Late RomanticEdward Elgar
Edward Elgar was born in England.
Edward Elgar’s life
The big moments of this life, and what was happening in the world at the same time.
A life at a glance
- 1857👶 Birth
Born on 2 June, son of a piano tuner and music dealer
- 1872📚 Trainingage 15
Leaves school; teaches himself music almost unaided
- 1874🌍 Meanwhile
First exhibition of the Impressionist painters
- 1875🌍 Meanwhile
The Palais Garnier opera house opens in Paris
- 1879🎩 Careerage 22
Conductor of the Powick asylum band
- 1888🎼 Workage 31
Salut d’amour, an engagement gift
- 1889❤️ Private lifeage 32
Marries Caroline Alice Roberts, his pupil
- 1899🎼 Workage 42
Enigma Variations: fame at 42
- 1900🎼 Workage 43
The Dream of Gerontius, oratorio
- 1903🌍 Meanwhile
First powered aeroplane flight (Wright brothers)
- 1904🎩 Careerage 47
Knighted by King Edward VII
- 1914🏛️ Landmarkage 57
First World War
- 1922🌍 Meanwhile
Public radio broadcasting begins (BBC, Radio Tour Eiffel)
- 1934🕯️ Deathage 77
Dies in Worcester on 23 February
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Excerpts of up to 90 seconds, freely licensed recordings from Wikimedia Commons.
Once upon a time…
Edward Elgar was born in England. His dad had a music shop: Edward grew up surrounded by pianos and scores. He taught himself almost on his own to play several instruments and to compose.
For his engagement he gave his future wife a pretty piece, Salut d’amour. Later he had a fun idea: he wrote variations in which each piece is a portrait of one of his friends. In one of them you can even hear a dog falling into the river!
His march Pomp and Circumstance became a patriotic song that the English all sing together. He was also passionate about modern inventions like records.
He recorded his violin concerto with a sixteen-year-old prodigy, Yehudi Menuhin.
Edward Elgar’s instruments
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