English composer Edward Elgar’s Variations on an Original Theme, (‘Enigma’) op. 36 is one of England’s most beloved musical works. It’s commonly known as the Enigma Variations.
Q. Who are the Enigma Variations?
Synopsis
Table of Contents
- Q. Who are the Enigma Variations?
- Q. What is the theme in the Enigma Variations?
- Q. Why did Elgar call his music Nimrod?
- Q. Who composed the Enigma Variations?
- Q. What films has Nimrod been in?
- Q. Can Ave Maria be sung at a funeral?
- Q. Who wrote music Nimrod?
- Q. How many variations are there in the Enigma Variations?
- Q. When did Edward Elgar write the Enigma Variations?
- Q. How many times has the Enigma been recorded?
- Q. Who is the conductor of the Enigma Variations?
| Theme (andante) | Edward Elgar (E.D.U.) |
|---|---|
| Var. V. | Richard Penrose Arnold (R.P.A.) |
| Var. VI. | Isabel Fitton (Ysobel) |
| Var. VII. | Arthur Troyte Griffith (Troyte) |
| Var. VIII. | Winifred Norbury (W.N.) |
Q. What is the theme in the Enigma Variations?
The Enigma Variations are sketches of friends. In fact, the work was dedicated “…to my friends pictured within”. So perhaps the theme is simply (or profoundly) one about friendship. When Debussy wrote his Préludes, he gave them titles after he had written them.
Q. Why did Elgar call his music Nimrod?
The best known of the variations is the serene Variation No. 9, identified by the composer as “Nimrod.” The name is a play on words, as the biblical Nimrod was a great hunter, and the German word meaning “hunter” is Jaeger.
Q. Who composed the Enigma Variations?
Edward Elgar
Enigma Variations/Composers
‘Nimrod’ is the name given to the ninth and best-known variation in Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations, an orchestral work of 14 variations on an original theme composed between 1898 and 1899.
Q. What films has Nimrod been in?
The 2017 film Dunkirk features adapted versions of Elgar’s Variation IX (Nimrod), the primary adaptation given the name “Variation 15” on the soundtrack in honor of its inspiration.
Q. Can Ave Maria be sung at a funeral?
Ave Maria “Ave Maria,” which is translated from Latin to mean Hail Mary, is a popular funeral choice. For a funeral, the version that is most often used is the Latin prayer version. The familiarness and beautiful vocals are likely to offer comfort.
Q. Who wrote music Nimrod?
Enigma Variations / Nimrod (Adagio)/Composers
‘Nimrod’ is the name given to the ninth and best-known variation in Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations, an orchestral work of 14 variations on an original theme composed between 1898 and 1899.
Q. How many variations are there in the Enigma Variations?
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).
Q. When did Edward Elgar write the Enigma Variations?
For the Enigma Records compilation album, see Enigma Variations (album). Elgar in 1903 Edward Elgar composed his Variations on an Original Theme, 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.
Q. How many times has the Enigma been recorded?
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.
Q. Who is the conductor of the Enigma Variations?
But perhaps the hidden gem among the sixty-plus recordings that have been made of Elgar’s Enigma Variations is that by the Royal Philharmonic conducted by Norman Del Mar. It enshrines Elgar’s beloved ‘nobilmente’ sentiment, but is noble without ever becoming sentimental, movingly performed, and magnificently recorded.
