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Britain Unlimited covers
250 Great British people and what made them famous
Who was Edward Elgar?
Music Composer.
Date and Place of Birth:
2nd June 1857. Lower Broadheath, Worcestershire,
England.
Family Background:
Son of an organist and music seller.
Education:
Left the local school at Age 15. Self taught
as a composer.
Chronology/Biography of Edward Elgar:
1880's: Taught the
violin, played the organ at St. George's Catholic Church in Worcester
and composed music for local musical organisations such as the Worcester
Glee Club and the County Asylum Band.
1898: With works
such as the Cantata "Caractacus", his reputation began
to spread beyond the borders of Worcestershire. This work was suggested
to him by his mother and is based on events that took place in Roman
times at British Camp in the Malvern Hills.
1899: His first
big hit with the public was the "Variations on an Original
Theme" often known as the Enigma variations which were short
biographical sketches of all his friends and family. The most famous
of all was "Nimrod" about his best friend the publisher
August Jaeger.
Statue to Elgar in Worcester High Street,
near the site of his family's music shop.
(© Anthony Blagg)
1900: The Oratorio
"The "Dream of Gerontius" was first performed in
Birmingham Town Hall. It is based on Cardinal Newman's
Poem about a soul's journey, but due to inadequate rehearsals it
was not received well by the public.
1901: Elgar was
very depressed and continued writing and premiered the first of
his "Pomp and Circumstance" Marches, the first of which
was to become better known as the music for "Land of Hope and
Glory".
1904: An all Elgar
festival was held at Covent Garden and it was now obvious that he
had arrived. (July) He was Knighted by King Edward the Seventh.
1907: Plans the
"First Symphony" whilst traveling in Rome.
1908: Symphony No
1" first performed in Manchester.
1909: Traveling
in Venice he has ideas for the "Second Symphony".
Statue of Elgar in Great Malvern
(© Anthony Blagg)
1911: "The
"Violin Concerto" was dedicated to Fritz Kreisler who
gave the first performance. The Second Symphony" is dedicated
to the recently deceased King Edward the Seventh.
1914: Elgar was
deeply saddened by the First World War and produced little work
at this time except for a children's play called "Starlight
Express".
1920: After the
death of his wife, who had been the driving force behind his success,
he became a virtual recluse.
1924: Made Mater
of the Kings Musick.
1928: Made Knight
Commander of the Victorian Order. He now began composing again in
earnest working on plans for an opera "The Spanish Lady"
and a third symphony.
1931: Made a Baronet.
Memorial window to Elgar in Worcester Cathedral.
(© Anthony Blagg)
1933: Flew to Paris
to conduct his "Violin Concerto" with Yehudi Menuhin as
soloist. Visited Delius whilst in France.
Musical Works:
- 1890: "Froissart".
- 1896: "King
Olaf". "Scenes from the Bavarian Highlands".
- 1897: "The
Imperial March".
- 1898: "Caractacus".
- 1899: "Variations
on an Original Theme (Enigma)".
- 1899: "Sea
Pictures".
- 1900: "The
Dream of Gerontius".
- 1901: "Cockaigne
(In London Town)". "Pomp and Circumstance Marches No's
1 and 2".
- 1903: "The
Apostles".
- 1904: "In
the South".
- 1905: "Introduction
and Allegro for Strings".
- 1906: "The
Kingdom".
- 1908: Symphony
No 1 in A Flat".
- 1910: "Violin
Concerto in B Minor".
- 1911: "Symphony
No 2 in E Flat".
- 1912: "The
Music Makers".
- 1913: "Falstaff".
- 1915: "The
Starlight Express". "The Spirit of England",
- 1917: "The
Sanguine Fan".
- 1918: "Violin
Sonata".
- 1919: "String
Quartet". "Piano Quintet in A Minor". "Cello
Concerto in E Minor".
Marriage:
1889 to Caroline Alice Roberts one of his music
pupils and daughter of Major-General Sir Henry Roberts. (died 1920).
Places of Interest:
BIRMINGHAM:
Town Hall, scene of first performances of works
such as the "Dream of Gerontius" at the Birmingham Triennial
Music Festival.
WORCESTERSHIRE:
Birthplace, Crown East Lane, Lower Broadheath,
Worcester, WR2 6RH.
Malvern Hills.
Statue to him near his old music shop in Worcester.
Forli House, Alexandra Road, Malvern Link rented
by the Elgars.
Birchwood Lodge, rented by the Elgars as an escape
from 1893 to 1903, Malvern.
Craeg Lea, Malvern Wells where he lived from
1899 to 1904.
Worcester Cathedral.
Date and Place of Death:
23rd February 1934, Marl Bank, Worcester, Worcestershire,
England of a malignant tumour pressing on the sciatic nerve.
Age at Death:
76.
Site of Grave:
St. Wulstan's Church, Little Malvern, England
beside his wife.
Grave of Sir Edward and Lay Elgar,
St Wulstan's Church, Little Malvern
(© Anthony Blagg)
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