The organist librarian

Up early for Van Gogh and Britain at the Tate. Some lovely paintings they are all about himself and discoveries like Christopher Wood. Members special opening 8 to 10 Saturdays a wonderful idea! Some rooms I had to myself! The queue outside Tate Britain at 10 horrendous. So glad I was there at 8. Abandoned Cadogan square garden idea as wet. To St John East Dulwich for Andrew Chadney's recital. Some out of tune stops. Buxtehude and Percy Fletcher. Nice chat to John Webber. Bridge adagio too slow and no flow. Sitting in the hospice with John East and listening to radio 3, I spoke to John about that superb passage at the beginning of part 2 of Gerontius illustrating the sleep of the soul. "I went to sleep and now I am awake. It is the voices who say the Profiscere hither the echoes come. Go forth upon thy journey Christian soul." As Alan Rees said "This is a loving God welcoming us home". Who can imagine the music in heaven? John Bell said all the strange harmonie...

Only swam 12 as we were late frost on car but I did find Liz's cap and goggles in the case. To Bromley PC and Kevin brought the Catenian banners from Chatham which was kind of him. The recital was by Laurence Carden a young player from Highgate who won the award at Oundle this year. There were one or two slips but an interesting programme including Thalben-Ball, Fletcher, Chilcott, Mathias, Geissler and Jirak. The curate presided somewhat awkwardly. There was no sgn of Ernest and Cecilia. St John's churchyard has been dug up for work on drains.

Spoke to Ann on skype and Claire has left Hong Kong. Liz to dentist. To Grandma's to cut bushes back and clear up garden. To St Michael's for recital by Jerome Faucheur from Lille. A different programme - Lemmens, Capocci, Dubois, Dienel and Percy Fletcher Festival Toccata. He then improvised on 3 themes Michael Fleming's "Palace Green" (which is named after a green at Durham university from Michael's student days) Kyrie of Oldroyd Mass of the quiet hour and Henry VIII's O lord the maker of all thing - this last theme was rather disguised but it was very clever. Back to Grandma's and finished the job. Choral evensong from Winchester - Parry "Hear my words" and Durufle Toccata blisteringly played by Simon Bell. This was one of Ben Nicholas's specialities too!