Camden New Journal - Letters: Signature

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Camden New Journal - Letters to the Editor
Published: 22 November 2007

Signature on a score

• I CAN cap the story of my best friend Hugh Wood’s “doorstepping” the great composer Vaughan Williams for his autograph (Composer looked after notes, November 8).
At the age of 16, in the late 1940s, I was taken to a Three Choirs Festival concert in a Worcester cinema. I’d just heard VW’s new Sixth Symphony, had been very excited by it and had bought the score, which I had
with me.
During the interval the great man came lumbering down the aisle and I thrust the score of his work at him asking for his autograph. When he realised what it was he very grumpily seized my fountain pen.
After a couple of squiggles it gave out, but I still treasure that “autographed” score.
I also treasure VW’s music. In a long lifetime I’ve gone off and on various composers but never wavered in my love of his.
LEO BLACK
Chetwynd Road, NW5

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@camdennewjournal.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Tuesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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