The organist librarian

Woke with a wierd dream about my brain wiping out Islamic and Indian material and then reinstating it all! No swim again. To mosaic and gesso on board which was much admired and did more work on the mirror. Tai chi and then we all went to Jack's for lunch. My eggs royale were cold but hash browns were hot and plenty of coffee. Chatted to Sean.Took bathroom mirror to be fixed. I was lucky to find my glasses lens on the bedroom floor.   Played the Royal Festival Hall organ! Wow! The only big organ in London I have not played is the Royal Albert Hall. I played Murrill Postlude on a Ground which I also played at Westminster Abbey. William McVicar spent an hour explaining the various stops. Some of the organists played too long as we had to be out by 10. I played the organ before the rebuild when Dad came and Ralph Downes came to demonstrate the organ. He showed us a Hill sound! 

To 2 Temple Place for 10 a.m. for Discoveries - some amazing items from Cambridge museums in an interesting house once owned by Lord Astor. Dodo skeleton, ichthyosaurus, egg collected by Darwin, casts of Greek sculptures, Polar and astronomical items. Bought a shaker and Penguin book for the boys. To talks at Royal Festival hall, Prof Brendan Walker on the 50s and the changes they brought. Struck me that many changes of products came from America but design was influenced here by Scandinavia. Was this because of cost or education? Listened to Wondrous machines in the foyer using the 4 specially made organs. Ed Breen from Morley College spoke on instruments and their influence on organs and showed David Munrow footage. Harrison and Harrison builders spoke about the project and showed plans and photos then Kerry Downes spoke about his father. I spoke to him about how kind Ralph Downes was to Dad and I allowing us both to play and how he attended at the Oratory the Rachmaninov Vespers wh...

Saturday to St John's Wood to take minutes for SSG trustees which is much appreciated and we get nice eats too incl panettone and chocs from Allen. He and Caroline look to be finishing in November! I cam back on the bus with Caroline. Tea at M and S. Fr John at Mass and he was in a good mood! Home to watch more of the opening of the Winter Olympics and a programme about Torvill and Dean. Also Birds of a Feather and  Island Parish. Sunday played Whitlock originally harpsichord suite incl Ralph Downes' Dream and Tabblatura pieces, also Peeters on Abends and Bonighton on St Denio. Phillippa nearly read wrong 2nd reading and dashed down to read after the psalm! If she had not asked me about pronunciation, she would have read the wrong one! Did more indexing.