ELGAR, (Sir) Edward
b Broadheath, near Worcester, 2 June 1857
d Worcester, 23 February 1934, aged seventy-six
He lived most of his life in the area of Worcester, near where he was born. His father was an organist and music-seller, and he himself played piano, violin, cello, double-bass, bassoon and trombone. He became a bandmaster in a mental horn e, and his first compositions, for local music festivals, were works of great variety, for wind instruments, strings and for voices. It was not until the age of forty-two, with the first performance of his Enigma Variations in 1899, that he suddenly came to the front rank as a composer. He was knighted in 1904.
1878 (21)
Romance, for violin and piano (also arrangement for violin and orchestra)
Promenades, six pieces for wind instruments
1879 (22)
Harmony Music, seven pieces for wind instruments (No 7)
(1881)
Intermezzos for Wind, five pieces
1883 (26)
Une Idyll, for violin and piano (c1883)
Fugue in D minor for oboe and violin
1890 (33)
Froissart, concert overture
1891 (34)
La Capricieuse, for violin and piano
1892 (35)
Serenade for Strings
The Black Knight, cantata
1894-5 (37-8)
Scenes from the Saga of King Olaf, cantata
1895 (38)
Organ Sonata in G major
1896 (39)
The Light of Life (Lux Christi), oratorio
1897 (40)
Imperial March
The Banner of St George, a ballad for soprano, chorus and orchestra
Sea Pictures, five songs for contralto and orchestra
1898 (41)
Caractacus, cantata for soprano, tenor, baritone and bass soli chorus and orchestra
Variations on an Original Theme ('Enigma'), for orchestra (1898-9)
1899-1904 (42-7)
Sérénade Lyrique, for orchestra
In the South (Alassio), concert overture
1900 (43)
The Dream of Gerontius, oratorio
1901 (44)
Cockaigne, overture (In London Town)
Concerto Allegro for piano
Introduction and Allegro for strings (1901-5)
Pomp and Circumstance Marches 1 (1901-7)
1902 (45)
Coronation Ode
Dream Children, two pieces for piano or small orchestra
Falstaff, symphonic study in C minor (1902-13)
1903 (46)
The Apostles, oratorio
c1903-10 (c46-53)
Symphony No 2 in Eb major
1906 (49)
The Kingdom, oratorio
The Wand of Youth, Suites 1 and 2, for orchestra - final version 1906-7 (begun in 1867, 1869, or 1871; revised 1879-81; revised again c1902)
1907 (50)
Symphony No 1 in Ab major (1907-8)
1909 (52)
Violin Concerto (c1909-10)
Elegy, for string orchestra
1910 (53)
Romance, for bassoon and orchestra
1912 (55)
The Music Makers, for contralto, chorus and orchestra
1914 (57)
Carillon, recitation with orchestra
p Sospiri, for orchestra
1915 (58)
Polonia, symphonic prelude
Une voix dans le desert, recitation with orchestra
1917 (60)
fp The Spirit of England, three pieces for voices and orchestra:
No 1 The Fourth of August (finished 1917)
No 2 To Women (1915)
No 3 For the Fallen (1915)
Le Drapeau Belge, recitation with orchestra
Fringes of the Fleet, song cycle
1918 (61)
Violin Sonata in E minor
String Quartet in E minor
Piano Quintet in A minor (1918-19)
1919 (62)
Cello Concerto in E minor
1923 (66)
fp King Arthur, incidental music
1924 (67)
fp Pageant of Empire, for chorus and orchestra
1928 (71)
fp Beau Brummel, incidental music
1930 (73)
Severn Suite, for brass band, also arranged for orchestra
Pomp and Circumstance, March No 5 for orchestra
1931 (74)
p Nursery Suite, for orchestra (dedicated to TRH Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose)