# Got any autographs?



## GraemeG (Jun 30, 2009)

Back in the 80s, before we all became obsessed with terrorism, it was fairly easy to bluff your way backstage at the Sydney Opera House, and into the green room areas. Plus, being on a youth concert subscribers committee, I had half a right to be there. Anyway, one of the things we used to do was get programmes autographed by the artists. Most of these I’ve forgotton – they were mostly minor names anyway – although I still have the programmes!

Some were not, even then; I remember hosting Nigel Kennedy at a reception, and when he autographed my programme he defaced his own mugshot, giving himself some pirate scars and dracula teeth. 
Anyway, as CDs became more affordable, I took to getting those autographed if I could. With the result – thanks to CD’s durable nature – that I can still pick the following autographed CDs (well, the leaflet inserts) off my shelves:

Wolfram Christ – Harold in Italy (DG)
Peter Hurford – Romatic Organ Works (Decca)
Gidon Kremer – Schumann/Sibelius concertos (EMI)
Jorge Bolet – Liszt Totentanz, Malediction etc (Decca)
Charles Mackerras – Janacek Sinfonietta /Taras-B (Decca)
Neville Marriner – Schubert symphonies (Philips)

Perhaps the most unusual one:
Aarvo Pärt – Fratres, Spiegel, Cantus, etc (EMI)

How about you? Collect autographs? Anything worth any money? Keepsakes as mementos?
There used to be a woman running a business out of California selling composers letters, autographs, visiting cards, and sundry bits of ephemera. For $800 you could buy a letter from Verdi to his publisher, that kind of thing.
Share with us all...
cheers,
Graeme


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

For me, just a number of author autographs. Not as much clout I guess.


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## CypressWillow (Apr 2, 2013)

I was too awed to ask for an autograph, but I shook hands with Arthur Rubinstein once!!!!!!! I can still close my eyes and feel the imprint of his palm upon mine. Oh love love love.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

I've met a number of 'famed' performers through time, but the memory of meeting them was enough for me.

I know there is a 'collectibles' market value for signatures, and the report I like the best is that of Andy Warhol.
Warhol very much knew the market value of his signature. Often flat-broke, he would nonetheless take friends to dine out, making sure the total bill was always a bit less than the value of his signature, then would write a check for the meal -- it seems not a one of those checks, which would have bounced like a super ball, were ever cashed. Your signature itself as currency -- Nice!


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## ahammel (Oct 10, 2012)

I once bought a copy of the score of the _Ludus Danielis_ signed by the composer, Anonymous.

I think it might be forged, though.


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

I have a wonderful 8x10 of Stokowski signed in the early 30s. It hangs on the wall next to my autographed Duke Ellington from when he was at the Cotton Club, and my autographed photo of Melchior.


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

I enjoy autographs. As far as composers/musical personalities, I have:

Jean Sibelius
Akira Ifukube
Aram Khachaturian
Osmo Vanska (conductor)
Ruggiero Ricci (violinist)
Carl Palmer (rock drummer)
Folke Grasbeck (Finnish pianist)


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

No classical at all - I don't attend concerts. The only autographs I used to collect were of cricketers when I was a junior member of Worcs CCC back in the 70s. Other than that, the only ones I can recall getting were of three members of Black Sabbath in 1980 who came onto our bus post-gig to say hello as we'd travelled a fair distance to see them. Sadly, all of the autographs disappeared long ago.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

My humble autographed music collection ranges from a Nancy Van de Vate _Hamlet _CD on her label Vienna Modern Masters ...






to a copy of _Music to Strip By _by the Maryland punk/experimental band Half Japanese with signatures of both Jad and David Fair.









Go figure.


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## Varick (Apr 30, 2014)

Autographs never did it for me. I only have a handful of books signed by the author only because I went to a reading of their books, but that's about it.

I managed, toured, and met with a lot of celebrities both in classical and rock, but never asked for a single autograph. I'm not sure why, it just never seemed important to me. After a while you realize they put on pants one leg at a time like we all do. The thrills I got from them was seeing them perform live.

V


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Varick said:


> Autographs never did it for me. I only have a handful of books signed by the author only because I went to a reading of their books, but that's about it.
> 
> I managed, toured, and met with a lot of celebrities both in classical and rock, but never asked for a single autograph. I'm not sure why, it just never seemed important to me. After a while you realize they put on pants one leg at a time like we all do. The thrills I got from them was seeing them perform live.
> 
> V


Right! Carbon-based lifeforms; they breath air. Too, the autographs are obtained right after a stint of real and often hard work - people bug them for a sig after they've just performed.

Footnote: in the market for signatures, the ones which have a dedication or any other comment on them _are less valuable_ than those which are the signature, solo


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## musicrom (Dec 29, 2013)

As far as I can remember, only one:
Daniil Trifonov (pianist)

I should go to more concerts, maybe I might have more autographs then!


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## Guest (Jul 24, 2014)

I have a little book somewhere from when I was five years old. Apparently I met Mickey Mouse, Goofy, etc - somewhere near the Gulf of Mexico. I daresay I win the thread, thus far.


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## Antiquarian (Apr 29, 2014)

arcaneholocaust said:


> I have a little book somewhere from when I was five years old. Apparently I met Mickey Mouse, Goofy, etc - somewhere near the Gulf of Mexico. I daresay I win the thread, thus far.


Well, that certainly beats my copy of Apollo: Expeditions to the Moon (NASA SP-350, 1975) inscribed by Wally Schirra!


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## Radames (Feb 27, 2013)

musicrom said:


> As far as I can remember, only one:
> Daniil Trifonov (pianist)
> 
> I should go to more concerts, maybe I might have more autographs then!


I have been to 3 of his concerts but I never saw him signing autographs. I don't usually get them when an artist is sighing. I might have gotten his because I was so impressed - especially last season at Saratoga. I got Joyce Yang's and Alexander Kobrin's at concerts a few years ago.


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

I don't "collect" autographs but I did ask for a few. Tomorrow (I'm leaving town for the rest of the day now) I'll take pics of them and post them.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

No autographs but did sit next to Vernon Handley in a pub in Leeds before a concert once in the eighties
Not bold enough to ask I am afraid


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## GioCar (Oct 30, 2013)

yes, this one:

http://www.talkclassical.com/8020-stockhausen-karlheinz-12.html#post638174

and possibly also the Goffredo Petrassi's one, but I don't remember where I put it...


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

A few weeks ago, I got Sir James Galway to sign a program and my copy of the Mozart Concerto in D which he was performing at our festival. I do believe that is worth something, but I'm never going to part with either.

He is the 3rd flutist that I've gotten an autograph from. I also have one of the flutist Tim Munro in eighth blackbird and the flutist Michael Hasel in the Berlin Philharmonic Quintet (I had them sign on the programs for the concerts they played in when they visited my school).


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2014)

Birgit Nilsson, Lazar Berman, Denis Matsuev, Yevgeny Sudbin, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Ruth Laredo, John Williams (guitar)...probably a few others. I've met lots of other major performers, but I didn't get their autograph.


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

Boulez signed my copy of his famous score


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

Ormandy signed copies of his first RCA releases as a promo for the Philadelphia Orchestra switching over from Columbia circa mid-1970's. I had to stand in a long line to get it


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## stevens (Jun 23, 2014)

I have an autograph of one of Napoleon Bonapartes higher generals..what is it called in english, "Chief Marshals"? He became king of Sweden (not just a autograph, a hole letter whith old signets)


Dont know if he could play piano...and thats the very crucial point!


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

As far as classical music goes, John Barbirolli and Richard Tauber. Not received in person though, I'm afraid, as both of them died before I was born.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

As a former arts center publicist, when I think of all the autographs I _could _have had, it blows my mind. As it is, the only one I have is from Sam Jones when he played for the Boston Celtics.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Lorin Maazel (a signed letter, actually)
Klaus Tennstedt
Pierre Monteux
Garrick Ohlsson
Vladimir Ashkenazy (the booklet in his Prokofieff piano concerto cycle with Previn)


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

I posted recently on a thread about meeting artists. As I said there, most of the ones I've met have been writers and actors. But I've also had opportunities with musicians. I have a couple of signatures from Andras Schiff (and Perenyi with respect to the Beethoven cello sonatas), one from Ian Bostridge, and due to a miscommunication, about five from Sabine Meyer. I've met a few others.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Accidentally I got Menuhin's on an old HMV LP from the 1950s, with Carl Nielsen's Violin Cto. The shop hadn't noticed ...


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## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

I have

Joshua Bell ( and a photo with him)
Steven Isserlis
Boris Giltburg
Angela Hewitt
Stephen Hough

All of them were really nice and friendly


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

Hilary Hahn often does signings after performances so I got her to autograph a CD and take a picture with me. What was really cool was that when a child would come to the table she really engaged with the kid (and this was before she got married and had her own).

The only other "music" autograph I have is a Bangles album (Different Light) signed by Susanna, Vick, and Debbi. The 80s were my teenage years.


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