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 (51–60)
Greeting of Love, Salut d’AmourEdward Elgar
This is the famous piece Salut d’Amour by the British composer Edward Elgar, renowned for Pomp and Circumstance.
Composed in 1888 as an engagement gift for Caroline Alice Roberts, it exists in various arrangements; while it’s best known on violin, it also makes a lovely flute study.
By playing the well-known phrase from the first half of the piece with a stable tone, you can improve your flute skills.
The original is in E major with four sharps, but try practicing it in D major with two sharps—like the violin version—and once you’ve leveled up, challenge yourself with the original key.
SingEdward Elgar
Edward Elgar, the beloved national composer born in Britain, is known for masterpieces such as “Pomp and Circumstance.” Among his early choral works is a piece titled “Sing, Bird.” Set to a poem by his wife, the song entrusts a message for a lover to a bird flying westward.
Its lyrics evoke the ache of parting, overlaid with Elgar’s characteristically lyrical and beautiful melodies, reaching deeply into the listener’s heart.
Frequently performed at choral concerts, it’s a popular piece, and it’s also recommended for anyone wishing to recall the stirrings of youthful love.
A gem that richly reflects Elgar’s sensibility.
Allegro for Concert PerformanceEdward Elgar
Edward Elgar, known for masterpieces such as Pomp and Circumstance and Land of Hope and Glory, actually wrote relatively few works for piano.
However, among his limited piano pieces is a unique work titled Concert Allegro.
Composed in 1901 at the request of pianist Fanny Davies, this piece is Elgar’s only concert work for solo piano.
Written in a Romantic style, it gives an impression of a fusion between Bach and Liszt.
With its emotionally rich melodies and intricate pianistic techniques, it’s a compelling piece that makes you want to take on the challenge.
Pomp and Circumstance Marches, Op. 39 No. 1Edward Elgar
Edward Elgar, a British composer, is renowned for his orchestral masterpiece Pomp and Circumstance Marches, Op.
39.
In fact, Pomp and Circumstance consists of six marches, from No.
1 to No.
6, and the melody most of us think of comes from No.
1.
It is the most famous of the six and is a masterpiece with the anecdote that it was encored twice at a concert three days after its premiere.
Imagine a valiant military parade and the honoring of heroes, and perform dynamically in perfect sync as a duo.
Elgar’s masterpieces: Popular classical music (61–70)
Pomp and Circumstance Marches, Op. 39: No. 1 in D majorEdward Elgar
This is a commercial that comically presents the plot of the film “Daimyo Bankruptcy” with Fumihiko Tachiki’s powerful narration.
It introduces the cast members one by one, and their exaggerated expressions convey that it’s a delightful work with a bright, upbeat vibe.
The strong presence of Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance,” contrasted with the comedic expressions and movements, effectively delivers the wildly chaotic worldview.
Violin Sonata in E minorEdward Elgar
Do you remember the scene from the manga Nodame Cantabile—which was a huge hit and was adapted into both an anime and a film—where Nodame is acknowledged by the Chiaki family, a family of musicians, in just one go? The piece she performs with Chiaki in that scene is this Violin Sonata, Op.
82.
Be sure to listen to Elgar’s only violin sonata at least once.
Symphony No. 1 in A-flat majorEdward Elgar
It is a grand symphony composed by Elgar in the early 1900s.
When it was first premiered in concert, it created a huge stir and received high praise in the United Kingdom, and it has continued to be performed frequently up to the present day.
In this video, please enjoy the first movement performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra.
The conductor is John Barbirolli.