Elgar ‘Enigma’ Variations

‘Enigma’ Variations Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

There are few pieces of music whose exact moment of conception is known, but the ‘Enigma’ Variations is one. It was the evening of 21^st October 1898 and tired after a day of teaching at a local girls’ school, Elgar was relaxing and improvising at the piano. He may have continued in his daydream and the piece would have been lost to posterity had his wife not suddenly remarked, “What is that?” Elgar replied, “Nothing, but something might be made of it!” He then improvised some versions of the theme so as to suggest a few of their friends. So was conceived what was to become the ‘Enigma’ Variations.

Elgar worked on the new work with great enthusiasm. The Variations (this was the simple official title it was given by Elgar) was first performed on 19^th June 1899 by Hans Richter in the St. James’s Hall, London. The premier launched the 42 year old composer’s career. Up to then he had been a little known provincial composer, but now he became Britain foremost composer of international repute.

What of the ‘Enigma’? Elgar said that through his original theme another and larger theme ‘goes’ but is not played, but whose identity he refused to reveal. This has kept musicologists busy for the last century. Numerous solutions have been put forward. However, as Elgar took the answer to his grave, we will never know!

Theme ‘Enigma’ (Andante) – The work opens with a slow poignant theme which probably represents Elgar as he used it as a musical signature on letters to friends.

I. C.A.E. (Caroline Alice Elgar - the composer's wife) – The theme leads directly into this variation of the composer’s wife who most encouraged Elgar throughout his years of musical composition. It is a gentle and loving portrait.

II. H.D.S.-P. (Hew David Steuart-Powell) – This friend of Elgar’s was a pianist and would ‘warm-up’ before a performance with diatonic runs over the keys here humorously represented in semi-quaver passages.

III. R.B.T. (Richard Baxter Townsend) – This is the writer of the Tenderfoot books. The Variation represents his presentation of an old man in some amateur theatricals - the low voice flying off occasionally into the ‘soprano’ register.

IV. W.M.B. (William Meath Baker) – Given the nickname ‘The Squire’ by the Elgars, Mr. Baker was a very organised host, but this variation shows him slamming the door and going out to the amusement of guests represented by the woodwind.

V. R.P.A. (Richard Penrose Arnold) – Son of the poet Matthew Arnold and a real gentleman, he had a characteristic nervous laugh which can be heard depicted in the woodwind. Elgar adds an affectionate counter melody above the theme.

VI. YSOBEL (Isabel Fitton) – A keen amateur viola player who had coaching from Elgar is heard attempting the difficult exercises for beginners of ‘crossing the strings’. The variation includes some exaggerated leaps depicting her tallness.

VII. TROYTE (Arthur Troyte Griffith) – A Malvern architect and close friend of Elgar, the variation shows his unsuccessful attempts to play the piano - the strong rhythms betray Elgar’s increasing despair and the final thump shows that his efforts were in vain.

VIII. W.N. (Winifred Norbury) – An excellent pianist known to Elgar through the Worcestershire Philharmonic Society, the variation portrays her delightful eighteenth century house and characteristic laugh.

IX. NIMROD (August Johannes Jaeger) – Publishing editor at Novello and a great friend whose faith in Elgar often encouraged him to continue when he was struggling to make his name. The title comes from Nimrod being ‘the mighty hunter’ in the bible and Jaeger meaning hunter in German. This noble and stirring music captures a discussion between them on Beethoven’s slow movement to the Pathètique Sonata.

X. DORABELLA (Dora Penny) – A long and close friend of Elgar. The nickname Dorabella comes from a character in Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte. The movement has a dance-like lightness with the woodwind rhythm suggesting the name Dorabella.

XI. G.R.S. (George Robertson Sinclair) – Sinclair was organist at Hereford Cathedral and was owner of a bulldog, Dan who is actually the subject of this variation falling down a bank into the river Wye, paddling up stream and barking on landing.

XII. B.G.N. (Basil G. Nevinson) – A talented amateur cellist who was in a chamber music trio with Elgar and Hew Steuart-Powell (Variation II). This Variation is written with a beautiful solo passage for the cello.

XIII. *** – No dedicatee was given for this variation. The variation portrays a sea journey with the throbbing of ships engine using the timpani and includes a quote from Mendelssohn’s Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage in the clarinet. Lady Mary Lygon was suggested as the subject and Elgar himself supported that idea. However, as the variation is a Romanza, there has long been speculation that it could be Helen Weaver, Elgar’s lost fiancée who emigrated to New Zealand. However the *** could just as well be due to superstition of associating a name with variation thirteen.

XIV.E.D.U. (Finale) – Edu is Elgar’s wife’s nickname for him. References are made to Variation I (C.A.E.) and IX (Nimrod), the two people with the greatest influence on the composer. This masterly work concludes in a triumphant and noble presentation of the theme for full orchestra.

Programme notes by Jonathan Hodgetts