The organist librarian

A fine homily from Fr Stuart Meyer at Mass today on the Gospel reflecting on how John Profumo and Jonathan Aitken gave so much to others after their disgrace. The media have a lot to answer for.  Unhappy to see crib at Mass. Why not close the curtains? Tree up as well.  Watched lovely programme on Sheku. Both of us  t o St Mary at Hill for a delightful concert by Follia featuring Telemann and Noels. I think I play some of them too quickly. Sam Stadlen outstanding on bass viol and he played an amazing piece by Marin Marais Les voix humaines. Great to see Yat-Soon Yeo. We were late thanks to trains and bus running late. Good practice for Tuesday's carols at Caterham. Surprised to find Brian putting up tree at same time but it did not bother us Tanya has arrived! Liz came.Got Radio Times and cake and pudding at Aldi. Sweetmakers at Christmas and Harrogate Christmas.

Woke at 3am yesterday no wonder I dropped off during Finding Vincent! 4 am today - Liz has a bad cough.  Ciaran spoke so well at assembly and it was all about baptism. The singing is much better. To Field's for eggs Benedict delicious. A great sendoff at the cathedral for Mgr Augustine Hoey who was 100. Faure requiem, Jerusalem the golden, Let all mortal flesh, Tell out my soul, Widor Toccata. To Courtauld to see Soutine portraits and drawings.  Follia really are an excellent ensemble thanks to  Yat-Soon Yeo  for telling us about the St Mary at Hill concert Telemann in Paris. No doubt that Telemann stands head and shoulders above his contemporaries except Bach and Handel. Very glad that Paul allowed us both to serve and I was book and Liz was mitre. The Cardinal and Fr Alexander thanked me. I dashed off to see Mary Goggins at Mount St but they want to charge by the hour which is a shame. 

To Mass. Dr Ojo removed last 2 stitches - I can swim again!  Lovely concert by Follia at St Mary at Hill. Lovely to see  Yat-Soon Y eo  and the girls. Part of the Bach St Anne's festival. Did 2 sketches. To National Portrait Gallery.  Lovely exhibition The encounter at NPG but too busy to sketch. BP award very busy but some good works. Excellent preprom talk on the sea in Greek and Atlantic worlds. Brian Cunliffe on good form. Korngold,  I don't believe it. A second choral work where words could not be heard at all. Sirens by Hillborg might as well have been in Ancient Greek. Some walked out. Some effective writing. Scherazade ruined by family 3 boys running about. Who made this a family Prom? Unsuitable. Attention spans are short these days and the Rimsky has many quiet passages. No steward in gallery. Complained. Watched end of gay history programme and bits of Sargent prom. 

Swam 20. Met Jon Dal Din and Sr Eileen waiting for circle line. Nice to be back at college and lots of people I know there not least Xavier, Fr John O'Toole. Also an opportunity to meet people from Peterborough, West Midlands and Dublin! Rita, Kim, Fr David, Sr Elizabeth, Alfred Agius, Damian. Michael Barnes is on sabbatical. Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald excellent and I got in a question about Paul Knitter to Gavin d'Costa! Cardinal Kasper unwell so not coming in person tomorrow which is a pity. Good lunch. Martin Ganeri was as always dull. Archbishop Kevin much better. To mass at cathedral and Brian gave an excellent sermon on the lost sheep. Buxtehude at the end. To St George Hanover square for concert by recorder, viola da gamba and harpsichord (Yao) which was excellent and nice eats. Helen introduced me to an adult piano student who paints and lives in Bromley.   New work by Freddie Meyers. 

To the Horniman to hear Yat play the Kirkman harpsichord. Although I normally do not like the sound I enjoyed it especially the Balbatre, JCBach and Le vertigo -  a fascinating piece. He was pleased we came,. Another miserable day.  To Royal Academy - delay on Jubilee line but was able to see the Anselm Kiefer which did not really impress and the fascinating Moroni which I loved. To Conway Hall for a fascinating encounter between humanists and 4 Muslims who were liberal and not really representative of conservative opinion. However the speakers were really impressive especially Sara Khan.    Jeremy was there. To music and Sean joined in more. Yat was there with Merle and Mia. A quiet afternoon and reading Shirley du Boulay. Came home to watch The Apprentice. Bruce and EJ arriving to go to funeral in Manchester.