The organist librarian

A busy day! Festival of St Cecilia at the Abbey. Glorious new Chilcott anthem and Blessed city. Great hymns How shall I sing, O praise ye the Lord, Christ is made the sure foundation. Bruckner Christus factus est. Sitting in the nave we got a lot of organ but the violin solo was great - Jennifer Pike. Sermon from Bishop of London was a tad disappointing and who is Daniel Barenboom? It's Barenboom. Lunch at Methodist Central Hall with Barbara from mosaic and her Polish friends.Welsh Chapel Asher Oliver played Bruhns and Franck it was interesting to hear them again but on a very different organ. Splendid Bach. Queens gallery George IV excellent. 7 came to the group to hear Raya. Holy Trinity Sloane Square Samuel Ali Brahms and Bach very good. Tea at Peter Jones prior to the revolte tonight. UK premiere of Guillou's La Revolte des orgues at the drome. I liked the percussion and watching the conductor but more noise does not mean music. International players playing tiddly bits? U...

Liz to station and short swim. To St Chad's for Mass for Grainne Kedves-Constantinides birthday. Priest could not pronounce the name! St Cecilia festival at St Paul's. RVW, Stanford, Parry and Thea Musgrave. Nice to see Carl Jackson in the procession! The Anglo-Saxon exhibition at the British Library is a must see! Bishop John Sherrington gave a most interesting presentation and discussion on Amoris laetitia. Chester Zoo programme. 

Swam 30! Listened to Liverpool cathedral evensong from yesterday - Vaughan Williams, Whitlock and Howells - who could ask for better on this special day! So sad about the General Synod decision against women bishops - how disappointing and out of touch can you be? Went in good time to rehearse for Mass as Westminster cathedral tour was off (pity about that as I had bought the guidebook but maybe I can volunteer as a verger/guide next year). Ended up rehearsing harmonies of Praise my soul and Hail redeemer King divine. The psalm which was about singing was said - why? Jerry is lazy that's why! 2 plainchant chunks sung by soloists from gallery. We did not even run through Proulx Alleluia! Fr Michael Barnes gave a brilliant homily on interfaith - first time I have ever heard one at Mass. To coffee and chat about Synod decision. Took my cartoon to Lion office and met Daniel Tripp at last - he edits culture features. My review of art exhibitions is published! To library and lots of re...

To Westminster Abbey - I was late so was greeted by the Dean in full rigout! A splendid service with msuic by Palestrina and Child. Wesley's Ascribe unto the Lord and a stunning commission Vast ocean of light from Jonathan Dove. The hymns were the Old 100th, I heard the voice of Jesus say and O praise ye the Lord. Horrid Messiaen at the end! Saw Adrian, Terence, bass from the Nicholson singers, Dorio and Anne Walsh from interfaith group. It doesn't work as well in the Abbey. Good sermon from Lord Griffiths. I did not get to speak to John Hawes. Nearly walked into Whitehall and missed student protests - police closed it off so tube to Temple for Matthew Martin's recital of Peeters, Schumann and Francis Pott Toccata. Oliver Brett was there.

July 30th set off from Munich to Oberammergau in the Bavarian Alps. Lovely 4 star hotel at Bad Kohlgrub which made up for not staying in the village. We had a large suite with balcony - must be one of the best hotels we have ever stayed in. To Oberammergau for the play starting at 2 p.m. Audience of 4300 rapt by the fine chorus and orchestra and the enormous cast and stunning tableaux vivants. Supper at 5 and visited the Catholic church before the play and Lutheran communion service in the evening. Met Eleanor from the cathedral! Second half 7.30 to 10.30 - special blankets we had bought came in useful and tiny torches we had brought to follow the text. Taking Jesus down from the Cross was so calm and beautifully done - it was intensely moving and then came the Easter scene with echoes of the Vigil and candles in the darkness. So often the music exactly matched the mood. We were fortunate that a damp start cleared up although it got cold later on. Had hot chocolate at the hotel or rath...

Wednesday to St Paul's cathedral for the festival of St Cecilia. Nasty fanfare trumpets from the back of the nave. Alistair from the cathedral was there as part of the worshipful company of musicians and we also saw Sr Stella. Sitting halfway down the nave, the combined choirs of Westminster Abbey, Cathedral and St Paul's were too far to the left and the new console too prominent. The boys were on the floor and couldn't be seen at all. Excellent new anthem by Cecilia McDowell and Stanford For lo I raise up. Sermon on music in difficult times by the Revd Dr Carolyn Hammond Dean of Gonville and Caius Cambridge. 3 good hymns "Thy hand O God" (Basil Harwood's anniversary) God is love and There's a wideness to Coverdale Maurice Bevan's tune. Chris Hollis told me later that Martin Baker could not hear the organ from the console! Canon Christopher and Fr Swavek spotted us! To Southwark Bridge to find 344 bus stop not working and works on the bridge. Eventua...

Very sad to hear of the passing of Martin Hall former chairman of SSG. I often use the litle prayer he suggested before playing the organ "St Cecilia pray for me". She will be welcoming him to his reward. Such a nice man and a Catenian. Also learnt of the passing of Bunty Phillips - such a lovely little lady and a great support to Derek. Martin's funeral is when we are in Istanbul and so is his circle meeting. Derek rang and asked me to play at Bunty's funeral which I am pleased to be able to do on Feb 19th at 12 noon. Liz will be in Ireland with Ann Marie.

To Westminster Abbey for the annual St Cecilia service. We were in the nave so saw little. Splendid Purcell Hear my prayer, Palestrina, new Gabriel Jackson piece very lovely, Elgar "Give unto the Lord" and Lift high the cross to Nicholson's tune. Buxtehude Toccata in F at the end. Saw Tom from chorus and Martin Ball and we went to Nicholson's grave. Also Clementi's and Sir William McKie. To Tate modern to see the crack in the floor - rather scary since I had a fall recently. Louise Bourgeois some very fine carving but rather obsessed by genitalia and spiders and secret rooms - bit creepy. All the world's a stage would be worth visiting again. Members room has fine view of St Paul's. Interfaith group 3 came and they stayed for Sharing in his life session 4. Lively discussion about ecumenism and other faiths. Nobody turned up for Justice and Peace meeting - Holy Land pilgrimage this week. Served at Pax Christi mass for Franz Jaegerstatter - Bishop McMahon, B...

An absolutely splendid day with the choirs of St John's and St Michael's, West Croydon joining the choir of St Stephen's for evensong, a scrumptious tea and a meditation about angels. The link between the 3 churches is that john Loughborough Pearson designed them all. We set off by coach at 9.30 a.m. and reached Bournemouth at 12.30 p.m. The weather was dull until the evening. The church is very fine but not as big as either of the Croydon buildings. Percy Whitlock played here and the organ is tucked away high above the choir. Christopher Moore was on great form at the organ. A beautiful Easter garden complete with the symbols of the Passion, a lovely Lady statue and a tasteful display about St Cecilia! The singing was splendid with the massed choirs enjoying Stanford in A, Bairstow's Blessed City, Howells Magnificat Coll Reg, Stanford in B flat Te Deum, Faire is the heaven of Harris, Let all mortal flesh by Bairstow, And I saw another angel by Stanford. There could per...