The organist librarian

Unpacked and Ocado delivered so put all that away. Washing on the line but it rained later on. Liz went to take Henry swimming as Dennis hurt eye and AnnMarie had an infected insect bite but it wasn't happening so they went to Crystal Palace park. Fr Rajiv at Mass and he requested quicker moves as he has to cut his homily every week! I said we were obsessed with the length of Mass whereas in India time was not important!  Michael Butterfield has gone to Truro as acting assistant director of music. Watched Sheku play Elgar superbly and with great feeling and Steinberg. Also Stephen Hough playing Mendelssohn and Prince Albert on a gold piano from Buckingham Palace. Excellent prom for Sir Henry Wood 150th including Ireland and Grainger. On Proms encore they used the footage of us crowning the bust! 

Woke late.  Watched Gergeiev and Gershwin proms on TV and university challenge and Come dine with me.  A very interesting discussion on the Devil with Revd Richard Coles and Imtiaz Dharker. A well attended Prom Prokofiev 3, Tchaikovsky Hamlet and Rachmaninov variations on a theme of Paganini played by Stephen Hough and BBC SO conducted by Alexander Vedernikov. It's been so hot today just flopped about in T shirt and shorts and sorted email network and chose some anthems! 

To Heythrop library as Michael could not see me today. Met Liz and the family at the gym where Ciaran had his tennis lesson and swam. Seán was very good and standing a lot.  To the hall and saw a lot of the familiar faces in the queue. Anderson Harmony well sung but diction not great. Britten sea interludes are now a modern classic. Stephen Hough played Rachmaninov and Lutoslawski variations on a theme of Paganini. The Sea symphony was excellent and the young chorus did really well. Met Dennis at Selhurst and took him to No.3 - he looks well. 

After the Ealing PMM day to Westminster cathedral for evensong sung by St Paul's. Howells Coll Reg and Poulenc Exultate Deo.Exc sermon about evensong quoting Stephen Hough and Betjeman. Martin Ball was there and I was sitting in front of our choir men! Liz went to the bunfight but I returned home and to choir practice.

The second Saturday on in a row of 4 was a glorious day and I enjoyed my time in the park! Said goodbye to Gillian who is going to the new Wandsworth Town library and gave her gladioli, chocolates and card - we will miss her. She has been with us nearly a year and is excellent - no need to ask her to do a display, she just does one! The free slk painting course is going well and Pat, Ann and Jean from tai chi asked for copies of the photo. We need a couple more to make up the numbers. Lorinda came in and was pleased to see the display of recipes for Jamie Oliver's competition "My Nan's recipes". She is doing a Battersea heritage trail and I gave her some ideas. To vespers (only 3 clergy there) and Mass with 3 visiting concelebrants. On way home heard the National Youth orchestra prom Tchaikovsky first piano concerto with Stephen Hough on blistering form, Lutoslawski concerto for orchestra and Respighi Roman Festivals on BBC2. The conductor Vasily Petrenko is not much ...

Peter comments on "I saw the Lord" which I agree is a wonderful anthem especially the final section "O Trinity, O Unity". I told Simple village organist in L.A. about the Beethoven 9 at the Royal festival hall jamboree next weekend with a colour-coded choir. Sopranos orange, altos green, basses brown (well what else!) and wait for it tenors ..... pink! I'm glad I'm not taking part - I have evensong to play for. Add to that it is in English (yuk!) The real opening concert features the 4th movement of the Beethoven in German conducted by Christoph von Dohnanyi. The Tablet has an article this week about "Alleluia" by Julian Anderson and a fine article by Stephen Hough about Elgar's Catholicism. Stephen was involved in the excellent Radio 4 morning worship on Sunday about Elgar and his Mass is to be sung at the Cathedral on Sunday.