist in the John Adams which was very disappointing. However Marin Alsop was given honorary membership of the Royal Philharmonic society and conducted Mahler 1 as in the score (had full score). Liz to Acton and I came home and watched part of the prom again. The Borusan Istanbul philharmonic conductor is great - he uses his cuffs! 

Swam 20 and got parcel from post office depot having gone once already without passport. Cleaned water features and put in algae control and cleaner. Lou arrived with the boys around 1 p.m. so that had given chance to tidy up and move things higher! Sean got bubble stuff in the otter feature so lots of foam. He also enjoyed the bird bath water. We cleaned up the play house stuff, They played track and watched DVDs. After the meal I went to the Hall for Mahler 2 -too late for the Martin Amis interview which I heard on the radio. Met one of the Philharmonia tenors and he confirmed Chris, David, Edward and Andrew were still singing. On checking the list I could see no soprano from our days, 3 altos and 4 basses. So Stephan has purged the lot! They joined with the Swedish radio choir and it was a good sound. Daniel Harding dared pp and all the ingredients were there but it seemed to hang fire. I used the score without the torch as I was sitting on the other side - large crowd there. The c...

A good breakfast and the hotel was busy. We left our bags and walked through the town to Priory Street. Saw ruins of St Botolph's priory the first Augustinian priory in Britain and 10.30 for Angela's funeral. Interesting to learn more about her - she sang in 16 choirs! The organist did well - the church is carpeted and the Mander is baroque and works quite well. 3 hymns. The priest knew Angela for many years. We met Lindy and Denys (did not recognise them) and we walked with them to the George in the High Street for nice reception where we met Angela's niece and enjoyed reminiscing. We then visited Colchester castle which is impressive (but no senior rate) - lovely Roman and mediaeval objects. Walked back to hotel and then on to the station to get 3.38. I went to Rachel Leach's family introduction to the Prom and Jurowski conducted LPO in Planets, Schoenberg and Scriabin Prometheus with lighting effects. It was brilliant but the audience insisted in clapping every move...

Nice day and spent most of it in the garden varnishing the 6 mosaics and cutting up the wood and varnishing that with 4 coats then putting them up and they look good! Listened to Sally Beamish composer portrait and Greek chamber orchestra prom. Liz to Prom with Haitink and I heard Mahler 4 on way home from Mass. Fr John thanked me and Simon played. Listened to Strauss Suite for wind with score. Benedict Mason late Prom odd!