The organist librarian

Lovely long chat to Ann. Heard the first part of King's. The Walford Davies was superb. Served at Vespers at the cathedral - Buxtehude Magnificat and Victoria O magnum mysterium. Met Adrian. At Mass ex choristers sang Reger. Arrived early for choir practice for Midnight. The new keyboard has a much better organ sound. Shona came so she played for Darke In the bleak midwinter. Elaine and I sang the solos. We also sang Rocking. I had set up my hymnbooks as normal but when we got to the descant verse of Once in royal my book was on the descant for Hark the herald. Right hand trying to remember the right notes, left hand turning the hymn book page to get to the descant, pedals ?? Somehow survived - luckily everything was in F. The problem with A and M is it is a thick book and the book easily shuts especially with hymns near the front. Spiral binding would be the answer! At the end I played Pachelbel Von himmel hoch. I was interested to hear a Swedish choir sing an arrangement on radi...

Steve played the trumpet really well at Remembrance service. We sang Pie Jesu and I played Solemn melody. Brilliant sermon from Anne-Marie Garton could not agree more that we must combat forces which are attacking the basic values of our society. Sad to learn of the passing of Fr Tom Creagh-Fuller, Des Caroll and Gillian McLaughlan. A lovely evensong using Anglican chants and Peter Nardone's A new commandment. To Christ's chapel Dulwich and a good audience for Alana Brook from Adelaide who is now organ scholar at Lincoln. A piece by Australian Graeme Koehne To his servant Bach God grants a finalgift: the morning star. It was all very competent. Monday Mosaic steady slow progress! Eric Chan who won the Harold Darke RCM prize played beautifully at St Michael Cornhill Darke, Bach Schmucke dich, Franck no. 1 and the unknown Bunk Passacaglia. Highly praised by many of the audience. He recalled that I had been to RCM to hear him play! To see Clare and a very helpful chat abou...

I played Buxtehude and Gade on How brightly shines and we sang O worship the Lord, As with gladness, Unto us a son is born, O thou who camest and Brightest and best. Worked on Christ the Lord to Jordan came and some other pieces. Interesting programme on 17th century writers including Newton at Woolthorpe and the Puritan Josselin. Nice butternut squash curry for lunch. The St JOhn's epiphany carols had a lot of good hymns and only 4 choral items viz Howells Coll reg Nunc, Holly and the Ivy arr Walford Davies, Three kings and Gardener Tomorrow shall be with Fr John on tambourine! Home to John Smiths and Antiques roadshow and Sherlock part 2 which was very clever.

Played Solemn Melody, Nimrod and St Anne fugue. Said psalm and alleluia and Last Post was a recording after all. Asked about Christmas and Louise, Liz and Stephen's wife will sing at carols on 22nd. Abide with me and For all the saints were odd choices and I felt Fr Paul went on a bit too much and didn't really address current wars. Nice lunch and heard a little of evensong from Canterbury and The Choir with Mary King. At evensong I read first lesson about Solomon and we sang Dyson and Peter Aston - he died this year - nice man. To Hyderi mosque for drama and film ostensibly about Wahab a Christian martyr but really about Husain and his death. It was violent and unpleasant with severed heads and dead baby. Is repeating this sad tale helpful? The equivalent would be inviting Muslims to watch a bloody account of martyring Protestants and Catholics. It was very crowded and I escaped. Whether Conversations for the soul is possible is debatable. Watched Downton Abbey.

Thursday Liz was serving at 5 p.m. Mass as Francis was away. I took the car to Acton and went by trains and to Alexandra Palace for the organ recital. Had a pint of ale on arrival and saw Jack and chatted to several people. I became a friend so get a cheaper rate for the concerts. Thomas Keogh and James Luxton 2 young organists from Birmingham and they had fun playing a variety of pieces including The Lost chord, Finlandia (very impressive pedal trills), Solemn melody, Vierne and Bach. They finished with Sousa Colonel Bogey as a duet including playing pedals with hands and fists! That got a well deserved encore! Got back to Acton the same way about 10.30 p.m. Friday a.m. Ciaran enjoyed a story 3 times and went off in the car with Louise. We got to Paddington in good time and train to Gloucester. Edward hotel very comfortable and not too far from the centre. We visited the excellent Gloucester museum and the packed folk museum. Bought a picnic. Saturday spent rehearsing with Richard and...

Friday train to Leeds and walked to Jurys Inn - fine view from 8th floor room which is very comfortable. To Leeds Parish church for lunchtime recital by Simon Lindley for Armistice day. 11am marked on the train. Harris, Elgar, Coates, Walford Davies and Thalben-Ball, A fine church and a fine recital. Enjoyed the art gallery and library and had tea there. A quiet evening but noisy people next door in the night. Saturday to the SSG AGM sung Mass in Leeds cathedral directed by Martin Barry. Nice to sing Greater love and the new Klais organ is impressive. Chris the organist is moving to Liverpool cathedral and wears hearing aids. A fine Crichton lecture by Father Daniel O'Leary - more of a talk on the heart of liturgy. After compline to station and we waited for train and changed at Chesterfield. Nice to see people again and home about 11.30 p.m.

Watched programme on young nuns on Saturday night. Clocks went back but woke several times in the morning. At Coulsdon we sang The eternal gifts and Give me the wings to "San Rocco". The service definitely started early as there was not enough time to play all of Howells Sine nomine prelude. Home for lunch and listened to radio programme about William James Varieties of religious experience and started to read the lectures. All Souls service at Coulsdon - sang Ps !21 to Walford Davies chant and Faure Pie Jesu. I played Vierne Epitaphe and Angels farewll of Elgar. Watched Antiques roadshow.

To 8 a.m. mass at St Mary's - Canon Collins at back, Fr David still using old text although copies of new one available. Shocked to find the acclamations are completely changed! Why? A penance. Choir back and sang Jubilate Deo by Mozart. Kids rehearsed and on great form. Practised Elgar and Bach. I played Walton Spitfire march and RAF march past and Dambusters march as it was Battle of Britain Sunday, also racial awareness Sunday and 9/11 commemorated after 10 years in New York and London.

Early start as first service at 9.30. We sang Beatitudes to Greek chant really well! At second service with Royal British legion a good bugler but not told we were starting as late as possible so played Thalben-Ball Elegy, Solemn melody, Nimrod and Willan on St Anne and they came in in silence! Pie Jesu of Faure went really well (2 part version), St Anne fugue at the end. To Memorial hospital Shooters Hill an hour's drive in time for lunch and saw the memorial. To Firepower museum Woolwich for interfaith service with film. Fr Scanlon led it. National anthem to a recording did not work - band too slow and ran out of music in verse 2. Cup of tea and Hindu contact and Peace pagoda monk there so asked about a visit. Home and not to evensong - bit tired!

Ciarán slept from 7 to 7 a.m. and was perfectly happy to see us when he woke. I drove to Coulsdon taking in stops at home to try and find the charger for the hedge trimmer (it was in the car all the time!) We sang Gibbons Almighty and everlasting God and I marked 70 years since the Battle of Britain with Walton's Spitfire prelude, Eric Coates Dambusters march and the RAF Marchpast. I got my Fair trade items and practised with Molly. Mass at Purley was rather long thanks to a sermon for Racial Justice Sunday and the David Palmer band and choir. 2 fine Haas psalms and "Sing of the Lord's goodness". Saw Bill and Christine. Lou and Tom returned and Ciarán cried but was soon OK. We had an excellent lunch at the Station House - roast beef and pizza with nutella, banana and cream! We were home by 7.30 and watched a tribute to Dame Vera Lynn who is 92!