C&L's Late Nite Music Club With Edward Elgar

The Enigma Variations is one of my favorite orchestral works, plus it's got a great back story.
By Ryan Pressman — May 27, 2014

That is, each variation has individual back story in that each one is a musical portrait of someone that Elgar knew. In this case, it was Augustus J. Jaeger, whose name was used as part of a pun that Elgar conceived for the title of the piece. "Jaeger," meaning "hunter" in German, is represented by "Nimrod," a Biblical hunter. Elgar composed the piece to recognize Jaeger as a friend and adviser, and as someone he trusted a great deal.

Got any favorite movements from an orchestral work?

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