The organist librarian

To St George Beckenham for Charlie Warren. He stepped in at 3 days notice. He is RC and was scholar at Merton so knows Ben and Michael Nicholas. He sang at the oratory. John Webber and Adrian were there. His Franck 2 was not terrifying as Gillian Weir required! Left car at Kent house and took 4 pictures to be framed. £170. Francis Crick institute is most impressive and has an interesting free display. The Buddhism exhibition at British library is excellent. Tea and then Mass with Fr John. Quite a few not there including the 2 who were to be acolytes! Liz did not get on my train so waited at Kent House for her. Finished Anthony Doerr's All the light we cannot see which is riveting. Callum played Leighton. Victoria choir under strength. Interview with Prince Andrew. 

Mosaic, Benjamin Newlove played a great piece by Leighton as well as Bach and Vierne at St Michael Cornhill. Liz served at the funeral of Archbishop Michael Bowen. Preparations for the spirituality day on Wednesday and article written about the art auction. Dennis took me to Catenians and we unanimously agreed to close the circle in March. 

I went back to tai chi today after a long gap thanks to the Proms, Spain and Belmont. We did a Japanese exercise The Cycle of Life.  Benjy Bloor  played superbly at Brompton Oratory. That organ really speaks like a voice singing! Good to see  Marko Sever  .Nice to meet Benjy's wife and they enjoyed Bali. Marko is playing at the cathedral Jan 28th. Saw Paddy Russill and Charles Cole. 

Rained heavily all day. Swam and Mass. Stuart was amused about the readings not being fixed.  21 people at Nigel Groome's recital at St Matthew Westminster. The Leighton worked well not so sure about the English music on a baroque organ. Marcus Wibberley is playing next Wed. Torrential rain and British Museum heaving. Hokusai sold out but enjoyed British landscapes.  Readings about the Spanish civil war preceded Ballad of heroes which is a fine work.Brian Elias cello concerto some fine moments. Purcell arranged by Elgar a curiosity. Excellent Enigma will real ppp. Liz did not come. Jennifer very restless again but at least she took her boots off. Louise and boys have arrived. 

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.

Swam 20. Clearing shed Liz found a dead rat and the wood has rotted away and holes in felt. Went to guide at the cathedral and there were 7 guides and a funeral so no tours! After tea left. To Acton and the boys in the pool and making track.  To St John Notting Hill to hear Oundle winner Christopher Baczkowski who is excellent! Sam Barber was on duty. Decided not to go to Holland Park mosque iftar as I would have to hang about for over an hour. Liz enjoyed Michael Flatley and Irish dance.

I w as relieved that Chris Walker's Stay Awake replaced The virgin Mary had a baby boy this morning - the calypso accompaniment is tricky. I played Pachelbel Von himmel hoch. A lovely recital by Robert Munns at St Augustine Grove Park at 6.30 of Advent music including Karg-Elert, Peeters, Buxtehude, Bach, Coleman and Leighton. There was a tombola and eats after service. I drove to Snakes and ladders at Sion House. I was late as I ended up going through Richmond.  A very nice party for Ciarán.

We both went to St Paul's cathedral for Sons and Friends of the clergy. The noise beforehand was bad so I tuned my aids off and sketched a lampstand! Peterborough and Wakefield cathedral choirs sang well and we heard Tavener, Bernard Rose, Kenneth Leighton and Elgar Give unto the Lord written in 1914 for the festival. Hymns were Disposer supreme, Christ is our cornerstone and For all the saints. Dean preached well and ended with Brewer Marche heroique. I went straight to Willesden Green and found the Muhammadi centre in Walm Lane. Sayed spoke well but Dr Shah-Kazemi did not use the time well and I dropped off. The ladies did not get their questions answered and many left when I did before the prayers! The person singing the earlier prayers had a fine voice. It was a pity they used so many Islamic terms.

To Tesco pharmacy for flu jab for the first time - very nice pharmacist explained it all. My arm still a bit sore. To Hurtado centre Wapping for an excellent Advent pilgrimage with Paul Nicholson SJ and bought his Advent book of reflections for each day. The walk round Wapping was most interesting. A lovely section like a Dutch canal scene then dull estates. The mosque is currently on a top floor and very dark. St Peter's Anglican church very high and quite lovely compared to the Catholic church which is cold and very Roman - St Patrick's. Pat and Kerry and a nice group. Damian was there and lent hats - I chose a splendid black one from Bailey of Hollywood. It was a great chance to reflect on pilgrimages especially the Holy Land and my role. John the Baptist seen as someone who decreased. To Bloomsbury Baptist for Norman Harper being funny and playing Thalben-Ball complete with happy stickers on his soles, Bach, Peeters, Leighton and Karg-Elert. Large crowd outside for auditio...

Bank Holiday Monday and nice weather after all the rain yesterday morning. Up early and worked on Michael's suggestions regarding the dissertation. To Bromley parish church for joint recital by Norman and Marilyn Harper. They played a duet by Wesley and divided the programme between them including Dupre, Leighton and Mango Thrist (Lovely girl commented Norman). I left before the Bach Passacaglia to get home for lunch and then to Royal College of Music for 2.30 workshop with Mary King on singing musicals. Muriel was there. Enjoyed singing Somewhere over the rainbow, opening number from Show Boat and the scarecrow song with actions. Also a Waxman song. The light music organ prom was well played by Richard Hills and included Ireland, Sullivan, Waller and German and a fun encore. Excellent talk on film music with David Benedict and the John Wilson prom was excellent with a wide variety of film music and songs. I am playing for Dermot Molony's funeral on Friday at St Mary's.

Did some reading. To St Stephen Wallbrook for Peter's superb recital of Bach, Howells, Leighton, Titeloue and Dupre. Nice walk along north Thames path to Millenium brudge and Tate Modern. Bigger Splash a little disappointing. William Klein's films interesting and Daido Moriyama's photos seemed dull. I rather liked the film of the Jesus type figure in a crowded street and ignored to "The people that walked in darkness" reminded me of the ballet we saw the other evening. Walking against the flow is never fun! Popped into Southwark cathedral and organ being tuned.

A short lie-in. More reading on phenomenology - gave up on the Paul Ricoeur book. Train was late so arrived late at St Matthew Westminster for Rosemary Field's recital of Bach, Tunder, John Robinson and Leighton's Paean. She remembered meeting me in Birmingham and St Stephen Rochester Row is to have a new organ a Binns from Edinburgh.. Bus to Waterloo and time to look rounf the 2 exhibitions at the National theatre where I had won Tablet tickets. The Jonathan Miller stuff was tat but the Laila Ward Migration work quite lovely combining fabrics and ceramics. Really enjoyed the Authorized version of Psalms and Song of Songs. Patricia Routledge is a national treasure - who could forget her reading Psalm 23 and 121? Met the Beers afterwards and got X68 home and Liz went on to M & S.

Did some reading after my swim (30) and Liz did some painting. To Al Henry's funeral at St Mary's - Liz took me and picked me up so I could change out of my suit. A remarkable man - although he was a Catenian I only met him once when I presented him with his 40 year scroll - a much loved GP who loved fast cars, fine wine, poetry and his family. His nephew from New York spoke very well and his barrister son as well. 4 good hymns but the organist stopped at every comma and played with no fluidity of style at all but at least it was accurate and in time! To Heythrop for library and Kim's second seminar. The lecture was by Tony Carroll on Marx and secularisation. Room very hot and glad of fresh air and a full moon at the break! To Acton. Wednesday Liz took Ciaran to music and I went to Southfields Gurdwara for interfaith group visit - 8 came and Jasbir was a delightful guide. Mr SIngh the priest was also there. My frst visit to a gurdwara and enjoyed it. I met Liz at Ladbroke...

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.

To Coulsdon where it seems the scaffolding fence is only held by a tie so we do have access to the vestry door! Liz late back from M & S. To St John's for Adrian's recital - 35 there. Centenaries Purcell, Handel, Haydn, Mendelssohn 6, Leighton Fanfare, Sidney Campbell Canterbury Improvisation No.2, Basil Harwood Paean - a good programme. At evensong we sang Stanford in A and Vaughan Williams Let all the world. Kit played Air of Wesley at the end. Adrian told story about Campbell and Gerald Knight. GHK commented on a hood "synthetic nylon" to which Campbell retorted "synthetic doctorate"! Watched Antiques roadshow and history of Christianity part 3 about the Orthodox church (gorgeous vestments and icons and churches) and Embarassing old bodies. Monday to BDT - some discussion about Balham as MR is retiring end of January. To Rosemary and Lyn's for a delightful dinner where we were joined by Louise and Tom. Bruce came for funeral tomorrow.

Karen's throat and sinus still bad. Said farewell to the trumpet with Stanley and Purcell Trumpet tune. Sunday to recital at the Cathedral by Ben Giddens of St George's Chapel, Windsor. Jeanne Demessieux Tu es Petrus, Buxtehude Praeludium in C, Franck Choral No 1 and Leighton's Paean. He plays very well. Liz stayed up for rite of election. Good TV - Antiques roadshow, Lark rise, Jeremy Paxman on Victorian art and life. Monday to chair organists committee at Moira's - many of the dates fall on my day on on Saturdays despite my best efforts. Home by 11 p.m. Carlo Curley is unwell. Tuesday home for chocolate pancakes with orange, lemon and Drambuie. Could not decide what to give up - chocs, biscuits, alcohol, cappuccino so decided to do something extra and started reading Timothy Radcliffe and Gordon Giles Lent books. Wednesday up too late to go to Fairtrade breakfast at Croydon College. Met Louise at her office foyer and had lunch at the Phoenix- salmon and brie fishcakes...

Up early and completed Oxford trip booklet draft. The service at Coulsdon went smoothly. Vickie was ill so Theresa stepped in. There were 2 baptisms and the second baby really yelled! The Richard Jones Mass for Hilary has an awkward ending and this did not quite come off in tune. He is now Jo Richards. Vaughan Williams Come my way and Bach's "Christians shout with joy" both went well. I played voluntaries on "St Fulbert" by Douglas Guest and Philip Moore. I attended the AGM and annual meeting. The music costs about £3800 a year which is a bargain! I asked about the insurance on the organ and this will be checked. There are 106 on the electoral roll. Spent the afternoon tidying up, hoovering and cleaning the kitchen floor. Watched a programme about a man who wants to bring wild mammals back to the Scottish highlands. To St Augustine's Grove Park for the 75th birthday recital by Robert Munns. He plays well. He included pieces by Leighton, Vaughan Williams and ...

Did a workshop about the library at the Age Concern activity days conference. Sylvie from NAPA was very inspiring about getting the elderly involved. Jeff did Tai Chi - I had to miss Monday's session because of lack of staff. I didn't get a lunch break as I had to go back to the library form 1 to 2. The Power station community forum was disappointing. It seems the new owners are going back to square one and getting plans drawn up again so more delay. Doddington West residents association gave me a chance to talk about the library. it was interesting to hear of pigeons, rats and crime on the estate. Graham Harris chaired very well indeed and we heard from Tony of BaseD. Unfortunately the meeting went on to 10 p.m. so I was knackered. Today I had a rest and went to St Michael's from Thomas Corns' excellent recital. He played a fine piece on Veni creator by Kenneth Leighton and in interesting fugue by Brahms. Franck, Bach and Mozart were all well played. I lit candles for ...