The organist librarian

To Riverside Winds delightful concert at St John Upper Norwood. A remarkable flute solo "The great train ride" and Rimsky-Korsakov piano and wind quintet. Served at Malta Day Mass with Cardinal Grech. It was chaotic! The French boys were back at Mass - 16 servers!! Callum Alger has started - welcome! The Prom tonight is Mozart, Strauss and Beethoven. Watched Sir Simon Rattle conducting Belshazzar's Feast, Koechlin and Varese.Played Elgar Chanson de Matin. Pomp and circumstance No. 1. We sang David Ogden Christ has no body which reminds me of Audrey Kempson whose funeral I played for. 3 in choir and Revd Sarah Goatcher gave a good sermon and had liaised with junior church as they were looking at Onesimus and modern slavery. Loved the prom BBC So with Sakari Oramo. Sibelius 5 which I love, Andriessen, Judith Weir, Night on a bare mountain. New respect for Canterbury Philharmonia tackling this work so well with many tempo changes although Sakari was faster! Have really enjo...

Swam, Mass, new watchstrap at Aurum, Post Office, no art. Scores to Westminster music library and was relieved to find the Webern on the shelf. I knew I had returned it! Peter Jones to get memory card for my Amazon Fire so the 10 hours flights can be eased a bit, lemon meringue bar and tea. Yummy! Had booked for V and A Frida Kahlo. Too crowded and what are looking at? Photos, videos, dresses, some paintings, prosthetics? Did not like the post miscarriage lithograph. The attitude to religion is weird as Kahlo rejected her faith. Retablos are votive paintings which should be in churches. How did they get them? Why did they collect them? Primitivism? I conclude that the purpose of all this is so the shops to sell a lot of colourful stuff. It is not about art at all! Don't go. Have a look at the book in the shop. Henry came - Dennis has tummy bug. Packed. Listened to Verdi requiem from Prom. On Iplayer Ravel with Magdalena Kozena and Sir Simon Rattle and the LSO.

Imperial War museum for Age of terror. Perhaps what is not shown is more disturbing but I thought one film of men searching women very distressing.  Beautiful Pergolesi Stabat mater at St Matthew Westminster with Susanna Groome and Sarah Shipton and Matthew Jorsyz on the organ. What can I say about the moving part 2 of St Matthew passion conducted by Simon Rattle at Sisters of St Andrew Blackheath? So beautifully and devotionally performed.Took Dennis Woodhouse to the last of the Pivotal players at Anerley on G.K.Chesterton who I fear not many read nowadays - Sean says style is very florid.

Grouted 2 mosaics messy job. To Sisters of St Andrew Blackheath for beautiful and disturbing meditations on the passion and part 1 of Bach St Matthew dramatised and conducted by Simon Rattle. Superb. To Norwood council at Mike's - meal cancelled. Colin proposed that negotiations start with Beckenham about amalgamation!

No bells Patronal Feast St John. Played Bach prelude for New Year, Gordon Phillips The holly and the ivy, Le Beque Noel Pier nobis and John Cook Paean on Divinum mysterium for which I got some applause! I walked to Norwood Junction as there was a match and got buses back as train was cancelled.  To East Dulwich playhouse to see the Berlin Philharmonic New Year concert live which will be Sir Simon Rattle's last. An enjoyable programme with Joyce Didonato singing Strauss and Bernstein superbly although subtitles would have been helpful. Dvorak, Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Bernstein and Brahms. Great to see Sue Carroll there - we missed this last year as we were flying to Singapore. Enjoyed 2 hours of Victoria.

After swim and Mass I finally got to Halfords to get a new interior light bulb. They do not take out interior lenses as they easily break but they lent me a plastic prong and I got it out. I then realised I was in the back and the childlocks were on so had to climb over into the front seat. It must have looked very funny. They did not have the bulb but the scrapyard across the road did! Let there be light!  David Hill played brilliantly and musically at St Michael Cornhill. The Bach was the last piece my Dad played before he had the second stroke fantasia on Komm heiliger Geist, Willan, Karg-Elert and Francis Jackson.The Jackson was his doctorate piece and it is very fine. To Guildhall gallery to see Nature morte and Barbican music library to see Sir Simon Rattle exhibition.  Thanks to  Jonathan Rennert  for telling us about Monday choral evensong at 6 at St Michael Cornhill I enjoyed the Howells and Bainton. Well done tenors! The sermon was rather good. Do we reall...

To Mass. Watched Victoria and Proms extra, also Gurrelieder from Prom. Setting up new dashcam. Ordered new printer. Liz's laptop has come. Haydn No 88 from the Concertgebouw and interview with Alan Hollinghurst. Mass for the circle at Addsicombe and I was asked to take up the gifts. Fr Keith attended the meeting in the hall and 2 new guys came along plus Beckenham and Terry. Tells me Fr Joe said the transition to Fr Keith would be a lot easier than his arrival! And who's fault was that? Sean had his home visit and did really well. Louise home.   Listened to Dvorak 8 from the Prom. LPO and Jurowski gave an interesting Russian programme with thrilling Shostakovich 11. The violin concerto no 1 of Prokofiev did not come over well.  It seems the 30 minute cutoff and noisy shoes moans at the Proms feedback meeting were dismissed. I agree a guide to promming would be a good idea as people do NOT know how to behave. A manager talked to us in the queue and got the feeling of our disco...

Liz went to Saturday's Prom of Gurrelieder and I listened on phone and at home. During the day I watched the TV Proms of Eroica and Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass and the sweet makers. We had a Milan seminarian called Manolo serving at Mass. He was in a lay group at the Duomo for 10 years.  A marathon of 3 proms. Drove to Caterham as buses replaced trains and parked at Royal Albert hall. 40 miles. I played Dad's Bishopthorpe suite and Liszt on Arcadelt's Ave Maria. The orgelbuchlein Prom was excellent at 1 p.m. and really loved the Passion selections at 3.30. Lovely St John Passion - Sophie Beavan sublime. Lucy Winkett commented on how we need to own this music as it has been taken over by professionals. Met Rita Day and Jenny Stirling.

18/9 10.15 mass celebrated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan who seemed in a hurry. Lots of screens, organ and choir loud, cantor not good. Met Michael assistant organist and will be in touch. Baguette and coffee at Cafe Bouchon. Lego shop. Paley centre for media Startrek gallery and cartoon films. Joey Falco playing at St Patrick's Demessiux, Howells, Franck. very large acoustic and huge sounds. Met him and he has not been to London. To Museum of modern art Matisse, Picasso, Kai Althoff, collection of junk! Bruce Connery It 's all true disturbing films, maybe was well named. Ate at Xian Famous foods tasty and cheaper. To St Thomas 5th avenue met Prof Marcia in the queue inter cultural studies at New York university. superb concert St Thomas choir, orchestra of St Luke's cond by Sir Simon Rattle with Daniel Hyde. lark ascending, Elgar serenade, Faure requiem Daniel Moore exc soloist. Daniel played Bach on new Dobson organ. What a treat and thought of Lyn -funeral today and Lpuise ...

Canon Christopher conducted a moving Requiem mass for Abi's father who died aged only 54 - lots of school friends memories. We went to the party in the Gallery Prommers queue and Liz stayed for the Berlin Phil prom. I went to Serpentine Sackler gallery and served at Mass with Fr Brian and the 3 boys are back, Nice to see Fr  Andrew Gallagher  back with us and Fr Chris says he will be back at Christmas.

Back to swmming. Returned scores to CML and did some welcoming at the cathedral but I had to give in as my right knee was playing up. Early at the hall and it was cold and damp. No talk to go to - ticket only quiz. Berln Philharmonic with Rattle Mahler 7 amazing, Boulez Eclat autograph score which I managed to follow most of the time! Home to listen to late prom. Elliot Carter and Boulez with scores but neither appealed! 

Lovely visit to Christmas at Kew in pouring rain with  Louise Maher   Tom Maher Bruce Woodhouse  Ciaran and Sean. Really enjoyed it especially the carousel! New Year's Eve concert live from the Berlin Philharmonic with Sir Simon and Anne-Sophie  Mutter on great form. Massenet, Chabrier, Ravel, Saint-Saens and Poulenc. Met Sue and Brian Carroll. Good meal at Strada Clapham Common.

Swam 24. Wrote 3 articles based on my notes from meetings. Liz went to Earlsfield for pedicure. Watched Wolf Hall, good programme on Simon Rattle and Come dine with me and listened to 2 evensongs St John's and Windsor both excellent. To Heythrop to pick up 4 books for the Jerusalem course which Larry issued for me. To Gate picturehouse and met a nice lady as I was early. I must remember not to sit in the back row as people go to the loo and a woman came in late and dumped next to me. The ROH live production was excellent and Bryn Terfel was splendid. Peter Rose, Adrianne Pieczonka and Ed Lyon all most impressive not forgetting Catherine Wyn-Rogers and Michael Kónig. Andris Nelsons quite rightly included the chorusmaster in the lineup for bows. It was quite riveting and no interval! To Acton and Liz picked me up. Wednesday Ciaran was again a bit off with me. Sean was on fine form and shouted out in the silence at music "Was that a fire engine Grandad?" Had lunch at Waterm...

Lie-in so no swim. Listened to Salome from the Prom with the vocal score -  a splendid performance.  After lunch watered the garden and went to Central music library. I got to the hall at 3.45 and the talk was about Philip Larkin featuring Andrew Motion. Excellent. A very fine Prom conducted by Simon Rattle of Rachmaninov and the Firebird with full score. Liz was babysitting as Louise went to Budapest. Watched some University challenges.

It is weeks since I went swimming. As I have had a chesty cough and cold it is not a good idea and I have been waking in the early morning. I do seem to have lost some weight since Christmas 10:2 at the moment. Monday 30th took Bruce and EJ to IKEA and Boots in pouring rain and they went to the National Portrait Gallery. Liz and I went to Clapham Picturehouse to see Saving Mr Banks which was excellent. Fascinating the clash over what should be done to Mary Poppins - do children want a softer version? Excellent songs and the flashbacks to Australia were very well done. Home to see Sacred Wonders of Britain. 31st grouted the mosaics I made yesterday - Bruce kindly cut the MDF for me. I have now made 3 of the Walsingham ones and 2 Keep calm and pray. Bruce and EJ went over to Louise and Tom's as they had a baby sitter. We went to the Clapham Picturehouse for 4.30 to see the Berlin Philharmonic New Year concert live conducted by Sir Simon Rattle OM with Lang Lang playing Prokofiev 3. ...

Unsurprisingly we woke later than expected and drove to Elmers End to get train to Lewisham. The signage there was nil so instead of getting the DLR to Greenwich we got a train to Blackheath and a bus then walked in the rain to the park where we went through security smoothly and got a buggy ride to the actual venue at 10 a.m. I have complained about Lewisham. The volunteers were again great and really enjoyed watching the dressage with the music. Storm came over so got wet again then it cleared up but windy. Decided not to visit Maritime Museum exhibition on the river and long walk to DLR Greenwich and to Lewisham and train back. Had lunch and then off to pre Prom talk with 3 members of the Berlin Phil all from Massachusetts! They were not very forthcoming but learnt a bit about the Ligeti. The Berlin Phil played superbly for Simon Rattle - Wagner, Sibelius 4, Debussy Jeux and Ravel. No encore! Packed. Chatted to June and Spanish lady. Liz fell asleep and missed the 20 minute deadline...

Tuesday swam 28. Painted the bottom of the front garden wall and the porch floor looks great. Did some reading. Liz was busy in the garden. To first meeting of cathedral group Foretaste of heaven led by Mary Maxwell. Tina and Colette and we met in room 1 which is awful. Colette adamant communion is not a sharing or a meal! Oh dear! I will be missing 2 sessions any way. To Heythrop and met Kim Burke on the tube. At 5 5 of is gathered for coffee in the dining room as a result of my initiative and i invited another 3 later on - a useful chat. Damian covered phenomenology and Tony hermeneutics and Paul Ricoeur. Heavy going. Watched The Duchess about Georgina Duchess of Devonshire. Wednesday lie-in as not babysitting and had new bread, lemon curd and tea in bed! Chat to Ann. Did some more reading and watched Simon Rattle conduct the Berlin Phil in Madrid - superb Rachmaninov 2. To Heythrop for seminar CCID on spirit in Islam - Dr Hugh Boulter from Oxford diocese. Most interesting bits were...

Swam 22. To St George's Beckenham for Peter Cook's recital. Nick Wibberley and Nigel Groome there. Nice programme based around dance - Camidge, Lang, Lemmens ending up the Petercuk waltz tibia sound and Harry Potter. He lives in Wimbourne and says the Minster choir no longer good now Chris Dowie has given up. Bought flowers at M & S and visited Beckenham bookshop (now reopened) and suggested Isabel Losada visit them to promote the shop. Listened to Mahler 8 from Berlin conducted by Simon Rattle - lovely! Could have seen it at cinema last week!

Picked up Dennis and AnnMarie from Tulse Hill late Friday. Fallback a couple of times today and gradually catching up! To Tooting to Mass - priest is hard to understand. Home by 8 and Berlin Philharmonic with Sir Simon Rattle - Wagner, Strauss 4 last songs with Karita Mattila in purple dress on BBC2.

Another day at home missing the meeting of senior staff. My back is much better. I watched an old HDD of Sir Simon Rattle conducting Mozart and Debussy at the 2006 proms! Also went through lots of old magazines chucking out a lot of paper and noting dates, interesting London organs, Catenian events, etc. Liz has done a lot of work on the garden.