Bidding for Autographed Scores

[Guest]

WHY would I want to spend any money for a score by "one of Britain's most exciting composers", even if it was to support a children's charity?
Surely there are better things to bid for, such as an autographed score/photo by a GREAT composer, such as Elgar, Bax, Walton, Tippett, etc?
Why on earth would I even want music by Raymond Yu, Mark Anthony Turnage, et.al.? This is Radio 3's attempt to "ape" BBC's Children In Need
but way off the mark.

[Serial_Apologist]

Because it's a good sign?

(All right, I'll get me coat!)

[LeMartinPecheur]

WHY would I want to spend any money for a score by "one of Britain's most exciting composers", even if it was to support a children's charity?
Surely there are better things to bid for, such as an autographed score/photo by a GREAT composer, such as Elgar, Bax, Walton, Tippett, etc?
Why on earth would I even want music by Raymond Yu, Mark Anthony Turnage, et.al.? This is Radio 3's attempt to "ape" BBC's Children In Need
but way off the mark.

Um, can't really help you on any of these doubtless profound questions VMII and am not optimistic that anyone else here will be able to. Surely it's a case of 'Apply within'?

[Black Swan]

I agree this is a ruse used by many charities to entice donors to give money. For many years I have been involved with Charity Art Auctions. All for good causes, I have now a policy of just donating money instead of buying a piece of art I really don't need or want.

I wish them luck. And as I understood it yesterday, you are only getting 1 autographed page and in some cases a sketch.

[Victor Meldrew II]

Good causes yes...........I already donate to several animal, health and children's charities but I would expect much more than a page of manuscript
from a work that doubtless has little significance now and even less in the future! Who do these composers think they are? Not "greats" surely!

I agree this is a ruse used by many charities to entice donors to give money. For many years I have been involved with Charity Art Auctions. All for good causes, I have now a policy of just donating money instead of buying a piece of art I really don't need or want.

I wish them luck. And as I understood it yesterday, you are only getting 1 autographed page and in some cases a sketch.

[vinteuil]

... think of it as an investment. Is not Eric Whitacre even more popular than Beethoven? Imagine if in 1815 you had had a chance to acquire to acquire a signed Beethoven score - two hundred years later your descendants wd be most grateful for your forethought...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I hadn't realized it was compulsory.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... think of it as an investment. Is not Eric Whitacre even more popular than Beethoven? Imagine if in 1815 you had had a chance to acquire to acquire a signed Beethoven score - two hundred years later your descendants wd be most grateful for your forethought...

In 1815, VM2 would have been venting his spleen that there wasn't a score by Stamitz or Salieri up for auction. "Beethoven?! Bah! Who does he think he is? Vanhal?"

[teamsaint]

I hadn't realized it was compulsory.

thats the clever bit.

[Petrushka]

I have an autographed music sheet in good condition of two bars of the fanfare from Façade by Sir William Walton. I paid £30 for it around 25 years ago.

Any bids?

[Mary Chambers]

I have one snippet, melody and words only, of Britten's Spring Symphony in his hand. It's included in a letter from him in answer to a fan letter from someone (not me). I bought it on eBay for, I think, £200. I'm not selling it, and I don't care if I paid too much.

I always wish I had some early Beatles stuff, which I would be happy to sell and which would make me a fortune - perhaps.

[pastoralguy]

I own a letter that Elgar wrote to the critic Ernest Newman. I bought it 12 years ago from a shop in Worcester who had acquired Newman's Elgar letter collection that had been the property of Elizabeth Schwarzkopf. When I bought it, the shop owner told me that she had been approached by a Japanese businessman who wanted the whole collection but she had decided that it should be available for several Elgar lovers. The collection was photographed and anyone buying one received a volume including facsimiles of the other letters.

I have no idea how much it worth today but its somethings I can leave to my niece! I know that at least four others came to Scotland.

[Pulcinella]

Think I've mentioned before, but I have a copy of the vocal score of Tippett's A Mask of Time, signed and dated by him on the day of the Proms performance: very special indeed!

[Nick Armstrong]

I bought in an online auction a letter written and signed by Gabriel Fauré, it's a beautiful little object. It was about £160. I'm glad to have it displayed near the piano.

[teamsaint]

I bought in an online auction a letter written and signed by Gabriel Fauré, it's a beautiful little object. It was about £160. I'm glad to have it displayed near the piano.

I imagine that would be in French though.

Some lovely things that folks own, I'm sure they bring great enjoyment.

Anyway, not music at all, but a few years ago, when my parents were in the habit of buying the odd painting, a pencil drawing of the Crystal Palace by Queen Victoria came up for sale at a west country country auction house.

Reserve price was £100, and this was maybe 20 years ago. my dad obviously fancied it,but perhaps it was a thin month,so he didn't bother going for it.
Anyway, it didn't reach reserve, and For the only time probably, I persuaded him that it was far too good an opportunity to miss, so he drove down, paid the £100 and became the proud owner of a drawing by QV.
Anyway,that will be mine one day, as far as I am concerned, which is great news for one with my pro monarchy leanings.


funny thing is, it doesnt look at all like Selhurst park does today.

The other thing I really fancied was an apartment in Elgars old house on the outskirts of Hereford that came up for sale not so long ago.
Very nice looking place, and the vibes would have been strong , I reckon.

Sorry, all rather off topic, I suppose.