The organist librarian

Swam, late at mosaic thanks to roadworks at Royal hospital but we had a great view at Cadogan Hall. I liked the first piece by Xenakis. Colin Currie is amazing. Interesting to watch but would have turned it off on radio! Trying to draw a percussionist impossible but interesting to note that his head stays more or less still! Saw Steve Murphy. Returned scores to Westminster music library. To Ben Uri gallery lovely David Bomberg exhibition. Interesting discussion about Sibelius 5. Estonian Festival orchestra with Paavo Jarvi Arvo Part who was present, Sibelius 5, less happy with Grieg piano concerto - poor tuning from woodwinds, too fast for the hall. Encore Claire de lune. 

Up at 6.30 a.m. 4 in choir so I accompanied John Harper's Benedictus on the organ instead of the keyboard. Played Peeters Canzona and Finlandia. Can't believe Liz's Dad died 1997 a kinder gentleman it would be hard to find and always immaculately dressed. We also sang Bernadette Farrell's Lord you search me and you know me. Am on buses only one train an hour and even that uncertain plus 2 changes. On today's service sheet. A personal prayer to use after Mass and during the week.. Dear Lord, I might think that I can't do much to make the world a better and fairer place. Help me to see myself as a little drop of rain making ripples in a big puddle. In your strength, and for your glory. Amen. Helped on teas at Friends of Grangewood Park. Sold a lot of prizewinning cakes. The chocolate and Guinness one excellent. Saw Dennis Woodhouse and Molly. Also Karen Jewitt and community choir. 3 p.m.Mass at St Mary's but I do think children should be encouraged to stay in...

Yesterday I went to Mass and we took the boys to Forest fun in Grangewood Park. 2 and half hours it was great. Liz went to the Prom. I was intrigued by the Norwegian soprano. I think the vowel sounds in Finnish must be different. The talk on Hindemith interesting.  Went swimming with  Louise Maher  and the boys. Impressed by Sean. Played Oklahoma on the piano. Sat in garden and read The Tablet. Travel to and from the hall disrupted by trespass at Norbury. Thoroughly enjoyed the Oklahoma prom.Home at 12.

Delightful Keralan lunch with Fr Xavier, Sr John Mary, Maud and Jennie in East Ham. Got to first part of preprom talk on Sibelius 2. Stupendous Shostakovich October and violin concerto 1 with Nichols Benedetti. She plays throughout. Love Sibelius 2.  Roy Sutherland the director the Buddhist Jamyang centre let me down again so I led a lively discussion on Laudato Si.  A very odd Prom first half did not excite and Berlioz OK. Home late due to wait for bus and train.Lots of flies. Thursday to mass and art - good work on leopard. To Balham library by car for scores. Saw 3 staff I appointed and Jeremy's daughter. Excellent recital at St John's by Geoffrey Morgan well played and presented. Met John Belcher and Christopher Herrick! Skipped John Williams prom. Loved the story about the O level student who in desperation wrote Bach wrote a lot of pieces for the Associated Board!

Interesting discussion of Kullervo. Earlier today I listened to the Boston SO's Shostakovich and Mahler - marvellous! The Sibelius Prom conducted by Oramo was great. En Saga and Kullervo (a large 4 volume score) with stunning singing from Polytechnik choir from Finland. 

The Sherlock Holmes prom did not inspire but the Sibelius was great and enjoyed the Michael Finnissy. BBC Scottish sounded so much better with Volkov at the helm!  The Stephen Sondheim Prom was spoilt by an inability to hear the words but some excellent saxophone playing. To the Zoo and loved the new lemurs enclosure and did some sketches. Saw sleepy tigers, gorillas, pygmy hippo and a busy armadillo. My first visit using my annual membership. I really think London Zoo needs to improve and show more animals.  The talk on the National Trust was a delight and the director was most impressive and all praise to the planners for 7 Sibelius symphonies in order - really feels like one has been on a journey and great playing this evening!  3 people on the floor in front of us at the Prom. The girl clearly came for the music, the men not. One of them spent the entire second half listening to his phone and the stewards spoke to them but they carried on using their ipads and tablet...

An excellent Gallery Prommers picnic in the park then a disappointing visit to the Serpentine and Sackler galleries. Served at vespers with incense then back to the hall for Sibelius 1 and 2 and Finlandia. Enjoyed it but ensemble could have been tidier and some odd gaps!

Swam 20. To Bromley library and Marks for mints and WHSmith for torch batteries. Liz went to Sr Audrey's funeral in Salford. John enjoyed Measure for measure at the Globe and the first night of the Proms was a joy especially the Mozart and Sibelius. Belshazzar well done! Sat with Marilyn and Adrian - nice to see everyone again. 

Dennis and Ann-Marie came while I was watching Dalai Lama interview and we watched Mehta conducted Vienna Phil from Schonbrunn - Nielsen, Grieg and Sibelius. I got it in the neck because i suggested Dennis might phone first if coming round. To King's a and e - all 4 of us and waited 3 and a half hours. A grim place with drunks. Doctor very good and X rayed it. No osteo arthritis or sepsis so powerful painkillers (2 lots) and home by 3 a.m. 

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...

Swam 21. To art and only 4 there - did blue on picture and need to buy cerulean and lemon yellow which Norma lent me. Our pictures come down at the library tomorrow. To the tip and pait into landfill but at least lamp will be recycled. To B and Q and bought wood. 5 assistants all said try this aisle or that only one actually went to look and none tried their computers for clearseal. I ordered it from Amazon. Pizza for lunch. Preprom was 3 Peter Maxwell Davies chamber works and he was interviewed. Everyone likes him but find the music odd. Saw Michael Barnes briefly - rain coming on. BBC Phil Finlandia, Maxwell Davies Symphony no. 5 (shades of Shostakovich?) Bridge Oration and Sibelius 2. Cello encore Hindemith sonata. Spoilt by man next to me eating a roll and coughing without any attempt at muffling it. He followed the score on laptop - furious with him. Home by 11 and Liz watching Bake off.

Swam 20. Used Oystercard to be at cathedral by 10. I was boat - Jess insists in walking ahead as thurifer. Liz was consecration torch. The funeral was beautiful and well attended especially by priests and parishioners. Canon Christopher gave the best homily I've ever heard him give! At the end the Cardinal looked near to tears as were many of us. Good to see Fr Dennis and Fr Swavek. As Fr Tim Dean said Fr Michael was gold standard! He will be much missed. Had sandwich and tea downstairs - we ate there yesterday as well! To St Paul's cathedral for interesting talk on women commemorated in the crypt including Maria Hackett the Choristers' friend who has no blue plaque! To Tate Modern to see the excellent Malevich exhibition - sad at the end of his life he had to go back to realism in order to paint thanks to Stalin. The Friends room was too full so to Pret and watched skateboarders in Old Chancery court which looked dangerous! Health and safety would not approve. Buses to th...

Up at 8 to go to Cadogan Hall to get tickets. Met lady from interfaith group at bus stop who told me Ivor has shingles. Saw Rosa and lady from Chile in the queue. To cathedral to take Liz's robes and signed 2 Pax christi petitions. Saw Rose and William. To Clapham Junction - new ring will take 2 weeks to be made smaller. To Kensington Chimes shop and the hall to get seat ticket (first in queue). RGS Travel photographer of the year - excellent photos. Sketching silver at V and A and close look at the miniatures which are breathtaking. To Cadogan Hall and saw Hannah. Lapland Chamber orchestra (none of whom come from Lapland!) conducted by John Storgards. CPE Bach, Honegger and Sibelius Rakastava. Hakan Hardenberger played Birtwistle and PMaxwell Davies Sinfonia - both composers are 80 and were present. Incredible trumpet part but neither work is pleasing in any way! Fr John at vespers and Mass and we were late so abandoned trying to get to the hall. Listened on radio Berlioz, Sea pi...

Woke early and took Liz to Brixton to go to St Pancras and train to Lourdes. She was greeted by VN on arrival in rain this evening. Played Finlandia Dad's favourite, Sheep may safely graze Mum's favourite and we sang Happy are they my Mum's favourite hymn. Also sang Christ be with me so played Stanford on Gartan. To West Norwood and bus to Brockwell Park. Very hot - gave out lots on interfaith bags once I found the gazebo of Faiths together in Lambeth and got lots to do interfaith quiz. Alan and Ivor were there and some other helpers. People looked so stressed and hot! To Grangewood park and had cake and drink and joined the Friends of the park for £3! Saw John and Louise (he goes to the pool) and introduced to Karen organiser of Thornton Heath arts week and people are delighted by the mosaics. Home for tea then to the hall. Pat Barker and Owen Street on war and authors reactions to it. Poetry read by Stephen West. Fabulous Prom from World orchestra for peace conducted by ...

To St Mary's to practise - fitted in between roaary and 12.10 a.m.mass. There was a delay starting and I played Sumsion and Bairstow and Willcocks arrangement of Veni emmanuel (Dermot's favourite) and I know. 7 choir members there so they sang well also people from the Railway club. At the end Michael Fleming's arrangement of Now the Green blade riseth. We got a little off the rack going to Long Ditton but did see the grave - it's a lovely cemetery and nice meal at the Ditton. We gave Louise Sage a lift. Parked at Battersea Park and of course the one night there was no 452 straight after the concert! LPO under Jurowski Bantock, Prokofiev Piano concerto 3 stunning playing from Anika Vavic, Sibelius and Also sprach. 

Up early and swam 20. Helped with bibliographies while Liz worked on the essay and reflections. Hoovered and cleaned kitchen floor.  Watched Britten and violin chamber proms on Iplayer and Schumann Piano concerto on TV. Pre-prom talk on Mozart in Vienna - Third programme style! Lovely prom from Mahler chamber orchestra conducted by Daniel Harding. Mozart led straight into Schumann Symphony 2 which confused the audience. Mozart Piano concerto 25 and Sibelius 7 - such joy! Elizabeth from St John's gallery along with a load of people with squeaky shoes. The lady next to me introduced me to the organist of St Bartholomew Sydenham who is interested in the Hayes vacancy.

It being close to their anniversaries I played Sheep my safely graze and Finlandia for Liz's Mum and Dad. Fr Aidan Harker was standing in and inaudible! Straight to Becket school and our Catenian table was in the shade at the start and looked good with the banners. Met 6 potentials - Steve has been working hard! It was hot. Nice to meet Steve's family and Brendan's grandchildren. Saw Kevin Moynihan and Natalie from Louise's class. Home to watch Murray winning Wimbledon at last! At evensong I read the first lesson about Jacob's love for Rachel and how it seemed but a few days to wait 7 years for her - in fact he waited 14 years! Walmisley in D minor and Mendelssohn How lovely are the messengers. Watched The White Queen and Come dine with me.

Liz to cathedral and I went directly to Beckenham to practise the Mozart Requiem extracts for Thursday and the Faure In paradisum. Service went well despite 4 big hymns for Peter and Paul! To Crystal Palace station where behind the cafe there is a large room and we heard 2 sopranos one American and the other sang Ivor Novello accompanied on the harp by Keziah Thomas. There was a good mediaeval ensemble with recorder, singer, percussion and small harp. Christian played well including a Bach trio sonata which he likened to Pride and Prejudice and he used the copy from school 60 years before! Edward Marsh and Lefebre-Wely and 2 blues type preludes. I turned and there were 21 there. To evensong Stanford in B flat and Give us the wings of Bullock. I stayed on for the Spectrum concert of wind and brass arrangements of Sibelius, Shostakovich, Ravel and Debussy and Holst - very well played. The ideas was to see colours with the music but that does not work for me at all. Cake and wine at inte...

Took Li to station and then found swimming pool closed - should have gone to South Norwood pool!  Completed Clooney essay 2200 words and submitted it. Christmas cards and letters all done. Ran out of cards so if email sent no card! Watched The Hour final episode and Westminster Abbey featuring Mark Langham and An Island Parish. To serve at Santa Lucia service which was lovely. Excellent cathedral choir and Swedish choir. Baritone not loud enough?  He sang a Sibelius carol. The great moment is the Santa Lucia song in procession with girl crowned with lit candles and all carrying candles - so pretty! Looked for David Lester and Chris Hollis but didn't see them.Home to get fish and chips. Daphne Sherwood rang in response to the letter.

Unsurprisingly we woke later than expected and drove to Elmers End to get train to Lewisham. The signage there was nil so instead of getting the DLR to Greenwich we got a train to Blackheath and a bus then walked in the rain to the park where we went through security smoothly and got a buggy ride to the actual venue at 10 a.m. I have complained about Lewisham. The volunteers were again great and really enjoyed watching the dressage with the music. Storm came over so got wet again then it cleared up but windy. Decided not to visit Maritime Museum exhibition on the river and long walk to DLR Greenwich and to Lewisham and train back. Had lunch and then off to pre Prom talk with 3 members of the Berlin Phil all from Massachusetts! They were not very forthcoming but learnt a bit about the Ligeti. The Berlin Phil played superbly for Simon Rattle - Wagner, Sibelius 4, Debussy Jeux and Ravel. No encore! Packed. Chatted to June and Spanish lady. Liz fell asleep and missed the 20 minute deadline...