Another day, another mix of business and pleasure. We landed in the very heart of the City of London and made our way to one of our favourite little musical havens, the Wren church of St Margaret Lothbury. Before that, however, we slipped into perhaps Wren’s masterpiece among the churches he designed for the City of London after the Great Fire of 1666 had burnt so many of them down: Saint Stephen Walbrook, reputedly the model for Saint Paul’s cathedral. Here the lunchtime Eucharist service was accompanied by a good choir and organ.

At Saint Margaret’s the recital was given by Christian Gautschi, a Swiss organist from Zurich, and what a treat it was! He delighted us with pieces mostly from the film world—Lara’s Theme from Doctor Zhivago and that unforgettable Céline Dion song from Titanic—interspersed with some classics, like the Trumpet Voluntary (not Purcell, as tradition claims, but Jeremiah Clarke) and a beautifully rendered Pachelbel Canon. The interpretations felt fresh and alive, not the familiar versions that have been heard a thousand times.

This young organist is truly brilliant—and enthusiastic. He believes, metaphorically, that the organ should be dragged out of its dusty loft and onto the street, encouraging younger people to discover it just as audiences once did. In the 1930s to 1950s, cinema organs were all the rage, playing before films to warm up the crowd. Today, he’s keeping that lively spirit alive.

After the music, we joined the considerable audience in the vestry for tea. The turnout was impressive, and the atmosphere warm and cheerful. The wife of Richard Townend, the resident recitalist, brewed the tea, and we enjoyed it with chocolate biscuits and ginger nuts—some of the chocolate biscuits being supplied by us. A perfect little ritual: good music, good company, and a warming cup on a bitterly cold day. The sky was overcast, the chill biting, but there was no rain—so at least that small mercy.

A morning of culture, a midday of conviviality, and a day carried forward with a bright note amidst the London cold.