The organist librarian

To St Stephen Wallbrook for Michael Nicholas's recital. He tells me Ben is married and he remembered my singing with Michael Fleming. What a pleasure to see Helen Murphy there! Watched Songs of Praise featuring HM the Queen and Simon Lole. Opposite St Stephen Wallbrook is the London Mithraeum which is free. Not a lot to see but very well presented. To Royal Festival Hall for London Philharmonic orchestra and James O'Donnell playing Bach, Saint-Saens 3, Faure Pavane and Jongen Sinfonia concertante- paricularly liked the third movement. Full too. Saw Adrian, Terence and Martin and Prommers. Conducted well by Dirk Brossé. The acoustic is so dry - the Albert Hall far better.

Excellent playing by Sandy May at Bromley Parish church and they now serve real coffee! Liz went to Lakeland and I picked up the goods. Ernest says Celia is much the same. Cold! Ca me home and washed up as cannot use water and dishwasher because of blocked drain. Liz was serving at Mass with Cardinal. Diversi-tea at Morden Islamic Community centre  walked to the mosque by mistake..   B rilliant event with cakes from Azerbaijan, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, Slovakis and many more plus Salvation Army! Kate was there and met 3 Jews also former Saturday assistant who is now a GP!  To Tate Britain but impressed by Frank Auerbach's daubs. Fr Alexander smoke vespers and Mass - good choir from Peterborough with Andew Reid.  Taxi to St John Hyde Park Crescent for opening recital of the Hill organ by James O'Donnell. Tom Flood's concerto for organ and wind rather loud also Stravnsky Octet. Schumann, RVW, Bach, Saint-Saens and Widor. Lots of champagne and canapes.

Swam 20. Took advantage of shade to put new felt on shed roof in some places 2 layers on top of the old roofing. Looks good and should last - had it 32 years! To Thornton Heath library to take photos of the display of our pictures which looks great. The reading group was not happening so to Tate Britain to see the lovely Barbara Hepworth exhibition. What a carver she was and how she used different stones so skilfully! The family intro to the Prom was great not quite as lively as last year and BBC Newsnight were filming. Violin, clarinet, cello and piano led by Sarah and she got the kids playing Mozart! The prom was excellent. BBC Welsh conducted by Sondergard. James O'Donnell playing the Poulenc, Symphony of Psalms and Haydn. Te Deum and Mozart 41. To Acton.

Liz and I swam - I did 20. Yesterday little woman removed my bag from the disabled change room and did not answer knocks on door. Liz reckons she was having chemo. I cleared the patio and rearranged it. Fixed wires to the fences. Spent a lot of time doing Catenian invites to clergy and widows. Listened to Festival Hall organ concerts. Thomas Trotter was brilliant and Andy Scott gave a good interview. Poulenc and Berlioz very good.

Set off early and first train was delayed - problem with doors. I just got the train at Willesden so was there in time to take over from Louise. We went to Tamar's - only got charged £3 this time! It was wet and Liz went back to Trailfinders with Sean. I took Ciaran to swimming and he was excellent and came out at the right time so had a chocolate muffin. To ENO and secret seat at side of dress circle so able to see Gardner's dynamic conducting. All the cast and chorus were excellent and the orchestra thrilling. I had shivers down my spine in the storm interlude and that doesn't happen so often. This score is becoming more and more familiar and revealing many hidden glories. Spotted James O'Donnell in the stalls being a little camp. Also spoke to Debbie briefly. Home to NJ and bus to Selhurst to get car - home by 11.30. Left hat behind! 

Had a BBQ in garden - nice lamb, barbecue biscuits and bananas. Took it easy as back still not right. Read Choir and Organ and "The Tablet". Watched Kings singers 40th anniversary prom which was delightful and included Poulenc, McCabe and Jannequin and Victorian part songs and folk songs. Britain from the air with Andrew Marr was fascinating. Evensong was from the 3 choirs at Worcester with the new Kenneth Tickell organ. The afternoon prom of Messiaen Messe de la Pentecote and Manchicourt mass sung by the boring BBC singers was dire - James O'Donnell playing what sound like rude noises on low reeds! And to think people pay good money to hear these concerts!

The chorus took part in the 3rd section of the gala opening concert singing Beethoven's 9th 4th movement conducted by Christoph von Dohnanyi. The sound was trememendous and everyone said how marvellous it was. The London Philharmonic choir sang a new work by Julian Anderson "Alleluia". The programme was heavily weighted towards the modern. The Beethoven was preceeded by Ligeti's Atmospheres which included the brushing of a grand piano's strings (well they needed cleaning). Marin Alsop conducted 4 orchestras in Ravel's Bolero - it was amazing! The concert is on the BBC website for a week. Strangely it was not broadcast live nor did the Queen come. The Duke of Kent was there and so was Ken Livingstone. The audience had paid £100, £300 and £500 for a seat so it was mostly bankers and the like. At the champagne reception in the ballroom, I spoke to James O'Donnell (Westminster Abbey) and saw Janet Street-Porter and Alan Yentob from BBCTV but the great musical...