The organist librarian

Liz went to see Clare. I practised on the piano including the Elgar Vesper voluntaries two of which Peter played yesterday. Watched the rest of the tribute to Max. Designed Catenian presentation and ordered photo frames. Hannah arrived at Clare's and asked for a lift to Mass (!) so instead of going on the train, I drove up. It poured coming home and we went on a windy route. Fr Brian preached really well. Watched the end of Quartet - lovely film and booked for the night at Hythe. Paul O'Grady and the Salvation Army is a good series.

Swam 20, grouted 3 mosaics and then to St Michael Cornhill for Kevin Bowyer's recital which was not Widor 5 but some interesting smaller items. I wish recitalists would use the microphone! Bought wood and cut it to patch up bottom of shed. Very hot! Had a chat to Ann and they had found Frank  William Woodhouse at Canberra ANZAC museum and sent great photos. Both went to iftar at Notting Hill Unitarian small Sufi group nice chanting and hot food, Habib and Alan were there. Home by 11.30 and slept downstairs.

Took the boys to Crystal palace to see the dinosaurs. Once we reached the sandpit I left to get the train from the station  - quite  a walk to get there. I collected Liz's camera from Peter Jones - 10 minute wait! Popped into Holy Trinity and saw Tak Man Chow and Peter practising with Margaret Phillips for recital today. The Prom at Cadogan hall was Ben Grosvenor playing Chopin, Mompou, Ravel, Judith Weir and Liszt. He is excellent. The man next to me told me about drawing sessions at the National Gallery at 1 p.m. on Fridays - his name is Roger. Saw John East and Colin Hartley and his wife. Listened to Walton symphony No. 1 from the Proms and Peter Maxwell Davies Prom. To Catenians and one visiting gentleman Anthony Sorrell was there. Nice to see Gerry Haines again and Derrick spoke about family history. Picked up Liz who had driven the boys home and went to the RPO's Prom.

Swam 21. To art and only 4 there - did blue on picture and need to buy cerulean and lemon yellow which Norma lent me. Our pictures come down at the library tomorrow. To the tip and pait into landfill but at least lamp will be recycled. To B and Q and bought wood. 5 assistants all said try this aisle or that only one actually went to look and none tried their computers for clearseal. I ordered it from Amazon. Pizza for lunch. Preprom was 3 Peter Maxwell Davies chamber works and he was interviewed. Everyone likes him but find the music odd. Saw Michael Barnes briefly - rain coming on. BBC Phil Finlandia, Maxwell Davies Symphony no. 5 (shades of Shostakovich?) Bridge Oration and Sibelius 2. Cello encore Hindemith sonata. Spoilt by man next to me eating a roll and coughing without any attempt at muffling it. He followed the score on laptop - furious with him. Home by 11 and Liz watching Bake off.

Up at 8 to go to Cadogan Hall to get tickets. Met lady from interfaith group at bus stop who told me Ivor has shingles. Saw Rosa and lady from Chile in the queue. To cathedral to take Liz's robes and signed 2 Pax christi petitions. Saw Rose and William. To Clapham Junction - new ring will take 2 weeks to be made smaller. To Kensington Chimes shop and the hall to get seat ticket (first in queue). RGS Travel photographer of the year - excellent photos. Sketching silver at V and A and close look at the miniatures which are breathtaking. To Cadogan Hall and saw Hannah. Lapland Chamber orchestra (none of whom come from Lapland!) conducted by John Storgards. CPE Bach, Honegger and Sibelius Rakastava. Hakan Hardenberger played Birtwistle and PMaxwell Davies Sinfonia - both composers are 80 and were present. Incredible trumpet part but neither work is pleasing in any way! Fr John at vespers and Mass and we were late so abandoned trying to get to the hall. Listened on radio Berlioz, Sea pi...

Interesting exhibition about the organ with videos and 4 wondrous machines. Radio 3 In tune in the foyer and chatted to Robert Fraser. Saw Drew Cantrill and Liz and I ate at Giraffe. Alas I misread the programme and did not realise the talk was in the QEH so we listened to the youth choirs instead. The concert was brilliant with John Scott (immaculate Bach Passacaglia) Jane Parker-Smith (Franck Fantaisie showing off the colours) David Goode and the diminutive Isabelle Demers (Mendelssohn and Dupre). New works by Maxwell Davies and Tavener were effective. Alison Balsom played Bach brilliantly. Gigout with brass ensemble was a great start. Surprised to see Jane Allen there, also Chris Town, Geoff and Andy Scott.

Heard the rest of the programme on Music and Silence. It seems one should wear hearing aids as soon as you need them otherwise there will be more cognitive loss. To hearing aid clinic and got more batteries and tubes. Shopped at Tesco for Liz - horrid "Silent night" sung by some woman and everything has been moved! Worked on coursework 2 on Francis Clooney. Evensong from Westminster Abbey featuring Peter Maxwell Davies setting of Rowan Williams "Advent calendar" from Choirbook for the Queen.

Swam 24 and Liz came - water cold again the air conditioning was on! Worked on essay. Liz went to get flowers and served at Aid to the church in need Mass with Bishop Declan Lang. I went to St Alphege near Southwark station for the forum meeting. Useful exchange of news and met Julie Siddiqui, Barbara Kentish, Tim Clapton. Barry Mizen, Phil Rosenberg and Siriol were there too. To Tate Modern to see Damien Hirst but unimpressed - why would anyone pay good money for this stuff? Liked the butterflies room and the butterfly paintings but hated the diamond encrusted skull. Home to do more work and listened to The Choir - Peter Maxwell Davies work for choir and organ. I am now a local leader for London2012 and got my first Olympic flag today.

We started with I look from afar by Palestrina and sang the Wood in the Phrygian mode setting and Martin How's Advent message. I played Peeters on Conditor alme and Lloyd Webber on Helmsley. Baptism well attended - even people in the gallery! Bought some cakes. Kids singing well. To lunch at Exhibition Room Crystal Palace - lovely beef and chocolate brownie. Bit annoyed by service charge being added on but lovely food and good to see them. Advent carols from St John's included Giles Swayne and Jonathan Harvey. To Southwark cathedral for carols - candle burnt right down! Wesley The Wilderness, This is the record of John and Boyce Where shall wisdom be found. The new Maxwell Davies Advent calendar written for the Queen's Jubilee choir book is effective. The 2 choirs were joined by the choir from Richmond, Virginia. Great hymns and super Bach Toccata in F at the end. Liz went to Advent carols at South Norwood baptist church. Antiques roadshow.

Woke around 6 a.m. and went back to bed and had breakfast with Ciarán. Tom still asleep! No trains so various buses to arrive at the hall by 10 a.m. for roll call. Chatting with Peter and then to Marks Kensington High street for coffee and shopping - apparently this is their best day for wine! Sat in very nice garden behind St Mary Abbots in memory of Alec Clifton-Taylor. Got sticky tape for hat decorations. Back for 3 p.m. roll call and then stayed in queue. Amazing outfits especially Germans and lots to eat. Had cava. Went in at 6 p.m. and rehearsed Maxwell Davies new work with words written by Prommers. Stephen Jackson hopeless! Got a very good position on the rail at centre and young family near us. Several people who came on the day. It seems only 30 full seasons were issued for the gallery so we were very lucky! Many people had to buy 2 half seasons not including the Last Night. Maxwell Davies piece in tribute to prommers collecting for musical charities. Bartok Miraculous manda...

34 lengths as it was busy although I did get on the left hand side against the rope which was nice. Work experience Alex useless and refusing to do things again! He finished Friday - 4 days was quite enough. When asked if I would do a report I replied "Only if I have to!" "Will you miss me?" "Oh, yes!". 2 possible volunteers came in but neither of them very available at the moment although they are off school! Some of the younger generation just don't try! Alexander McCall Smith's "Corduroy Mansions" had me in fits of laughter! Home to watch on BBC4 the prom - BBC Philharmonic conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. Mendelssohn Italian symphony (with my score which is an interesting Norton with 4 pages of miniature score to a page and themes highlighted) Maxwell Davies Roma amor (I fell asleep in this but caught up with it later) magnificent Respighi Pines of Rome and Rossini arias sung by Alaskan soprano Vivica Genaux. She has a fine mezzo color...