The organist librarian

Palm Sunday like no other! Ann on Skype, family Eucharist from canon of Portsmouth's garden, Caterham service, Upper Norwood excellent, Fr Stephen Langridge on Faithinisolation. Most moving of all the Cardinal at the cathedral. Fr Andrew singing and organ! Recorded 2 hymns. Death café on zoom was fascinating. Evensong from Ripon and Newcastle with recorded music. Daniel French in Salcombe. 

-2 and 468 late so missed 407. Light snow! Palm Sunday was always special for Dad as that was the first service he played. We sang Ah holy Jesu. Played Kauffman on St Theodulph, Brahms Herzliebster Jesu, Walther Passion chorale. A young man appreciated Tears of grief - he had been listening to St Matthew Passion yesterday. Britten rightly said that the Passion settings should be heard in Holy Week. Orange cranachan for lunch dessert. Death cafe was very interesting. Palm Sunday evening service not so exciting - Fr Andrew was a bit of a liability. O sacred head too loud! Daniel said he had read the pamphlet about Augustine and original sin. Boys and Louise arrived. great to see them. Watched The Durrells and a remarkable interview with Janet Baker. Part of Victoria. 

The mystery of last year solved - I sang at St John's in the morning and played for evensong at Caterham in the evening. Mr M was very friendly last night and left us to it although most of the youngsters were not there. I played Kauffmann on St Theodulph, Henry Coleman and Tears of grief. Good having 3 manuals for that. Sing my Tongue went well and Rebecca sang although could not rehearse as kids there. 35 in church and 2 at junior church. Watched South Asian BBC young dancer final and spotted the winner. Masterchef. Twice had lights in left eye flashing. Yesterday wrote letters about refugees and resurrection. Also put up my photo at church been there a year now!

Saturday a quiet day sleeping in a bit, unpacking and catching up on emails. Set off to got to Timothy Byram-Wigfield's recital at Bloomsbury Baptist but missed train, next one cancelled at Kent House and going to Bromley South still meant I did not make it. Saw Ann Martin on the 24 and Paul Moynihan got on but ignored me. Met Liz for tea and served 6 p.m. Mass. Brian asked about our trip. Straight to Langley Park golf club for Beckenham circle's dinner of chicken. Deputy governor of Bank of England spoke -  a bit dull but we enoyed the evening. Sunday damp but processions still happened! I played Kauffmann on St Theodulph, Bach on Herzlich and Tears of Grief. Andrew Newcombe has been made redundant. Sue confirmed she is leaving. Paul very interested in Jerusalem and he preached well. Nice lunch and Palm Sunday service at St John's was well done with Victoria, Byrd, etc. Watched Indian summers and Antiques roadshow. 

Played Bach final chorus of St Matthew passion. Unfortunately the Palm Sunday service was very long. The psalm went well. I don't think we needed such a long sermon or the odd comments about beehives! I missed the Clock House train so bus to Crystal Palace and walk to station carrying the placard and got to Canary Wharf around 1.30. I reckon just missed Louise. Liz had seen her at Rotherhithe and Tom saw her at Mudchute. Bruce Dennis and I didn't see her at all. We went to the post race party for Tommys at Grace bar, Great Windmill Street so that was good. Liz went to Acton. I watched Antiques roadshow, Lent diaries and architectural brutalism.

Slept late so no swim. To St Matthew's for spiritual direction course. 11 there 2 missing because of school holidays! Suffering and some interesting discussions. Watched Come dine with me. Nice to be outdoors for a change. Watched Come dine with me, a very British Renaissance about the Stuarts and a series of Channel 4 Lent diaries about Black churches in Britain. Bruce and Dennis power washed the path and patio and Bruce got the outside light to work - it was the bulb. Canon Christopher at Mass for Palm Sunday. Paul Moynihan was there.

We had snow flurries Saturday and a little this morning but the wind made it very cold.  Drove to West Dulwich and left car there. Timothy Penrose welcomed us to All Saints Dulwich and I played Oldroyd and Murrill on the organ which came from Barnes. I was at the opening recital. The church has been beautifully restored after the 2000 fire and much improved. Adrian gave me a lift to Goose Green and John Webber gave us tea and a short recital - the vicar told us the history. I had to leave after the Sweelinck. The organ is a Walker. Vespers and Mass for Palm Sunday with Canon Christopher. Watched Come dine with me episodes. Sunday took Liz to West Norwood. The Palm Sunday procession went ahead and I took my pitch pipe so they started on B flat! I then made my way back through the church ready to play Ride ride on when they arrived and all went well. I played St Matthew Passion final chorus at the end and we practised. To British Museum to see the outstanding Pompeii and Herculaneum...

Woke too early. Just missed a train and the one I got went through Battersea Park so I was late. Sam was running it and we discussed "The uncommon reader" by Alan Bennett. We also talked about royalty. The cuts are going ahead in July. Daphne has retired! Town centre library linked to neighbourhood library with only one manager. Opening hours cut. Had lunch at the library and read the paper - met a couple of readers I know well. To Bromley and visited Bromley library and then to Widmore Rd URC for President's recital by Michael Toplis on the Hill Norman and Beard. He played Liszt, Franck and Bach really well. I had a play after tea and the AGM went smoothly. As I was leaving asked if I woudl do an Oxbridge so I said Yes! Bus to Bromley South and arrived in good time for Vespers. Fr Tim was celebrant Palm Sunday and I was crucifer. St Matthew Passion. Home late and nice meal. Toe on right foot badly bruised and sore and back playing up.

Holy Week is upon us after a busy Lent. Highlights of Lent have been the faith sharing group and reading "Approaching Easter" by Jane Williams and "Holiness" by William O'Malley. The Islington concert was also memorable although I still do not like the Arvo Part 7 Magnificat antiphons. It seemed weird not to sing Magnificat with them and were they nto meant to be sung as separate items rather than as a group? The opening of Part's "Which was the son of.." certainly sticks in the mind! Edward very pleased by the concert. Practice last night went O.K. still a lot of chatter but we got through everything. A good day today with glorious sunshine to enjoy and got a lot done. At Vespers and Mass Fr Swavek was most impressive in a red chasuble. George and Paul were there. Came home late and watched "Dido and Aeneas" of Purcell. There is a fine Easter letter from John and Ann Alexander.

Saturday day off but to the library for the reading group session in the adult. 13 came and met Michael Mail who I had met at a police meeting. He speaks really well and he explained how he came to writing late when he won an Edinburgh short-story competition. He is a Scottish Jew living in North London and is now a full-time writer. "Exposure" is about a Jewish girl who comes down from Leeds to the East End to study photography. One of the group felt that the book was more like non-fiction whereas others loved it and found they wanted to know the ending. Michael pointed out that tragedy was hinted at from the beginning. Suzy gets to know a Jewish community in the East End and the novel plays on the use of a camera as a shield to intrude into people's lives. The lecturer Terry and the other students are well-drawn as are the Jewish characters. There is also an interplay between the nominal faith of Suzy's separated parents and Suzy's rediscovery of her faith thr...