The organist librarian

Swam, mass and coffee and took some of Fr Stuart's castoff books. Returned scores to Central Music library. To quiet day with Sister Agatha from Sisters of Mercy, Bermondsey. Surprisingly she left at 2.40! At lunchtime heard part of Nigel Groome's recital at St Matthew Westminster - he was replacing Travis Baker. Heard some of the War Requiem rehearsal in the cathedral - boys and soloists excellent. Bach choir did not impress - poor leads. Some of the choir could not see because of tall people in front of them! David Hill has a grey beard which does nothing for him. Saw Martin Baker. Came home as Liz had returned from school unhappy. 

Swam, Mass I was late as dropped Liz at doctor. Car to Battersea park and on the way dropped scores at Balham and got 2 guides to USA. To St Matthew's Westminster to hear Nigel Groome. Got calendars at Church House bookshop. Lunch at uni. Fell asleep in talk on aurora Borealis! Petrenko conducted Royal Liverpool Phil Elgar In the South, Strauss songs and Iain Bell sung by soprano replacements (songs were changed and no announcement in the hall),  Bartok concerto for orchestra and a lovely encore Rachmaninov. Sir Andras Schiff playing Bach from memory. We left after fugue 12 I was tired and could not follow the score. The mental activity required is huge. What an achievement but I do think concerts should not be an endurance test! He was still playing by the time we got home on buses and car! 

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. 

After Mass to Balham library to get lots of scores. To St Stephen Wallbrook and Christopher Harris asked if anyone would be brave and turn pages for him so I volunteered and got a clap! He played really well - Bach, Langlais, Telemann and Liszt and great to have the whole Dvorak Largo from the New World. He practises at Tunbridge Wells RC so knows Fr Peter! I had to go back to the church as my Michael Palin Sahara book had fallen behind the bench. Glad to get it back as I am enjoying it and it was a present from the junior choir. Met Nigel Groome and said I would try and get to his recital at St Matthew's his new appointment. To the cathedral to do welcoming - people from USA, Germany and Spain.

Swam 20. Cold day again. To Beckenham Parish church to hear Nigel Groome play. Chat to Ken. Joan Conway was a bit odd. Nice pieces by Harris, Alain, Willan, Archer, Alcock and Wesley - no mention of Britten or St Cecilia. Also 50 years since Kennedy was shot! Liz to doctor - she has virus. I went to Tescos to try and get Real Advent Calendar, Liz's prescription and ordered oasis for Advent wreath at florists. Catenian council at home - lots of drinks and snacks - went on to 9.50! I am to do President for another year! 

To St George's Beckenham for Nigel's recital. He played Charpentier, the Hovland and Correll he played at St Michael's and 2 pieces by Nicholas Chouveaux who sounds French but was born in Bromley! To Heythrop library and worked all afternoon on Eckhart Reviews and then in the garden in lovely sunshine. Very nice alumni reception with quiz devised by Fr Simon. I left at half time to get to Southwark cathedral for the Britten - we were sitting at the side and some of the diction was poor. James Gilchrist excellent. Home by 11.30. Very atmospheric with candles and incense. 

Had a good practice after service and we started singing Kyries again (Murray setting). Nigel came to rehearse at 2.15 with his new wife Susanna. An interesting programme including Willan (who grew up in Beckenham) Fiocco, Purcell and Simper. 21 there and met Joyce Perry 87 who lived through the war in Beckenham. Her relation is 94 and still playing! Britten on The Choir.

Nigel posted his programme so typed it up using Hayley's format. My freedom pass replacement has come.

Swam 20. Liz to King's with sample. To dentist as my filling came out again. Daniel fixed it with stronger fixative and no charge! Meant I missed music but met the family there. We went back to the house for lunch and then to the park so Ciarán could try his leaner bike for the first time with his helmet on  -he did very well. It has no pedals and is made of wood. He enjoyed the slide and swings too. Hot chocolate at the cafe. Seán is smiling and looking about much more. Louise took me by car to get my new glasses which are great! Croydon Park hotel for President's dinner which was excellent - lovely pork, shellfish and puddings. Martin How and Nigel Groome were there! Garveys brought us home. But why was Ruth Eagers there? Bob left the association!

Friday swam 30. Liz busy on essays so I went to sing at funeral of Eva Parker at St John's. Small choir so recording of Faure and Handel used and Adrian played Elgar. Back to choir practice and picked up Marie recovered from her hip op. Had a look at Somervell Passion for Good Friday. Saturday Liz to Heythrop and I went to St George's Beckenham for launch of book about School of English Church music and Sir Sydney Nicholson. John Henderson and Trevor Jarvis spoke and played early recordings. Martin How and Harry Bramma also spoke. Nigel Groome played Harris and Willan. At evensong choir sang Nicholson in D flat, Knight Christ whose glory and Martin How conducted his lovely Ave verum. Stanford Postlude and Caesar chant for psalm. Hymn tune Chislehurst by Nicholson. Helen Murphy, Bob Prizeman and Alan organist from Dartford there. Bought the book and Henderson's dictionary of organ composers reduced which I always wanted to own! Train to Victoria and Fr Paolo at vespers and M...

Swam 34 despite being late up. Discussion about what needs to be done and I have loads to read. Liz to serve at schools Mass. I went to Beckenham for Nigel's half hour of Handel, Bach, Darke In green pastures (which as he said is a delight) Archer and German. Home by 1.30 to get on with reading articles. I sent Damian an paper on policing which duly apeared on Helios! Not sure I understand or agree with the articles and not sure I've got time to reread them! Is religion inherently prone to violence? Can an inside understand a religion? Evensong from Winchester 3 choirs featured Howells Te Deum and Stanford in A. The evensong from Exeter included Shephard canticles and Laudate Dominum by Ronald Corp written for the St Cecilia festival this year.

Swam 22. To St George's Beckenham for Peter Cook's recital. Nick Wibberley and Nigel Groome there. Nice programme based around dance - Camidge, Lang, Lemmens ending up the Petercuk waltz tibia sound and Harry Potter. He lives in Wimbourne and says the Minster choir no longer good now Chris Dowie has given up. Bought flowers at M & S and visited Beckenham bookshop (now reopened) and suggested Isabel Losada visit them to promote the shop. Listened to Mahler 8 from Berlin conducted by Simon Rattle - lovely! Could have seen it at cinema last week!

On Friday I went over to Beckenham Parish church for the recital by Nigel Groome. He looked relaxed in a check open neck shirt. About 30 there. Started with a toccata by Hovland which in fact was on "Von himmel hoch". Pleasant Fiocco and Handel and Whitlock's Fidelis. Whitlock was double jointed so was able to thumb down from one keyboard to another with ease. It was a gray day. Explained to choir about holiday and Vickie spoke to them about going free lance on Sunday morning. Reader Tony and Ann are moving at the end of February so that will be a big loss.

Up too late to swim and delayed on way home because of a fatality at Streatham Common. I took train back from Balham to Clapham Junction but in fact it was on the fast line. Police were on the track as the Selhurst train went through and the stations were all being closed. Home for quick meal and drove to Coulsdon for 7.30 workshop with Nigel Groome who was inspiring and helpful. I led Mendelssohn "Lord in thy mercy". Nigel did Ubi caritas setting by Alan Bullard and Harvest carol and we finished with the Shera magnificat and then to the Pembroke Arms where we enjoyed a chat and John Smiths. It was a wet evening. Nigel said that his choir were culturally inept in Estonia when everyone there just spontaneously sang in the pub! They have also sung in Ghent and he encouraged the choir to go to Rochester on October 3rd. Swam 36 lengths and enjoyed time in the park despite threatening storms. Children's librarians came for a training session on website "Stories from the w...

To Grandma's with lunch from Marks and Spencer for £15 - beef, vegetables, Chilean red wine and berries in jelly. To St Augustine's Grove Park for recital by Robert Munns and Sally Johnson marking anniversaries - Haydn, Handel, Mendelssohn, Purcell, Avison, Eben, Mathias, Ireland and Bridge. A good concert well thought out. Watched The No 1 ladies detective agency - delightful! Monday 34 lengths. To tai chi. To St George's Beckenham to see Nigel Groome with Vicky and John. Met some Catenians on way to Beckenham meeting! A positive and helpful meeting.

Saturday Feb 28th to Royal School of Church Music sessions at Gary Weston library, Southwark cathedral. Met the new director Lyndsey Gray who is impressive and I gave him some RC contacts. The presentations and discussions were helpful and there was opportunity to flag up concerns. In particular we have lost the "Martin Hows" available to come and advise at practices. To Vespers and mass - I was thurifer as Liz was due to go to Milton Keynes to meet Shirley and Flo but Grandma wasn't up to it. Sunday March 1 First of Lent. Nigel Groome RSCM rep came to practice and service. He said "Well done". Bishop Nick of Croydon presided and preached - he told Vickie the choir sounded good and they did well. To Sandra and Dave's in Chislehurst with Bruce for Gill's 60th birthday - surprise party which was great. Lots to eat! Monday March 2 Catenian meeting. Everyone enjoyed the 1000th - it was good to see Richard Nash there. Eric Tope is to be V.P. and he gave me a ...

After 42 lengths last Friday not quite so many this week - 38 Monday, 38 Tuesday. Today I had to get out after 22 as I remembered I was due to open up at 8.30 a.m. for the computer cleaning folk. The policeman came back today and took statements and another copy of the cctv. One of the thieves got a lenient sentence for the other burglary. Monday I went to Peter Wright's for RSCM committee. He sent good wishes to Edward which I passed on and said the Southwark concert was likely to have another venue. Andrew Cantrill and Nigel Groome bot made useful suggestions. Adrian gave me a lift home. Tuesday Harry Mellor gave me a lift to Sittingbourne for provincial council in a room next to a noisy bar in a club. I said one could only take on Provincial VP if retired and more are coming to the 1000th meeting. Harry had a few near misses and chats away all the time - he is 80. Wednesday to British School of Osteopathy - I dropped in to Southwark cathedral and the vice-principal gave me coffe...

Have now starting prioritising work and I produced a listing of our current workload and prepared an email about a workshop with Nigel Groome in November. Louise and Tom came for Sunday lunch with CD of the wedding photos which are superb. Had a quiet afternoon enjoying sunshine and watched some old programmes. Songs of praise for harvest, Antiques Road show, Michael Palin in Bulgaria and Turkey. Interesting book on Olivier. Handel prom. Also cleaned kitchen floor and hoovered. Fed the birds.

Spoke to Ann on the phone and finally got my head round the tax return for the income from the church! To Coulsdon to choose hymns for July and part of August with Vicky. Then to St Michael's for Nigel Groome's recital which was several shorter works including Healey Willan. Willan was organist at St George's, Beckenham where Nigel plays before emigrating in 1913. Quote "English by birth, Canadian by adoption, Scotch by absorption" - Healey Willan. He has written very fine music! I lit my candles for Mum and Dad in front of the Our Lady statue as usual. Had coffee and pastry with Nigel and Christopher Moore and we were talking about bad recitalists and the state of the RSCM. To Hinsley Room for launch of the interfaith group at the cathedral and it went well with 10 present including an Anglican and a Buddhist. Alfred Agius gave an excellent presentation and meditation material. Fr Richard Nesbitt (5 days a priest and still moved to tears)celebrated Mass for the J...