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?
