Chapter 61

England at the End of the

Romantic Period: Elgar and

Vaughan Williams

Edward Elgar and Late 19th-Century English Music

• Late 19th-century English music was supplied largely by foreign composers – though the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan

were universally admired.

• Edward Elgar adopted the musical language of German romantic composers – especially Wagner

• His “Enigma” variations for orchestra were his first international success.

• The revival in English music was continued by his younger contemporaries – such as Vaughn Williams

The Life of Edward Elgar (1857–1934)

• 1857 - born near Worcester to the family of a church organist

• 1899 - international success with the orchestral Enigma Variations

• 1901 - composes the first two Pomp and Circumstance marches for orchestra

• 1904 - knighted by King Edward VII

• 1934 - dies in Worcester

Principal Compositions by Edward Elgar

• Orchestra: symphonies (2), concertos (1 for violin, 1 for cello), overtures, marches, Enigma Variations

• Chorus: oratorio The Dream of Gerontius among many other pieces

Edward Elgar, Variations on an Original Theme (Enigma), 1899, theme and

variation 9 (“Nimrod”)

Theme: Rounded Binary form

The Music of Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

• Vaughn Williams continues some of the romantic traits of Elgar’s music by use of:

– expressive melodies– traditional forms and genres.

• But, Vaughn Williams partly turns away from Elgar’s Germanic romanticism by:

– use and imitation of English folk song– Renaissance melodies [Nationalism].

• He clearly does so to stamp his music as English rather than German

– a product of the 20th century rather than the 19th century.

• He developed a harmonic language based on the old church modes.

• Helps edit and collect a new collection called the English Hymnal (which included some of his own hymns).

• He also created hymns by joining folk songs to hymn texts – and by reviving the music of various Renaissance composers.

Ralph Vaughan Williams