Elgar (1857-1934) - Overture: Cockaigne
Although
the 1890s saw Elgar concentrating on big choral works, his first major
success came through the orchestral Enigma Variations (1899). His
career suffered a minor hiccough in 1900, when The Dream of Gerontius,
commissioned for Birmingham Festival, went down like a lead balloon at
its première. However, Elgar's music was not at fault, because soon
afterwards it was well received at two performances in Düsseldorf,
even earning an accolade from Richard Strauss, who declared Elgar to be
the foremost English composer of the day. Considering the esteem in which
English music was then held (“Das Land ohne Musik”), this was possibly
a back-handed compliment, but nevertheless it had the desirable effect
of awakening a pan-European enthusiasm for Elgar's music. Elgar had “arrived”,
and enjoyed international stardom, at least until the outbreak of war in
1914.
I wonder
to what extent Strauss' compliment was prompted by his recognising something
of himself in Elgar's music. As early as 1890, in Froissart, there
is a distinctly Straussian “flavour” in the succulence of the writing for
horns and 'cellos. Similarly, but more significantly, Elgar's trademark
nobilmente
seems to have been less wholly original than many believe, and more a wholly
original adaptation of Strauss' characteristically florid melodic contours.
Or was it? It is said that Elgar's harmonic style derives from Schumann
and Brahms, coloured by the pervasive influence of Wagner. Prior to Froissart,
he seems to have led a pretty provincial existence, with limited opportunities
to sample the latest music from the continent. In any case, Elgar would
have been quick off the mark to have been influenced by Strauss, whose
Don Juan (likewise the first example of his mature style)
appeared only a year before Froissart. So, maybe it's just a coincidence.
Nevertheless, it's a remarkable one.
By the
time Cockaigne appeared (1901), Elgar's style had matured, although
that similarity to Strauss was still detectable. Elgar noted, in the score
of this explicit evocation of contemporary London, that “Cockaigne” is
traditionally the fictitious “Land of All Delights” (a.k.a. “The Abode
of Luxury and Idleness”). Popularly associated with London, this description
is thought to be the origin of “Cockney” (I bet that took some working
out!). Elgar dedicated Cockaigne to his “many friends the members
of British Orchestras”; the imaginative scoring, encompassing chamber-like
filigree and bombastic military band, certainly gave every corner of the
orchestra plenty to chew on.
Combining
elements of sonata and rondo form, a (very!) rough thematic scheme might
be (ABA-C-ABA-D)-(ABA-C)-(ACA-D)-(BA). The letters represent not repetition
but use of themes (some of which are related). Dashes indicate rondo-like
sections, while brackets highlight the sonata-like sequence of exposition,
development, recapitulation and coda. Having thus diverted the analytically-minded,
the rest of us can marvel at the brilliant way Elgar organises his materials
to give the paradoxical impression of carefree whimsy (less well-assembled,
it would be more wishy-washy than whimsical). Some episodes he associated
with particular images. [A] is a “chirpy cockney” tune spawning [B], a
nobilmente
melody hinting at luxury. [C] is the dalliance of lovers in a park. Following
[D] (that military band), an exquisite calm supposedly represents lovers
wandering into a church seeking peace and quiet (“for what?” we might ask).
We inevitably
confront the “programme music” problem. While few would argue that the
music is not “about” emotions (fun, love, serenity etc.), can it really
conjure the impression of turn-of-the-century London? Why not turn-of-the-century
Huddersfield, and lovers in Greenhead Park? Really, music is like plasticine:
you can accept it as it comes out of the packet, or make of it what you
will. In this case, I am perfectly happy to go along with Elgar. Well,
most
of the time.
.
© Paul Serotsky
29, Carr Street,
Kamo,
Whangarei 0101,
Northland,
New Zealand
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