Overture Magazine - 2015-2016 Season January-February 2016 | Page 39

program notes {
hesitant in G minor, features the yearning
melodic interval of a seventh that Elgar
loved; its second part, in G major, is
more optimistic and aspiring.
The beautiful Variation I, C.A.E.,
stands for Caroline Alice Elgar, the
composer’s unfailingly supportive wife.
“The variation is really a prolongation
of the theme with what I wished to be
romantic and delicate additions.” (All
quoted descriptions are Elgar’s.)
II. H.D. S.-P.: Hew D. SteuartPowell was the pianist for Elgar’s trio
in Worcester. Here, Elgar parodies his
characteristic runs over the keys before
playing. III. R.B.T.: Richard Baxter
Townshend was a local eccentric who
was slightly deaf and rode around on
a tricycle, constantly ringing its bell.
IV. W.M.B.: This blustering, masculine variation portrays William Meath
Baker, a country squire, as he “forcibly
read out the arrangements for the day”
to his house guests (tittering in the
woodwinds), then left the room, slamming the door. V. R.P.A.: A pensive
portrait of Richard P. Arnold, a young
philosopher and son of poet Matthew
Arnold. “His serious conversation was
continually broken up by whimsical
and witty remarks” (the oboes mimic
his laughter).
VI. “Ysobel” stands for Isabel Fitton,
who struggled to learn the viola from
Elgar, finally giving up lessons with
the explanation, “I value our friendship much too much.” In her honor, the
solo viola and viola section are featured.
VII. Troyte: Arthur Troyte Griffith was
another ungifted student. The music describes his “maladroit essays to play the pianoforte; later the strong rhythm suggests
the attempts of the instructor (E.E.) to
make something like order out of chaos,
and the final despairing ‘slam’ records
that the effort proved to be in vain.” VIII.
W.N.: A very genteel and gracious portrait
of Winifred Norbury and her lovely
18th-century house, Sherridge.
IX. Nimrod: The heart of the variations, this noble slow movement restores
the Theme in clearly recognizable
form and pays tribute to August Jaeger,
Elgar’s publisher, untiring supporter,

Off the Cuff: Enigma Variations
Music Center At Strathmore

Friday, February 26, 2016 — 8:15 p.m.
Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall

Saturday, February 27, 2016 — 7p.m.

Marin Alsop, Conductor

Edward Elgar Enigma Variations, opus 36

Music Center At Strathmore
The concert will end at approximately 9:30 p.m.

Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
The concert will end at approximately 8:15 p.m.

and close friend. “Jaeger” is the German
for “hunter,” and Nimrod was a mighty
hunter in the Old Testament. Elgar
recalled a moving conversation in which
he and Jaeger had discussed the greatness of Beethoven’s slow movements.
X. Dorabella: Dora Penny was a
charming and very pretty young friend
of the Elgars. This variation’s “dancelike lightness” describes Dora’s fondness for improvising dances to Elgar’s
playing. XI. G.R.S.: Elgar tells us that
this is not actually about Dr. G. R. Sinclair, organist of neighboring Hereford
Cathedral. “The first few bars were suggested by his great bulldog Dan (a wellknown character) falling down a steep
bank into the River Wye; his paddling
up stream to find a landing place; and
rejoicing bark on landing.” XII. B.G.N.
A magnificent variation spotlighting the
cello section honors Basil G. Nevinson,
the cellist in Elgar’s trio, “a serious and
devoted friend.”

XIII. *** Romanza: “The asterisks
take the place of the name of a lady who
was, at the time of the composition, on
a sea voyage … the clarinet quotes a
phrase from Mendelssohn’s ‘Calm Sea
and Prosperous Voyage.’ “ The lady
is believed to be Lady Mary Lygon, a
patroness of Worcestershire music. But
the intensity of feeling in this variation
suggests a closer relationship.
XIV. E.D.U. “Edu” or “Edoo” was
Alice Elgar’s nickname for her husband.
This final variation portrays Elgar
himself, overcoming the original tentativeness of his Theme and striding with
confidence into the future. Reminiscences of the lovely “C.A.E.” variation
and “Nimrod” place his two greatest
allies, Alice and Jaeger, at his side. As
brass and organ peal forth, it is almost
as though Elgar intuited the acclaim
awaiting him.
Notes by Janet E. Bedell, Copyright ©2016

January– February 2016 |

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