The organist librarian

Another warm day so at lunchtime walked to St Mary's to find out where their oasis garden is. A code is needed and I met John Rattray in the street who told me how it works! I need another pair of sandals but there is no shoe shop in Balham. I did enquire in the picture framers about estimates. I am planning to alternate pictures in the lounge - change one each month as we have so many! Spoke to all staff on duty. To St Anselm Tooting - Nigerian priest going back to Rome so he got a clap. It's the first sign of celebration I have seen at this Mass which is deadly dull. I could not hear the prayers at all. Philhomena was there and reported she had seen Doris who has had bone marrow transplant. Listened to Dr Who prom which included for some unknown reason Walton's Portsmouth Point overture. Much of the Dr Who music sounds like Merlin - the kids were enjoying it. The Proms message board had some rude remarks about dumbing down but I see no harm in it. In the course of the eve...

Mosaic from Palermo Just back from Coulsdon where everything went really well. John brought his flute and we started in the hall with Wilson's Hosanna to the Son of David. because of the atrocious weather we processed through the corridor to the church with the flute giving great support to "All glory Laud and honour". I insisted on this being in B flat so it did not go too high. We sang Bairstow in E flat which is such a fine setting - pity the Benedictus got left out - what better day to sing Hosannas! The Passion was read by lots of readers. Vicky preached on Holy Week itself. At communion we sang "Is it nothing to you?" by Ouseley with a real sense of the sorrow in the music. We also had verse 1 of "O sacred head" . After "Ride on" I played "Tears of grief" from Bach's St Matthew Passion. After coffee I practised - odd to be playing Easter music today! At the cathedral Thomas sang the Passion with Deacon Ed and one of the la...

Here is the St Andrew’s Coulsdon March 2008 Music list included so you can read the text of today's new anthem by David Ogden based on St Anselm The gospel acclamations for Eastertide are from Music for the Parish Communion by Martin How. The Alleluias in the Easter season will be the Celtic Alleluia by Fintan O’Carroll Mar 2nd Fourth Sunday of Lent Mothering Sunday Parade service We are called to reconciliation with God Organ: Meditation on Arcadelt’s “Ave Maria” Franz Liszt 222(i); Psalm 34 v 11-20 (Ouseley); 376; CP 238 (tune 188); 39 As a mother cradles her child David Ogden Ave Maria Jakob Arcadelt Organ: Fantasia in C minor Johann Sebastian Bach March 9th Fifth Sunday of Lent We are called to find new life in Christ Organ: Prelude “O man thy grievous sin bemoan” Johann Sebastian Bach Kyries and acclamations from Mass in the Phrygian mode Charles Wood 97; Ps 130 (Purcell) CP 103 (tune 149); 99 (ii); 95 God so loved the world John Stainer Organ: Prelude on “R...