Any autograph-hunting stories, views or regrets?

[Petrushka]

I dipped a toe into the murky waters of the auction house several years ago and purchased Shostakovich's autograph. It is on an autograph book page, probably obtained at one of the concerts of his music in the UK. A request to the auction people for more information was refused

Having coped with that I then bought Elgar's signature on a piece of paper, in heavy pencil, and had it framed with a photograph of him and very good it looks too. I then bought Walton's and Britten's signatures, both musical quotes in their hand and signed on music paper.

[Alison]

i think we struck lucky with Bernard as we went backstage before the concert, perhaps an hour before start time and he just seemed to be on his own with no entourage. We were two female students escorted into his dressing room and invited to sit down. He signed my Concertgebouw Mahler 6 booklet while my friend also had a CD to sign. He asked us quite a lot about our studies! I was nuts about Mahler at that time and recall asking him about his favourite Symphony(six and nine I think) and the comparative merits of different orchestras (he was most proud of his work with the Concertgebouw). He'd been listening to a few concerts on Radio 3 and asked us if we'd heard them. He was really praising David Atherton!

[Petrushka]

i think we struck lucky with Bernard as we went backstage before the concert, perhaps an hour before start time and he just seemed to be on his own with no entourage. We were two female students escorted into his dressing room and invited to sit down. He signed my Concertgebouw Mahler 6 booklet while my friend also had a CD to sign. He asked us quite a lot about our studies! I was nuts about Mahler at that time and recall asking him about his favourite Symphony(six and nine I think) and the comparative merits of different orchestras (he was most proud of his work with the Concertgebouw). He'd been listening to a few concerts on Radio 3 and asked us if we'd heard them. He was really praising David Atherton!

How wonderful! Can't imagine you getting away with that nowadays what with all the security, bouncers on the door etc. Do you remember the date of the concert and what was played? There's a possibility I might have been there myself.

[Alison]

Duke Bluebeard's Castle, on a Saturday night, LPO late nineties RFH. Not a huge crowd there - probably no disadvantage!

[Petrushka]

Duke Bluebeard's Castle, on a Saturday night, LPO late nineties RFH. Not a huge crowd there - probably no disadvantage!

Sadly missed that one but judging from Haitink's BPO recording for EMI it must have been a treat.