The organist librarian

Thinking about A hidden life and St Agnes martyred at 12. How far would one be prepared to go for the Faith? What about family and home? Thomas Becket as so many others faced this dilemma. We are now in a world of right wing leaders enforcing their will. Be ready to suffer for the Faith. Henry came and was good as gold. Liz came back from Newcastle. St Paul's sang evensong at the cathedral. 22 boys! Howells in B minor and Rhapsody no. 3. MacMillan Christus vincit. St Mark's Coptic Church for Kensington unity service Good turnout. Archbishop Angelaos very welcoming and the deacons sang well. Good sermon by Revd Emma Dinwiddy Smith vicar of St Mary Abbots. Gave out all my leaflets about the exhibition. Wed Swim, Mass at Addiscombe and good chat to Fr Keith about Catenians, coffee and rock cakes . Won an icon. Long chat to Agnes. To Mount Street for Henry Wansborough on New Jerusalem Bible and Nicholas King was there. Met some nice people who liked the art. Took leaflets to Conn...

Lie-in. 100 years of the RAF. Wonderful Evensong with Rubbra Canticles and stunning MacMillan anthem at the Abbey for Romero. The Dean gave an excellent sermon replacing the Cardinal who sadly is ill. Met Philip Jakob! Now headed to favourite M and S for tea!!!! Won’t go again, been changed into Market Place with paper cups and loads of hot food. They have lost seating. Excellent programme on Holst and RVW,

Louise took the boys to Priory Farm where Ciarán got lost for a while but he was very sensible.  Splendid playing from Daniel Moult and a good audience at Bromley Parish church. I'm no fan of Liszt BACH (my Mum once said never play that again when I attempted it!) and the MacMillan piece didn't work for me. The Wesley, Bach and Britton on I've got rhythm were fun. The May 9 trip to Oxford is now set up with 4 interesting organs.  Did some sketching and played Eric Coates on the piano. Liz did loads of washing for Dennis and Ann Marie. Wathced Big painting challenge, Simon Reeve in the Caribbean and the Billion dollar hotel in Dubai. 

Up early and coffee at cafe as I was early. Commander Andy Tarrant was friendly and frank and we discussed hate crime, domestic abuse and human trafficking. I am tasked with trying to set up 2 events for Muslims and Eastern Europeans to inform about these issues. The hour went quickly. Went to The Works and bought 4 canvases and a large carrier case for paintings. Much cheaper than Cassart. I was cross with the 468 bus driver and sent in a complaint. 2 buses were made out of service at Whitgift centre with a lot of congestion about and people waiting.This 3rd bus went straight past so I hopped on a 60 and caught up with it. The driver said the supervisor told him to start at the next stop! To art and forgot my computer so worked on flesh tones. Liz picked me up and she had been to Asdas. Nice lunch and dinner. To Milton Court concert hall which is splendid and behind the Barbican for BBC Singers and London Sinfonietta of Gorecki and MacMillan brilliantly conducted by the composer, Met...

Tuwsday swam 20. To Christ Church priory Eltham for the funeral of Frank Bond. 90 year old veteran of the Arctic campaign and Catenian for 50 years. The organist is Mark who is young and he played nothing beforehand. The coffin was brought in covered in the white ensign with the flag.Music was deifnitely needed. Only 3 hymns and no penitential rite! The priest sang into the mike so why ahve a choir at all. They sang Mozart Ave verum during communion and attmepted the descant to Crimond - not a good idea! I spoke to the organist afterwards and he said he did not know if the family had chosen a CD! Pity I did not push harder to play myself. We discussed with Pauline form the choir supporting youngsters who wanted to learn the organ. Nice reception at the club across the road but no hot food! Sat with Eddie and John and Anne. Home to change and to London school for girls at the Barbican for BBC singers workshop on James MacMillan. 3 tenors but a very enthusiastic conductor. Sang 4 motets...

We went to the Westminster Lourdes pilgrimage silver jubilee concert at Our Lady of Victories church Kensington where we married 40 years ago. What a change and a lovely hall downstairs! UCLU chorus and orchestra Schubert and MacMillan conducted by Charles Peebles. They are excellent but it didn't move me much! We sang the Schubert Mass no 6 years ago and I particularly remember the Agnus Dei. The acoustic of the church meant that loud passages got blurred - maybe we should have sat at the back? Nice eats at the reception. Nice chats to Margaret Savill and Andrew Martin and a couple from East Dulwich. Bishop John was very welcoming.

Woke early and put into the dissertation the bits I garnered yesterday. I've told Michael Barnes I need to stop. One more trip to Heythrop library and that is it. It's like hacking through a forest of quotes but I think my path is clear. Spoke to Paul and the reunion plans sound good - the tour needs to be fixed - it will start around 1.30 p.m. I can practise on the organ at 11 a.m. very friendly response from the school musicians. Listened to MacMillan Violin concerto from the Prom.

Did more work on Liz's Power Point and some reading. Liz took Bruce shopping and he came for dinner - still uncertain about going to New Zealand. To Croydon Minster for concert by The Sixteen - lovely Palestrina and MacMillan. Not so keen on the "new" version of Allegri Miserere! Saw Janet Marshall and Veronica Kearsley, also Diana Quinn and Ann McGee and a couple I examined for their Bronze! Buses back to Selhurst.

To Waterman and music session with Tamar. Ciarán seemed a bit out of sorts but Merle enjoyed it. To Marks at Kew for a nice lunch and Louise did some shopping. Home to Acton and I stayed until 7.30 bedtime. Liz went to RCIA. I didn't go to Margaret Lane's spirituality day but listened to vespers from the cathedral. Superb MacMillan Magnificat and new piece by Diana Burrell. Michael Palin in Brazil was good.

To Brent Lodge park to see the animals - looks a bit neglected. Monkeys, blue starlings, goat, pigs, birds, maras. Nice playground and Ciarán banged his nose. To Osterley House for a nice lunch and round the house  with Ciarán counting flowers. Lovely gardens and ice cream. Bought 2 books on Buddhism in second hand shop and Liz bought vegetables in farm shop. To M & S Kew and listened to CDS as C asleep in car - Ampleforth, Aubertin organ Oxford, Military Wives choir, John Rutter. C can wink! Had a great chat about his favourite things. To cathedral via Willesden Junction and Euston for Joseph Cullen's splendid recital. Vierne, de Grigny and JSB with scores. MacMillan and Puccini. He said it was a nightmare getting the balance right and pedals were sometimes not prominent enough. Met the new assistant and had a chat to Martin Baker about SSG summer school - he enjoyed it very much. Home to catch up on emails and watched University challenge and programme on Royal Academy Bronze...

Chuffed to get 2 face book messages from James MacMillan!

Cannot believe we are nearly halfway through the season! Last night the pre Prom talk about religion and music with James MacMillan and Andrew Carwood was fascinating. I asked a question about "from the heart to the heart" and both gave good answers. Andrew said St Paul's does everything from the heart and if the boys don't like a setting it is not repeated! Tristan prelude and Bruckner 6 well played by BBC Phil conducted by Juanjo Mena who is proving to be excellent after his dull debut last year. The premiere of MacMillan's Credo which has not set before - an effective work delivering the text clearly. Liz came home as she had a spot removed from her back today. I got to Acton at 10.30. Woke with a sore right shoulder. Ciarán wanted track made! Went with Louise to Westfield library which is lovely and lunch at M & S. Watched more Olympics. Pre Prom talk with Edward Gardner about his reading. Prom tonight BBC SO played really well for Semyon Bychkov Schubert ...

Played at the Ascension Lavender Hill - very High church, birettas but very friendly and all went well. A Johannus replaces old pipe organ. They use new Missal! 4 baptisms. Home for lunch of ham. First prom David Hill conducting Bob Chilcott's Angry planet - 600 a capella including schoolchildren. Lots of noises from children in audience and a very small Prom. Ben Parry's Flame was most effective. Bach choir, National youth choir, BBC singers. To Matthew Rowe's introduction to the second prom and Liz came. BBC Scottish and Scottish youth orchestra conducted by Runnicles. MacMillan, Wagner, Bruch (Nicola Benedetti) Strauss, Musgrave and Respighi.

Tuesday to serve at Chrism Mass - splendid service and the MacMillan Mass worked well. We were consecration torches and faced inwards. We moved at the wrong moment to come out behind the choir so had to get out of the way! Byrd motet beautifully sung and nice lunch afterwards. Met Stephen Wang and had a chat to Allen Morris about his vacancy for an animateur. It does look as though one could get to Lisson Grove on public transport. Had tea at M & S and then picked up Ciarán from nursery. Watched The Undatables - Aspergers syndrome guy very nice, Tourette's guy could not stop swearing. Finished reading The Tenth parallel. Wednesday took Ciarán to Amandas and he enjoyed it. Had a couple of run-ins about buggy, walking and holding hands! To Starbucks and Sainsburys for lunch. He slept 2 hours and I went to spirituality day for the afternoon. Sarah Richards on love. The idea of myself as a child and interested to find young people in 3 of Eric Gill's Stations. Bought Anthony di...

Tuesday to meet Angela Wallace a Christian scientist interested in interfaith at M & S Victoria. She is a charming Capetonian and we had much in common. Served at 5.30 mass with Fr Alexander and the boys sang Handel Wash me throughly and Lead me Lord and Goller setting. Took clothes to the Passage. Lecture by Archbishop Kevin on interreligious relations - he is not a good speaker but said some good things and answered my question about the tension between Jesus as the Way and dialogue.He does tend to waffle but he was friendly and Archbishop Vincent was there. 4 of the group were there and went on bus with Thomas from my class. The Augustinian seminarians are giving him a hard time. Back to Acton by 10.30 p.m. Wednesday another glorious day so to Bekonscot. Ciarán loved the trains and the slides - thought the Thomas engine too noisy. Went on the little train ride. It was a great day out and we came back via Amersham - very pretty. Sat in the garden and he made mudpies! To the cathe...

More reading and a bit daunted by the seminar article for next week! To Brook Green for the annual dinner of the Archconfraternity of Saint Stephen with Archbishop Vincent as principal guest. He made sure he greeted everyone personally. Fish pie and a good white Chardonnay. We sat with Canon Danny Cronin who proved to be excellent company and Catenians from Ware. In fact a lot of Catenians were present! The Archbishop gave an excellent speech. We got a cab to Acton which was great and quick as it was cold. Saturday Liz off to Heythrop for Mass celebrated by the new Principal. The heating went down but was fixed after lunch. We went to Acton library and had lunch at a nice cafe and did some shopping. Louise and Ciarán came on the train to Gunnersbury. I was able to do a lot of reading of the Goddard book for essay 1. To St Paul's bookshop and served by one of my class who gave me a Heythrop discount! Fr Alexander at Mass and the Byron consort of Harrow School sang MacMillan, Palestr...

Choir practice and John Linney back but not with us on Sunday. Did 2 carols. I was tired and had a restless night dreaming I was singing in La Boheme for Martin How! To Heythrop for mass and carried on writing the first essay in the library while Liz was at the course. Got salads from M & S and had tea at French cafe before going to vespers and Mass with Fr Alexander who taught the congregation the revised St Anne's Mass gloria by MacMillan.

Last night read Kant on enlightenment while listening to Brahms Symphony No.2 from Birmingham. Ciarán slept well and took him to Cypress school for stay and play. Meanwhile I went to Tooting market to pick up the cupcakes I had ordered. Met them at the lake and he enjoyed his scooter going round the lake. Home in car and he had a sleep and so did I although I started out doing some reading. Imagine my shock when he took a tumble down the stairs from the top bedroom. He knocked his head but seems OK. Thomas DVDs helped a lot. Played in garden with water table and house, trampoline and trucks. Had his supper and enjoyed DVDs of Night garden and Thomas. After bath eventually settled down to sleep. He is absolutely fearless on scooter and climbing and jumping so I suppose the odd fall is inevitable! Louise enjoying New York. James MacMillan St John Passion on radio.

Monday was a horrid day. The caretaker did not turn up so there was a mess not cleared up from the afternoon event so the yoga teacher was most unpleasant although we did our best to clear up and Chris came back to lock up. Tuesday spent time rearranging shelves ready for the self issue machines arrival. This was a waste of time as on Wednesday my superiors moved stands as they saw fit. No doubt yet another boss will have other ideas next week. Am I branch librarian? Thursday brought the news that SP had to go to see her grandmother in Barbados so we will be short. I wish I could retire now and not in one year's time! Wednesday the picture frames arrived so the pictures are up at last! Spent time using the new Sebo which is most impressive. To St Michael's for Ian Coleman's recital. He played his own sonata and the Elgar sonata. Enjoyed baked potato with Francis, Michael and Ian. He was delighted we are come and he played well. Fed up with old computer - took ages to do Oct...

Dennis offered 4 year job in Manchester which is great. He had 2 other interviews and stayed over. More silly choir comments at practice. Did application for director of music at Clerkenwell RC Sat a.m. Recital at St John's for organists association AGM - one fumble before Mendessohn to find right stops and could not see Great to Pedal in Howells. Adrian to be President elect. Dennis glad I played Dad's suite. To National servers Mass at cathedral - sat in All Souls chapel. Organ very loud and people not singing. Procession out a mess. Tea at M & S then vespers and Mass. Excellent group from Paris sang Sheppard and MacMillan. Lou and Tom out to dinner and Ciarán did not wake. Saw him Sunday a.m. Coulsdon went OK Nicholson in G, Bob Chilcott The Lord is my shepherd, Worthy is the Lamb. Drove to Kennington and tube to Angel. Arrived at St Peter and St Paul Clerkenwell Angel at 12.30 p.m. Competent player (no pedals) on Eminent 2 manual, 2 good singers (professionals). Spoke t...