p.1005 Easter and I sent Dad a copy of the Dubois Toccata. This was my standard postlude at first communion services. p.1006 Sargent conducting Holst in Joburg. p,1011 Bruce is head chorister next month and Louise was to take GCSE exams at Coloma. Music was one of her subjects thanks to Mrs Carroll. p.1014 VE and VJ day celebrations on video. p.1017 we sang in Sheffield and Simon Lole made us very welcome. I was elected to the Council of the Guild of Church Musicians. The secretary John Ewington could be very pompous - he referred to "you Romans". Aunt Gladys died aged 95. p.1925 40th anniversary mass of Fr Denis Paul and I played the Widor Toccata. I was very fond of him - he once walked right across the car park after a long Midnight Mass to thank me - I never forgot that! When he "retired" he lived at Coloma. I played a recital at Upper Norwood during the flower festival p.1008. That Lewis organ is superb! Dad describes some horrendous weddings. I was fortunate that Fr Peter would not allow secular items and Fr Denis told brides 5 minutes ate one hymn goes, 10 minutes late I go! There was a strange one when Mgr Moran married a young couple. The chauffeur and I witnessed the wedding so I realised why I had to play for so long during the signing. Toccata and Fugue in D minor. How sad that the families were not there. One Saturday there were 2 - first one bride in posh white carriage and horses and looked miserable, second simple family affair everyone smiling! I had cassettes which brides would listen to and choose music and I went to the marriage preparation days. One young man asked if he should have Jerusalem at his wedding in Ireland. I replied that it was not a great idea! One bride's mother put her foot down with a groom who wanted Christmas carols as he really was not keen on being married in church at all. In the end we settled for Jerusalem. Soloists could be a nightmare - I once transposed Ave Maria down two tones and the singer still sounded awful!
Fr Denis Paul anointing the sick. He retired aged 70 and I saw him at David Warner's funeral in 2020
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