Birtwistle’s manuscript was more or less playable as it stood. The most mysterious thing was the title, neatly inscribed in block capitals: BEHOND THE WHITE HAND. Behond? Was this a Mallarmé-like play of sounds—beyond and behold—or a mistake? And how to bring it up without appearing unsophisticated? But Harry (Birtwistle) told me on the phone it was just a mistake: beyond. By then, Julian had become used to behond and was rather inclined to defend it. In the end, the word remains available for other composers to use...