The organist librarian

Mass and art and good progress -had not been for 2 weeks and the party invites were well-received. I went to the RGS to see the Shackleton platinum print photos by Frank Finley.  An interesting discussion on Saint-Saens and a satisfying Prom with the RPO conducted by Charles Du Toit who presented with the gold medal of the Royal Philharmonic society. Falla, Joshua Bell playing Lalo and S-S 3 - what's not to like? Friday to Mass and watched The Man in the orange shirt a very fine 2 parter by Patrick Gale with Vanessa Redgrave. Listened to Judith Weir prom.

Wednesday Louise arrived with the boys and I looked after Seán while they went to get a grown up car seat for Ciarán. At first he was a bit unhappy but had his milk and rice cake and settled down to playing quite happily. He will be walking before he is one at this rate! Ciarán enjoyed being in the garden and announced the little house is No.24 and Grandad lives in a shop! We went to the prom. The talk featured Timothy West about playing Falstaff so I asked a question about Verdi's version and how Falstaff treated his followers. It was most interesting. At the prom we had Elgar and Walton's Falstaff plus lovely works by Bantock for cello and orchestra and Tchaik 4 well played by BBC National of Wales under Jan van Steen. Thursday more games including monster bingo then they went to Angela's. We will not see them for 2 weeks as they are going to Ireland and not coming to Provincial President's Sunday after all as they go to Stansted early on the Monday. Worked on Liz...

To Bromley to return some scores and attend Gary Sieling's recital at the parish church of Fantasias and Fugues by Parry, Bach and Liszt - very fine playing. He remarked that the programme was like Bank Holiday weather i.e. stormy and sunny. Stanley Vann encore. He also said that as the programme had spelt his name wrongly he reserved the right to play the notes in the wrong order! Ken Baker was there. After lunch I went to the Family prom. Why do people not remove noisy small children? The Delius was ruined by screaming kids, Falla, Dvorak, Rodrigo. Second half Proms family orchestra and chorus did really well and Blind Boys of Alabama sang gospel with audience clapping along.Northern Sinfonia played well. To pre Prom discussion on lyric writing with Don Black - Clive James did not show so a charming singer stepped in called Barbara. The Broadway prom with John Wilson was terrific including Rodgers, Kern, Porter, Gershwin and Bernstein. We left before the last number. I told a man...

Lou and Bruce arrived last night and I got Ciarán off to bed after watching lots of Thomas. The prom was excellent - Elder conducting Halle. Lou took Ciarán to friends and I set up the new HDD recorder and the DVD player and we now have TV sound through your radio stereo speakers! At 2 p.m. we all went to Croydon crematorium for the burial of Grandma's ashes and lovely to see Fr Denis Paul again. Claire and Josie came and we all went to Dennis's for tea and cake iced by Liz. Ciarán on great form. Bruce took Lou and Ciarán home. We ahve enjoyed having him! Liz went to pub near school and I went to the Prom. BBC Philharmonic with new Spanish conductor - Ravel, Debussy, Falla. I found Ronde de Printemps score hard to follow and checked on recording when got home. Sat next to a nice Japanese lady and a man who works in Oxford. Met organist from St Andrew Catford.

36 lengths. Listened to Brahms Variations on a theme of Handel for piano lunchtime prom and to tai chi. Prom tonight was the Philharmonia with Salonen playing Ravel and de Falla. Enjoyed part 2 of the Queen's tour of 1953. Freischutz is off which is a pity.