A complete version of Edward Elgar's "Enigma Variations" (No. 1-8)

[GeeMcBee]

I'm bitter and don't care how old you are. Just enjoy the music.

[liszt1776]

and here i thought clubbed to death was completely original

[boywho89]

im 12 can i lisen to this? hehe

[keesvangulik127]

Love his violin concerto too.

[Phantom663]

My biggest pet peeve is, " I'm only 15 and I...." ugh. Get over yourself and enjoy.

[arcturian627]

Elgar had such a relaxed, uncomplicated, dignified air about his music. I love it. :D

[beastinblack]

This makes me want to nuke Brussels. 

[KaL976]

Kings & toys

[rayray66]

sims 3 song?

[SeezyProductions]

BOSS.

[Saatoshi]

damn this stuff is too good

[MERTx123]

The Matrix.

[Todo47]

Are you kidding me? 186,513 views in 3 fucking years? What has the world become? At least 5 of those views are mine. I'm an American 17-year old boy. Most of my friends like dubstep or Bieber or Lil Wayne or Lady Gaga. I like all kinds of music from 2pac to Rammstein to Tchaikovsky, but no type of music has more emotion and meaning than Classical music and Elgar is my personal favorite. My Grandfather fought and bled alongside the British in WWII. May the US and Britain always stay friends.

[FlashFWD]

@Todo47

we listen to Liszt and Beethoven, sry. :)

[Todo47]

@FlashFWD ;)

[Bibbles71]

@Todo47 Sorry mate i meant to vote that up, my Grandad fought alongside your countrymen in WW2, respect will always be there. Is there anyway I can undo the vote down thing, sorry about that!

[Todo47]

@Bibbles71 Don't worry about it. I think if you refresh the page you can vote up, but don't even give it a thought. Good to know about your Grandfather.

[emanate0]

@Todo47 most people do not have very good shovels

[PeterWolf117]

@Todo47 trust me your not alone. Im 17 and american as well and i believe the music industry has taken a turn for the worst. I enjoy all kinds of music as well but I'm pretty sure I'm among the 1% that can appreciate music like this. I always get strange looks when I express my taste in music. orchestral music is among my favorite genres.

[TroyConvers5000]

@Todo47 They're probably thinking: 'Ooh, don't he sound like Rob Dougan?'

[abbonent]

@Todo47 so many feels...... but not really

[3M0H0KAG3]

@Todo47 Good for you, you are not the norm. Stay that way. I am 19, I also enjoy classical music. We are different, we will be ridiculed because of this. People forget what beauty is, and this is beauty.

[harrietamidala1691]

@Todo47 my paternal grandparents are from England as well.  IN fact, my grandfather served in the RAF, as a radar scanner. My grandma is the same age as the current queen.

[summahlives]

I remembering playing this last year with the El Paso Symphony. so so so incredible :)

[Cavin8r]

Never heard of this guy, but my music class required me to research him and some songs by him and I like!

[JohnPurchaseArt]

Karl Pilkington is a genius.

[TylerJohn95]

I love Edward Elgar's music, it's weird how I like Classical/Symphonic and Heavy Metal/Rock

[borgoat21]

@TylerJohn95 Good for you! That means, unlike most people, you have a sophisticated taste in music.

[volsebnica]

@TylerJohn95 Not weird at all... Hesse said that music describes the state of the society and state. Composers like Brahms, Berlioz, Musorgsky, Grieg and Bach were Hard&Heavy in those days.

Without any intention to be disrespectful, or racist, this is the true European ( white man`s ) music - strong harmony, and lot of discipline.

[AnotherQT]

@TylerJohn95 It's weird how every metal fan think they are the only one to also like Classical/Symphonic

[TylerJohn95]

@AnotherQT

I never said I was the only one. I know multiple people that like both.

[jcast18k]

@TylerJohn95 No, its not, in fact is common.

[abbonent]

@TylerJohn95 well when i look at comments at videos with classical music i find just the opposite(that its quite common). but it is kind of weird since the two genres are so diiferent personally i think Mr. elgar would be disgusted listening to heavy metal or rammstein.

[chinkychung]

@TylerJohn95 hahaha wow you and me have same taste :) i listen to elgar, ludovico einaudi and also go to listen to devil wears prada, day to remember and asking alexandria :P

mmuch love that im not the only one with contrasting music taste <3

[alternatehistories]

@TylerJohn95 There's nothing wrong with listening to both Heavy Metal and classical...Hell, most of those metal bands are made up of musicians who started out on the violin or piano...and many of them still listen to classical and opera.

[Matt123ttam]

@TylerJohn95 I do the same thing...it's wonderful isn't it? :)

[bizling]

Clubbed to death is one my favorite songs, after doing some searching, im here listening to this amazing piece of music thinking of the equivalent thoughts and feelings of the people listening to this when it was first played to what my thoughts and feelings when I first listened to Clubbed to death!

[KeithHarperSF]

Chandler Burr recommended this.  Thanks for posting.

[nixrox13]

9:48

[nixrox13]

7:55

[nixrox13]

6:40

[nixrox13]

5:20

[nixrox13]

4:15

[JohnPurchaseArt]

It's not as good as Girls Aloud or JLS.

[TheLagunaSunrise]

@JohnPurchaseArt Troll.

[JohnPurchaseArt]

@TheLagunaSunrise

You've got as much humour as a pebble.

[TheLagunaSunrise]

@JohnPurchaseArt You were trolling.

[shtywallman]

this is for my own reference, ignore, I don't mean to annoy anyone here

5:25 audition spot 1

6:48 audition spot 2

[linguistmusic101]

playing the music really changes your perception of it

[furrylee1]

My son played Nimrod some years ago at a PMEA regional festival.I fell in love with it and recently bought a dvd documentary about Elgar with a concert of the Enigma Variations included.Beautiful!

[Atmosfferic]

This piece surely speaks to us of Enlish stock,of Ye Olde & Merry England-(Come back merry), I know an Old english nursery rhyme that fits the bill perfectly for Nimrod.. Elgar himself said it was so well known-yet no one guessed it, I dont know why..but the rise & fall of the melody is exact. I played this many times(2nd fiddle) with B'ham Philharmonic Orch-late 70's-early 80's-It was truly wonderful to sit in the midst of it.

It made me smile to think he'd hoodwinked everone with simplicity.

[ChuckyJesus666]

@Atmosfferic THAT is cool to know!! Thanks!!!

[ChuckyJesus666]

Respond to this video...  Wait...what is the nursery rhyme called??

[deBoeldieu]

A great composer. From this era when our Western Civilizations were at their best rank and highest level. In United Kingdom, In France, in Germany, in Russia. All this is gone now... :(

But, we remember!

[AJNorth]

Elgar was perhaps the greatest of the English Romantic composers. Amongst the truly classic recording of "Variations On An Original Theme" (Subtitled "Enigma") are those by Sir Adrian Boult, Sir Malcolm Sargent and Sir John Barbirolli. Though the sound quality may not be up to the standards many expect, the performances more than make up for any shortcomings.

Those who enjoyed this work might also like music by other English composers such as Holst, Stanford, Parry, Foulds, Bantock & Rubbra.

[captaincabeman]

I was browsing through my music and when I heard the beginning, I thought immediately of Clubbed to Death by Rob Dougan. Obviously I know that Dougan took from this as this was first. Hahaha. That realization was funny though. Also, I apologize for any spelling or conventional errors. It's 4 in the morning and I've no sleep yet.

[MrKrevlornswath]

@captaincabeman

I think the Lion King soundtrack is a bit like this. I think the point is that part of creativity comes from looking back to earlier artists.

[hxcmps]

just performed nimrod with the reno philharmonic youth symphony playing double bass, and it was absolutely amazing.

this recording is great

[18diamant]

This music made our dirgent cry every single time we played it :)

(its beauty, not because we screwed up.)

[kaykay2495]

this is so amazing. i played the nimrod variation at the IMEA district festival and it's just so beautiful(:

[Missis101]

xd

[Baou94]

I am 100% sure this is the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I have a CD of Gene Pokorny playing different tuba excerpts in famous orchestral pieces. Enigma Variations just happens to be one of then and the excerpts and the video match. They both sound the same.

[MrTherandom]

This song is absolutely beautiful, but to me, it sounds better when i hear this live from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra...just a tad ;)

[arcturian627]

Wonderful melodies and color. :D I love you Elgar

[MyDevonian]

thank god for the genious that is elgar

[Missis101]

Edward Elgar,Frederick delius y Benjamin Britten reflejan la identidad musical inglesa en los tiempos del nacionalismo.

[csno1]

@Missis101 I agree.

[MrMusicman1192]

OH MY GOD FRIGGING EPIIIICCC!!!!!!!

[Curatica]

Thanks for the music and for the very interesting comments. The command of the English language is outstanding; cannot believe that the person who wrote them is not a native speaker!

[chuchitoRE]

John Williams is very inspired by other many composers and that's very normal to understand we need to understand that composers have had to hear and study many scores from other composers as well as to listeng many many music, try to hear the piece mars from the planets the composer's name is Gustav Holst this is Star Wars for sure.

[EuphoricImpact]

What an absolutely lovely piece of music. Full of mystery, dynamic shifts, and nice meter changes. It would have been great to know these friends of his, exceptional sonic portraits!

Lots of fun to listen to but even better to perform!

[NortonAntor]

I guess this is a cover of Rob Dougan.

[007lc]

@NortonAntor you sir are an idiot. :D

[RandyNewmanFan]

@007lc You, sir, don't understand sarcasm!

[007lc]

@RandyNewmanFan right cause I can tell you are being sarcastic through text.

[polishcellist09]

@007lc I enjoy the irony of this statement.

[blackmoonshine99]

@NortonAntor

seriously, check somethnig before making a statement like this ;)

[dberry02jr]

I'm sorry. This recording just doesn't do this for me. I'm going to have to listen to this in person to get a better perspective.

[BenjaminGessel]

@dberry02jr Hmmmm, actually, I think this is a pretty good recording... Course, its just my opinion.

[g3org33r3]

I've been reading up on the theories of what the Enigma is. Elgar was a sneaky one :P I love this variations :)

[BenjaminGessel]

@g3org33r3 He's just... Clever... And maybe a bit cryptic and shy too... :)

[verzeda]

Does anyone get a whiff of john williams when you listen to this piece?

[g3org33r3]

@verzeda Probably; John Williams uses a lot of ideas from classical music in his compositions. A prime example is the opening to the 4th movement of the New World symphony. It is profoundly like Jaws :P

[BenjaminGessel]

@verzeda This is very... visual AND very sophisticated music, and yeah, Williams is THOROUGHLY familiar with Elgar, that is without a doubt (as well as all the Romantic greats as well...)

[yuripole0000]

hi

you didnt write what orchestra plays it and who is the conducter.

please tell me, or if i hadnt notice refer me very much to the line thank you

[frits45]

thank you for this very complete package of all the variations. I wish somebody wrote his thoughts on me, on music like this in stead of bossing me around.

[BlaxicanX]

I like Clubbed to Death more, as well. However, that doesn't make this bad, because the two versions aren't even comparable. They're completely different genres, and this is a master piece all in its own.

[MultiPosts]

Anyone who thinks this is lame has no knowledge of music ;)

[tommywoodcock]

@MultiPosts anyone who insists he is the master of music is a snob and a douche

[MultiPosts]

@tommywoodcock I never said I was the master of music. :P

[ChuckyJesus666]

@MultiPosts NO KIDDING!!!

[AugustusAurelianus1]

@Adri1430 - Thanks Adriana, for so much kindness. This particular piece & compose are entirely new to me, perhaps because I hardly every listen to work that has been composed so late (I presume this was created circa 1900 plus or minus 10 years). Yet, it is lovely, and I do appreciate it immensely!

QUESTION TO LINDOROROSSINI- Is this composer the same as Sir Edward William Elgar, Baronet?

[DerAufklarung]

je l'ai et c'est un vrai instant de bonheur!! c'est de la musique!

[AugustusAurelianus1]

@DerAufklarung - Un instant de bonheur??? Y-a-t-il telle aberration? Un instant de beauté, peut-etre, mais on peut bien la reconnaître pendant les moments de souffrance...

[kingkillerwolf]

GODLYCURLS, must know nothing about good music. He is probably stupid listening to screamo

[wenidie]

@kingkillerwolf Checked his page recently, he's just some guy who constantly needs thumbs up from people. Some life he's living, not worth wasting precious comments on him.

[GODLYCURLS]

fagget music all the wayy thumbz up bitchess.....

[1972jewish]

kingkillerwolf is not acute enough. Its clear that you dont know, not only of clasical music, but of a.kind. You have no musical sense nor sensibility at all

[JessManc1987]

@GODLYCURLS

You're a prick. This, along with Holst, is the pinnacle of British music, invented and pioneered well before you were listening to S Club 7.

[MrHicks091]

@JessManc1987 I couldn't agree more. This was written at a time when great music was still being created, rather than the artificial, tinned crap they call music these days!

[mannyybarra27]

i played this my freshmen year in highschool as 3rd chair trombone :D

[dfdgfdgf0000]

Merci beaucoup !

[yayyaytat]

This is a great piece, though this recording is too soft, and so it's quite full of noises when I raised the volume to normal range.

On III., it's like mundane and normal hustles turned beautiful through a poet's eyes.

I., the one representing his wife, features melodies that are quite close to the ones of himself (the theme, i.e. the one at the start), but in a sense it also feels like an answer to his theme.

[ignorantpom]

And they want to take the man who composed this off our £20 notes to replace with some economist? What a disgrace...

[Xequ]

Bought this on vinyl yesterday- unfortunately rather dirty and scratched!!! :( Still wonderful to have! Thankyou!

[tubelover413]

Thanks for sharing the music. I'm deeply impressed by your superb commentaries.

[sylvesterbird]

Thank you so much for uploading this, and more importantly, all the descriptions! What for me started out as just a brilliant piece means so much more now after reading all the little notes on who each variation is based on. What an incredible piece!

[elementsfusion]

clubbed to death is way better

[jeffamarie]

@elementsfusion you've... got to be kidding. This is a work of art. Clubbed to death is a fucking 3 minute pop song. Yeah, it's got an 'awesome fucking beat'... then it's over. lol This has one of the most beautiful slow movements EVER WRITTEN in it.

[elementsfusion]

@jeffamarie oh sorry i forgot your opinion mattered

[jeffamarie]

@elementsfusion lol opinions are meant to fly back and forth - what the hell do you expect? nobody's opinion matters... maybe you expected Rob Dougan to come on here and thank you for sticking up for his hit? lol

[notyetajedi65]

Just once it would be nice to read a comments section in which people don't insult each other.

[Asphyyxia]

I live in Worcester, near to Elgar's Museum.

[lolitsluis]

Im sorry where is Variation 8, or are you counting the introduction of the main theme as the First theme

[borgoat21]

You fools do realize that a 'song' refers to a musical composition with a vocal part. Since this musical composition does not have a song, it is properly referred to as a 'piece.'

[Colt2571]

@borgoat21 forgive the ignorant ones

[Sirpadgett]

The solution to Elgar's Enigma Variations is "Ein feste Burg" by Martin Luther. This theme is quoted in the music of Bach, Mendelssohn, Meyerbeer, Raff, Listz and Wagner. Eglar was a huge admirer of the music of Bach, Mendelssohn and Wagner, so it is not surprising he would emulate these great composers by quoting this theme. However, since it was written by a heretic excommunicated by the Pope (and Elgar was Roman Catholic), he had to quote it secretly.

[pcchau20]

Thank you for the commentary to explain each variation and the personalities they tried to mimick.

[TorgeirFausken]

Elgar's music is just so beautiful. no wonder so many steal his themes.. ex. the start of no.1 is the same as the beginning of the soundtrack to the movie "the Matrix"

[kwsigma]

@TorgeirFausken cool

[Wilseus]

@TorgeirFausken Yep, Rob Dougan's "Clubbed To Death" track sampled the beginning of this.

[Giovanni222]

The Enigma probably got solved straight away, but Elgar kept denying it just because he wanted the piece to get press.

[pipoiscool13]

goodness. i really love this piece. especially number 6. its my favorite one. viola solo.woo.

[AJRocca]

The theme is the "never never" bit from 'Rule, Britannia!'.

[Arundodonax]

Are sure this is Chicago? This sounds an awful lot like the Baltimore Symphony with David Zinman recording to me... could be wrong, I can tell you as an oboe player that 2:04 doesn't sound much like Chicago-style oboing to me...

[agghtee]

Ok for 10 quid, can anyone guess what the picture shows - if you can work it out you'll piss your self!

[TheOneAndOnlyGloopy]

i love the comments on this.. and how fans of classical music and dance music come together.. better than the pointless shitty arguments on youtube

[prolifegal]

breathtaking. especially the first part, dedicated to Elgar's wife!

[agghtee]

Go to the top of the Great Malvern and listen to Elgar..... it's Zen, but not as you knows it!

[htnguyen32]

Rob is a genius for sampling this and turning it into something epic.

[Lukeisapirate]

this piece is already epic, transforming it into another genre and keeping the power and emotion in tact is a miracle.

[rushian01]

Yesterday I went to a cello concerto in Gent, Belgium. I recognized the Elgar intro as Rob Dougan's Clubbed to death. Epic indeed.

[AdamHWarren]

I've read some good programme notes on this piece, but seldom in such depth, and so interesting: thank you.

[matstark]

Damn rite. Rob Dougan copied the introductnion. LOL

[HUNDOLOS]

He also provided his solution for the enigma in the piano part (not to mention wrote a great piece of music) so I think we can forgive him :P

[AllGenreMusic]

You mean Clubbed to Death by Rob Dougan sounds like this?  If you knew about music, obviously Rob used a few verses from this song.

[valeo626]

@AllGenreMusic "if you knew about music"

^conspicuous snobbery

[Leomerya12]

@valeo626 Agreed,

[bandguyz24]

@AllGenreMusic its about time people realized that rob dougan couldn't make such a recognizable string theme...that is why Elgar will be a classic.....and the uneducated will think rob dougan did that....so why doesn't wmg take rob dougan down????? they take me down...Dougan's crap is sampler shit without Elgar

[WestfaliaBalla]

@AllGenreMusic true dat

[Chubachus]

@AllGenreMusic he totally made it better though

[CynicalThought]

It should. He used it as a sample.

[mugabesunny]

Rob Dougan sampled it for his song.

[dagaduesh]

exactly the oposite

[ooSpooner]

Fafafafantastic, ty

[bballer99133]

The 7th movement is the most evil especially towards the viola part eighth note triplet runs at half note=144 is probably the hardest part to get down

[pix042]

You piss taker, you! Who knows exactly where the eigth part, etc. actually is. Great music, though.

[bballer99133]

piss taker???? well if you have played the part before im sure you will know where the eighth part is...this was more of a comment for people who have actually played or seen the sheet music to elgar's variations

[ToastyMer]

I do.

[JeanGenoard]

really a magnificent job !!

[nesskiyuu]

i love the third movement, so lively and funny, plus the oboe in the beginning :)

[EdvardHGrieg]

This is wonderful pieces from a wonderful composer

[beethomozart]

a big part of Elgar's success was this work premiered in 1899 and specially to the mistery that lies within its origin, esentially nobody knows where the theme that originates all 14 variations comes from

[HerrWozzeck]

I'm playing the big viola solo in Ysobel in a couple of weeks, so seeing the complete Enigma variations in two places is quite convenient. Thanks for posting!

[CrookedWarden]

Thanks for the explanation. I really enjoyed it.

[rawwqq]

Nimrod by far!

[jackylen57]

Très jolie vidéo !

J'adore ces "Enigma Variations "

Merci

[twdon]

@jackylen57 sorry I misclicked

[dempsey5158]

I absolutely love this song!! I playe it in my orchestra. This first movement is in the movie Australia!! :)

[rationalsportsfan]

It's actually not really a song and it was the 9th movement that was at the end of Australia. But it certainly is excellent! :)

[Champraves311]

Tonight, for a bit of fun, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra compared Enigma Variations to other pieces to have the audience try to figure out what was the secret "variation of a well known theme." Many thought Enigma Variations sounded very similar to the Beatles' Here Comes the Sun. If only Elgar had a time machine. Well I can sort of see the comparison. Sort of.

[vickelchen]

Thanks so much for uploading these!

[KaL976]

"...A third enigma formed, when I decided to upload the variations, as I am completely baffled about the identity of either the conductor or the orchestra."

[vysehrad]

*chuckle*

[lachnessmonster1]

what symphony is performing this? hopefully i didn't miss this in the description. thanks.

[JamesBCS]

it's Daniel Barenboim with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

[RyaZila24]

was this back like in 1998?

[arcturian627]

Oh Lord, thanks for uploading the whole thing, I love you man, just wanna say that I appreciate it a lot ^^

[StuckinwestTX]

i played the wind ensemble version on oboe and its the exact same music same solos everything, just some changes in harmonics