The organist librarian

Harvest so we sang Greene Thou visitest the earth. I played Peeters on Wir plufgen, Statham on Monkland and Recessional on St George by Vernon Griffiths. We sang For the fruits but to Ar hyd y nos. Liz came for the harvest lunch and Julie entertained us with poems and 3 flute pieces. Richard Sutton conducted evensong and John Pritchard played. Sumsion in G, Attwood Teach me O Lord, Benediction. Nice to see Nicholas Ansdell-Evans and his mother.

The large choir of King Edward's school Witley sang well at Mass. Schubert, Bruckner and Bainton. Wettest day so far missed bus so train and replacement bus to Caterham. We sang Campion Never weather-beaten sail and I played Griffiths on Regent Square and Andrew Fletcher Impromptu. Great final evensong for Adrian and lovely party. Great to see so many from the past. Stanford, Bruckner and Elgar Great is the Lord. It was all rather loud and lots of timpani from Paul Brough.

Trains replaced by buses from Purley. For the Assumption played Ave Marias by Bach/Gounod and Schubert and Vernon Griffiths on Maria zu leben. We had a procession and we sang Lourdes Gloria and Gathering Mass which went really well, Simon Lindley's lovely Ave Maria. Dandrieu on Ave maris stella. Drinks in the vicarage garden and we had lunch in our garden.  An interesting interview with Charlotte Bray and we heard 3 chamber works which I rather preferred to her new cello concerto. At last a Haydn symphony played by BBC SO conduted by Oramo and a fine Mahler 5.

The psalm was as I expected pretty disastrous. Bill has had his op but not well enough to come. Shirley arrived at 9.20 and we went through it. When she went down to the lectern there were people abut and I do not think they helped at all. We went through it again at the organ which meant I only played one voluntary. The warning buzzer is working and is loud! Phillipa arrived at ths point so the situation was one singer who had rehearsed but is new to all this plus 2 who had not rehearsed together. Leon went through it on Tuesday. They stood in front of the lectern so all I could hear was Leon on the loop. The main problem was starting! By the third verse things were more confident. The alleluya Leon was of course busy so I played and sang loudly. In future it will be done upstairs or said. After service we rehearsed psalm for next week, Camino Kyries, Salazar Gloria and On Christmas night. I did play Griffiths on Maria zu leben and Lloyd Webber on Hemsley. I copied my contract and pu...

played Bach Ich ruf zu dir, Vernon Griffiths on Maria zu leben and the Toccata and Fugue in D minor today. Watched the service for Afghanistan. Andrew Carwood sais yesterday the Queen was 8 minutes early hence the wait at the start for the first hymn? The Harris, Durufle and Vaughan Williams were all beautifully sung and the Archbishop gave an excellent sermon. Those of other faiths joined the bishop at the end! Watched programme on the racist Smethwick election and Indian summers. I went to Lent group and Father John not there. At evensong we sang Rachmaninov Bogoroditse. 

I played pieces on Dominus regit me by Willan and Vernon Griffiths and Worthy is the Lamb. £139 collected at Lewisham maternity unit for Tommys! To Homebase to get paint and then a lovely roast lunch at Oval Lounge. To LAMAG event on faiths and education. Sarah Thorley and Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi - most interesting. Hard to sketch him as he kept moving about! Jeremy Rodell was there so booked July date. Fr Adrian McKenna-White was very chatty. I sang at evensong. Eyre in D did not inspire and Weelkes Hosanna was just loud. Nice Dandrieu on O filii. Gareth was there. To Christ's chapel Dulwich for RCO 150th anniversary recital of Handel by Catherine Ennis. Watched QI.

Last night watched Crusades part 2. Woke at 6.20 and dozed off. At Cousldon the new booklet was a great help. We sang Nunc dimittis to the Dyce chant unaccompanied and for the procession "When candles are lighted". Virgin born we bow before thee arranged by Greening. I played Bach, Griffiths and Moore and practised Toccata in D minor.

At Coulsdon only 5 in choir but we sang "Most ancient of all mysteries" arranged by Greening and "Father we adore you". I played Willan and Vernon Griffiths on "Nicaea" and Ley on "Down Ampney" as "Come down O love divine" was missed last Sunday. Straight to Selhurst to get train to Victoria to be at 12 noon mass - Fr Michael Durand not coping too well with all those steps. Eleanor cantor in Lourdes setting. Louise Sage there. Bus to Royal Academy was diverted because of big Sikh demo in Piccadilly. The Friends preview of the summer exhibition was pretty crowded. Some fine pictures especially a Venice scene in Sickert style and Damien Hirst's St Sebastian. The people more interesting! Jug of Pimms for £18 - obscene! Liked the prints exhibition by Richard Austin from the 1930s and 1940s. To evensong at St John's where we sang Wood Coll Reg and Stainer "I saw the Lord" which is always fun! Watched The Apprentice final (e...

Choir sang Bob Chilcott's "The Lord is my shepherd" beautifully accompanied by piano. Nicolai was baptised by Teresa - she used to teach his Mum! We sang "The king of love" and I played Vernon Griffiths and Healey Willan's voluntaries on "Dominus regit me". We also sang Brother James Air. I practised Mendelssohn 4 beforehand and played "Worthy is the Lamb " at the end. I came away quickly as there is a football match - coaches in Whitworth Road causing chaos! Watched "All the small things".