Elgar’s masterpiece. Popular classical music.
Edward Elgar is one of Britain’s quintessential composers; his Pomp and Circumstance and Enigma Variations are immensely famous and are frequently performed at orchestral concerts.
He also wrote Salut d’Amour as a gift to his wife, Caroline Alice Roberts, and even those unfamiliar with Elgar’s name have likely heard this melody.
To explore the allure of Elgar, we’ve compiled a list of many of his masterpieces this time!
We hope this helps you dive into Elgar’s charm and the stylish, enjoyable world of classical music.
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Elgar’s masterpieces: Popular classical music (71–80)
Romance, Op. 62Edward Elgar
Romance, Op.
62 (for bassoon and orchestra), is a piece composed in 1910 for bassoon and orchestra.
There is also an arrangement by Elgar himself for cello and orchestra.
It is said to have been written for Edwin F.
James, principal bassoonist of the London Symphony Orchestra, and the premiere in 1911 was reportedly performed with James as the soloist.
Lasting about five minutes, this gentle, soothing miniature features a calm, lyrical melody.
Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85Edward Elgar
Edward Elgar’s late masterpiece, the Cello Concerto in E minor, Op.
85, is said to have been written while the composer was bedridden.
From the searing cello solo that opens the first movement, you can sense a composer confined by illness and shadowed by the Great War, striving to pour the instrument’s full expressive power into a single work.
It’s a piece to listen to when you want to linger in sentiment or quiet your mind—an invitation to sit with your feelings and listen deeply.
Minuet, Op. 21Edward Elgar
Edward Elgar, a beloved national composer of Britain.
His Minuet, Op.
21 was composed in 1897 as a piano piece for a friend’s son and later arranged for orchestra.
The work overflows with Elgar’s characteristic delicacy and romantic sentiment.
The distinctive musical voice heard in his large-scale masterpieces—such as the Enigma Variations and The Dream of Gerontius—is here presented in a more accessible form, which is part of its appeal.
It’s a piece that lets you experience both Elgar’s multifaceted compositional style and the traditional beauty of British music.
A true gem that every classical music fan should hear.
CarissimaEdward Elgar
Edward Elgar is a beloved British composer who left behind masterpieces such as Pomp and Circumstance and the Enigma Variations.
Although he did not write many piano pieces, among his works Carissima—composed in 1913—is a light, pastoral piece for small orchestra.
It opens brightly with the harp, after which the strings take up the main theme, and solos from the woodwinds join in, creating a quintessentially British timbre of the early 20th century.
With its simple, sweet melody, warm harmonies, and charming tone colors, Carissima can be considered an approachable and well-loved gem.
In conclusion
We’ve just presented works by the British composer Edward Elgar.
When you think of the UK, you might think of Harry Potter, stately buildings, and in music, famous rock bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
But classical music is no less impressive.
For example, in “Pomp and Circumstance,” the melody is widely known in Britain as “Land of Hope and Glory” and is revered as a kind of second national anthem.
One of the charms of Elgar’s music is that it helps you learn more about the country itself.
There are many pieces we couldn’t introduce today, so please continue to dive into the world of Elgar and classical music!