작곡가

:   Edward Elgar (에드워드 엘가)

장르

:  

Orchestral

스타일

:  

Theme & Variations

작곡년도

:   1898 - 1899

평균연주

:   30:27

악장

1

Theme. Andante

1:36

2

C.A.E. (C. Alice Elgar, composer's wife - romantic & delicate)

1:56

3

H.D.S.-P. (Hew David Steuart-Powell, pianist friend - diatonic run)

0:46

4

R.B.T. (Richard Baxter Townshend - low voice potrayed by bassoon)

1:24

5

W.M.B. (William Meath Baker, 'country squire,' gentleman, scholar)

0:33

6

R.P.A. (Richard Penrose Arnold, self-taught pianist)

2:05

7

Ysobel (Isabel Fitton, viola player - pensive & romantic)

1:21

8

Troyte (Arthur Troyte Griffith - saying the unexpected)

0:59

9

W.N. (Winifred Norbury - characteristic laugh)

1:51

10

Nimrod (August J. Jaeger - discourse on Beethoven's 'Pathétique')

3:54

11

Dorabella (Intermezzo) (Dora Penny - dancelike lightness)

2:39

12

G.R.S. (George Robert Sinclair - his dog falling into the river)

0:57

13

B.G.N. (Basil G. Nevinson, amateur cellist - cello solo)

2:42

14

(Romanza) (Lady Mary Lygon on a sea voyage to Australia, throb of engines - throb of drums)

2:49

15

E.D.U. Finale. Allegro (Elgar himself)

5:21

Edward Elgar composed his Variations, Op. 36, popularly known as the Enigma Variations, between October 1898 and February 1899. It is an orchestral work comprising fourteen variations on an original theme. Elgar dedicated the work 'to my friends pictured within', each variation being a musical sketch of one of his circle of close acquaintances (see musical cryptogram). Those portrayed include Elgar's wife Alice, his friend and publisher Augustus J. Jaeger and Elgar himself. In a programme note for a performance in 1911 Elgar wrote:

This work, commenced in a spirit of humour & continued in deep seriousness, contains sketches of the composer’s friends. It may be understood that these personages comment or reflect on the original theme & each one attempts a solution of the Enigma, for so the theme is called. The sketches are not ‘portraits’ but each variation contains a distinct idea founded on some particular personality or perhaps on some incident known only to two people. This is the basis of the composition, but the work may be listened to as a ‘piece of music’ apart from any extraneous consideration.

In naming his theme ‘Enigma’ Elgar posed a challenge which has generated much speculation but has never been conclusively answered. The Enigma is widely believed to involve a hidden melody. After its 1899 London premiere the Variations achieved immediate popularity and established Elgar's international reputation. The work has been recorded over 60 times.
Elgar described how on the evening of 21 October 1898, after a tiring day's teaching, he sat down at the piano. A melody he played caught the attention of his wife, and he began to improvise variations on it in styles which reflected the character of some of his friends. These improvisations, expanded and orchestrated, became the Enigma Variations. Elgar considered including variations portraying Arthur Sullivan and Hubert Parry, but was unable to assimilate their musical styles without pastiche, and dropped the idea.

... MORE    From WIKIPEDIA