The organist librarian

Glorious day and really enjoyed Matthew Beetschen's recital at Bromley Parish church especially the Granville Bantock, Preston and Jongen. The Vierne made a great ending and it was lovely to have the screen. So glad Oliver won the Big Painting challenge! Secret life of the zoo and Antiques roadshow - what's not to like. Swept patio and had g and t and dinner outside for first time this year. Got water features going. The Woman in white was excellent. Loads of emails about the Catenian conference not allowing proxy votes. How can 200 decide on motions? What about everyone else! 

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.

To Mass and St Stephen Wallbrook for Peter Wright's recital. Janacek, JSB, Daquin, Jongen Sonata Eroica, Alain and interesting pieces from Tombeau de Titelouze by Zsolt Gardonyi. Welcoming at the cathedral non-existent as the school nativity play was on. Nice singing in Nativity carol and O holy night, lots of pop and flashy costumes. Simon did the fish quiz in 20 minutes and pointed out the mistakes - just what I wanted! Libera are performing there tonight. I saw Stephen Haylett and Sr Carmel in St Paul's shop. Choir practice at St John's quite a few mssing. Good work on Britten. Listened to Living with the gods. 

Caught up with stunning Australian tenor Kang Wang at Cardiff Singer final. What top notes! Very hot, quiet time at St John moved into the hall as Adrian Gunning was practising for Thursday's recital. To the cathedral for mass with combined boys and Palestrina choir from Dublin. Beautiful singing Franck and love the end of the Langlais Mass almost Britten will it end in major but no it is modal. District line train did go on to Richmond in the end. Boys loved tshirts, cards, drinks bottles and books from Africa. Sean said he had missed me and Ciaran was telling us geography details about the Falls.  Retired librarian postpones taking grandson to library. It must be hot besides I can only find 3 books.  Marius Twomey  postponed coffee meeting re getting Poles to join Catenians in South London and reading out to university students in London. Happy to relax at home and pulled some ivy off! Sean saw ants in front of fireplace.  State opening of Parliament. Must be...

We sang Panis angelicus in 2 parts and I was playing well after the trip to Ware. Andrew Moore and Purcell Trumpet tune. Practised Bach.  At Evensong at St John Upper Norwood we sang Dyson in F and Edgar Bainton's And I saw a new heaven always a treat for tenors.  Richard Pilliner played really well at Christ's chapel Dulwich 2 of the pieces from memory! Nice eats and wine. Adrian, Terence and the Wests there.

I was early so coffee at Caffe Nero and apricot croissant - very nice! Lovely playing from John Webber at St John Goose Green. Good to chat to Richard Pilliner and an organist from Paisley.  To Brockwell Park to give out info for Faiths together at Lambeth country show - very hot! Lambeth country show is a real ordeal especially for families!    Daniel Levitin on the mysteries of music in the Brain. Fascinating! The first BBC Prom lecture which was held at the Royal College of Music and I heard it later on radio. Quite true that the music yu hear up to 12 influences you and then from 12 to 16 you deide what you like. Timbre and pitch is fascinating too - how come the organ can sound like a cello or a violin? Tea at Marks and got wine for the birthday boys tomorrow. Fr Andrew at mass - he tends to rise slightly in pitch! Excellent prgramme on Melvyn Bragg on TV. 

It being Sea Sunday I played Walter Webber Trumpet tune on Lobe den Herren, Bonighton on Melita and Neils Gade Lobe den herren which has a fun waltz section. Toccata from Suite Gothique which always makes me think of the sea!  Superb virtuosic playing from Richard Pilliner at  St Michael and All Angels Beckenham  - he loved the organ. Delicious cucumber sandwiches and strawberry cream sponge cake. At evensong at  St John the Evangelist, Upper Norwood   we sang Coleridge-Taylor's fun setting and Britten Jubilate Deo. "Sing choirs of heaven" to Richard Shephard's tune and "Songs of praise the angels sang". Bridge Adagio in E.

Phllip Scriven gave us a real Bank holiday recital which was fun at Bromley Parish church. The Croydon music festival organ class at St John's featured 2 accomplished players and 2 promising beginners all ably helped by Anne Marsden Thomas.

Flight went OK. We got the water taxi early and so we had a long wait at the airport where the internet was very reluctant to work. It was quite a trek from the water to check in. Flight of 2 hours and Gatwick on time and got train to East Croydon. 2 Tablets, 88 emails but not much post. Horrified by the extension next door - no way our fence panel will go back. It's ugly breeze blocks and too high. Unpacked and did some catching up. Left at 5.15 and got to Swanley early for 7.15 Catenian provincial council AGM and I was duly installed as VP. Fergus very good in the chair and we got directories so can plan ahead. Home by 10.30. Wed up early and to Acton. Seán seemed a but subdued and he played happily and enjoyed seeing Tamar again. Picked up Liz and we went to try and get a watchstrap for me but no luck so we ate at Field's. I picked up Ciarán from reading group at 4. Evensong from Exeter. To Westminster cathedral for recital by Roger Sayer - not a bad turnout considering ch...

To Bromley Parish church to hear Xavier Deprez from Brussels cathedral play Dorian toccata, Franck and Jongen as it should be done! Chat to Gary and gave out Beckenham recital posters. Dennis, Louise, Ciarán and Seán with Clare came for roast lamb lunch. Played in garden in the sunshine.

Swam 20. To cathedral to serve at Eric's funeral. Emmanuel was an absolute pain and Patrick did his best. Nice to see Fr Robin and Fr Kingsley there and a good crowd including Knights of St Columba John Campolini among them. Reuben was cantor and we had Bach Prelude in C at the end after Thine be the glory. Eric was a true gentleman and often attended ecumenical events - he will be much missed. After eats in the hall jumped on a No. 11 which then decided to terminate at the Abbey so walked across Parliament square looking at the statues in the sunshine to get tube to London Bridge. Arrived in time for Peter Wright's recital of Guillou, Bach, Delius and Jongen evoking spring! Excellent.

Liz to college and then marriage preparation at the cathedral. More reading on Judaism and Christianity. To Bloomsbury Baptist for Toccata and fugue+ Doug Tang formerly Croydon Minster now King's Cambridge played Bach and Jongen Sonata Eroica and a horrid new toccata by Bernard Heyes. Martin Ball, Christopher Town and Gary Sieling there and spoke to Margaret Phillips. Gary Cole spoke about her Bach recording project and showed slides and DVD of highlights. Charles Andrews from All Saints Margaret Street played Saint-Saens and Durufle superbly. I left as John Mander was starting. Fr Alexander at Mass and Cardinal Vaughan school choir sang Palestrina. Watched Ancient Rome programme and Songs of Praise from Dunblane. Spoke to Bruce in his mansion and he showed us the facilities. Food looks good!

Did clearing up and making beds etc. Liz to college. Practised music for tomorrow. To Whitechapel and arrived early so went to Whitechapel gallery. 2 rather odd displays by Mel Boechner and Giuseppe Penone. Met Adrian in the coffee bar. The tour of the bell foundry was interesting but tiring. 2 and a half hours of standing is too much. It is the oldest business in the country still running - 1420. Their bells go all over the world and they also make lovely handbells (£250 each!). St John's organised the visit. I hopped on a 25 bus and heard part of the Bloomsbury Baptist recital by Richard Walker from Shrewsbury. The Jongen Sonata eroica was well played. Served at Mass with Fr Michael Durand and Fr Timothy Radcliffe preached and I spoke with him afterwards. He is very pleasant. To St Monica's Hoxton Square at Anton's request. Saira was there but it was all rather disorganised. We ended up saying the rosoary outside and no attempt was made to reach out to passersby! I nipped...

Delighted that Heythrop email is now John Woodhouse and not Anthony. Now I have to think of a witty comment using the word Austere. Ran out of labels space so some of these refer to the last post! Evensong from Northampton sung by choir of Clare college Cambridge featuring Leighton, Walton and Britten.

Watched comedy prom and enjoyed some of it. Reading text book and watched Seb Coe on finding ancestors. Took chorus score to Gill's and popped creditcard I found in hire car into hire office. Scott Farrell gave an excellent recital at Bormley Parish Church and was delighted to see me. He signed my Bach score and told me Rochester RSCM committee is disbanded! Bach, Jongen, Saint-Saens, Darke, David Liddle, Mendelssohn 3 - he told a lovely story of his teacher forgetting last movement and then finding the music and forgetting crescendo pedal was on! To pre-Prom talk with John Wilson and Ed Seckerson. The Prom was brilliant presenting film scores in the best possible way. Bought a programme which helped.

To Coulsdon to discuss Nov music with Vickie who is very comfortable at 99a St Andrew's Road while the vicarage is rebuilt. She is quite relaxed about me going free lance. To St Michael's for Richard Cook's recital. Franck Chorale 3, Stanley and Jongen Sonata Eroica. He played well. Evensong from Tewkesbury featured Ascribe unto the Lord. To St Mary le Bow where I met Liz who had been in Bow and Spitalfields. Lord Gummer spoke without notes on social justice and it was most interesting. To the cathedral for David Hill's recital - Howells, Willan, Franck, Roger-Ducasse, Gardonyi, JSB - a varied programme. To Jugged Hare for drinks with Richard Cook, Stephen Disley and his Dad, Adrian and Carl. Today finished at 6 and watched The Apprentice as no internet downstairs for some reason. Liz went to chorus to take Stefan a letter.

Monday to the hospital for meeting with the consultant who is so nice and explains everything. Decision made to move Grandma to a care home and Dennis confirmed he had told her. None of us think she would want to go. The astonishing and shocking news that Chris Greenhalgh had died of a massive heart attack. He joins Rev John Hill and Fr Mark Hartley in the heavenly choir. Tuesday on to 8 and Liz had a contretemps with the discharge sister. Dennis complained about her to her manager. Wednesday cut up carpet and to St Michael's for Richard Pilliner's recital of Jongen, Liszt and Vierne - a couple of mechanical problems. Lit 4 candles. To Newtons to test drive the Honda Jazz which Liz liked on Tuesday. Long wait for the rep but car is excellent. Liz went to chorus and I went to Southfields library through the Wimbledon crowds for the retirement of Neville and Margaret. Neville produced a Stanford Irish song to sing together and I brought some economy carols in view of all the cuts...

Collected swim stuff (Liz unable to do so yesterday as problems with Grandma's neighbours) 32 lengths. Compost heap, bird seed out, cleaned bins. We are off tomorrow to the Canadian Rockies and then meet Ann and Paul for cruise to Alaska from Vancouver. Back in 2 weeks. Today have St Michael's recital and interfaith group meeting and pack! Paul Dean of Chelsea Old Church gave an excellent recital including Franck No 1, Widor, Mendelssohn, Jongen Chant de mai and Reubke. Some thrilling playing. Martin Ball brought back Lionel Rogg ticket so I gave is to Stuart Garnet. Dorio and Alan Hickox there. Had lunch and met Ada on the bus. Interfaith group excellent and 10 came. Read Cardinal Tauran's Heythrop lecture (in part) and comcluded discussion on Muslim scholars statement with a look at Catholic responses. Andrew and Donald were there which was great. With Paul on the cruise