Elgar: a life in pictures

[MsPandaRosa]

There's a wistfulness in this, of fond memories of things now gone or going away, of friends you suddenly realize you lost thru no fault but time. It's an Indian summer kind of piece, and it's nice to think Elgar wrote it about a friendly little dog he had.

[BandMom101]

I love hearing Mina's waggy tail!

[MsPandaRosa]

@BandMom101

Me too, can just see her playing around in the yard.

[misteraitchful]

Funnily enough, I actually prefer this slower "elegiac" version of Mina to the historic version as recorded by Sir Edward himself- which is played in a completely different way: much faster and with less nostalgia.

[firesong75]

Delightful video - beautifully presented. Thank you!

[NonInflatable]

"Mina" is one of my favourite Elgar compositions too.

Lovely, light and and delicate

Thanks for offering it.

[londonscot1]

Kev3542 -

Many congratulations and thanks for uploading this wonderful music, combined with the interesting images of Elgar and his contemporaries. Excellent work!

[Kev3542]

@londonscot1

Thanks very much - I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[garryph]

@Kev3542 At 1'28" Max Morrow should of course be Max Mossel; and the most important 'person' in the picture, who deserves a mention, is of course Dan, Sinclair's bulldog, the subject of 'GRS' in the Enigma Variations.

[hawkwellhead]

Fantastic, I heard this some 25 yrs ago in my first year at college and this beautiful and sublime tune has happily remained with me. Its wonderful to hear it again. Thank you for posting it with such an interesting video.....You have made me very happy indeed.

[fsharpmajor]

I've read some the the comments here about the 3rd symphony. These comments could also be applied to Robert Walker's realisation of the Elgar fragments as "The Piano Concerto". I for one was impressed with RW's work on this, but after the controversy surrounding it maybe it was better left as Elgar's "unfinished work"

[SirTedFairyspear]

Lovely tribute, Kev3542 - and set to one of Elgar's sweetest little pieces, a musical portrait of his cairn terrier. Apropos the Elgar/Payne Symphony, I had the privilege of being at the first public performance and found the work deeply moving, especially the slow movement. For all that it's a musical hybrid, I for one am glad that Anthony Payne was able to compose his realisation of the sketches. PS I live only a few hundred yards from Elgar's grave and haven't heard the old boy spinning yet!

[Toweley22992]

Beautiful...Shame that Elgar isn't more widely heard or acknowledged. What's the world coming to?

[michaeljulian268]

I knew this was by Elgar! Just a few bars of any great composer and one knows who it is.

Someone recommended David Copperfield so I looked for an old BBC production. I always associated this melody with the lovely production, characterful actors and the happy outcome of David Copperfield and the girl he really loved. A time when TV was innocent without all the violence, sex and swearing. Fits the sweet music which brings a tear to my eyes.

[all1rog]

A year on, I often return to this delightful video, which deserves far more hits than it receives. Overall, the Youtube community does not really do Elgar proud, I am afraid!

[Kev3542]

Thank you very much indeed. I suppose you're right in saying that there aren't a huge amount of Elgar related videos on Youtube, although one of my favourites is the "Edward Elgar Footage" video posted by nankipoo.

[marklovell1965]

very interesting and very well presented, a gem.

[meggabigpants]

A superb montage, cheers for posting.

[icelink404]

Such a nice and peaceful slideshow colours go well with the song :D

[MEMORIES59]

Quiet Sundays, rainy days, exquisite "plops" of rain.

[stnat07]

"Mina" ...! Thank You for "Mina"...

[raybede]

My favourite composer, beautifully shown in this sensitive and well presented piece.

Thank You

raybede

[TheReverencer]

I am truly amazed and moved by this piece. What a wonderful melody. I'm new to this composer, and after hearing pieces such as this one and "Nimrod" I want to discover what other gems this composer has in store. Thank you, Edward Elgar!

[frankgruintjes]

ooops sorry my fault it is:

Edward Elgar

Mina

Northern Sinfonia Orchestra olv. Neville Marriner

EMI / CDM 5 65593 2

Titel CD: The lighter Elgar

Excuse me all, I was confused with Oliver Knussen and Elgar. Oliver Knussen was with the London Sinfonnietta.

[frankgruintjes]

His last work and piece for his dog Mina...I heared it some weeks ago on the radio. A delicate & beautifull song. I agree with Kev3542, strange that this song is not as famous as the other ones.

Thanks for posting it. Think I'm going to buy the Mina version of the London Sinfonnietta with Sir Marriner tomorrow.

[Reynartthefox]

Thank you for this simple, but deeply moving tribute...

[Ivanhoe2]

Many thanks for posting this moving tribute to our beloved English composer.

[RomoGreenEyez05]

i love this song...Elgar was a genius, and yes i agree that there are way too few tributes to him...most musicians have never even heard of Elgar...simply genius...

[all1rog]

Beautifully done -the music just right! Sadly, one of the few tributes to Elgar, on YouTube, in his 150th year which is any good.

[Reynartthefox]

As another tribute in Elgar's 150th year you can now see a film of Elgar conducting, including his talking to the orchestra before he begins conducting, at "Elgar conducting Pomp and Circumstance March no.1" (or add "/watch?v=gxqFdcZz974" to YouTube's url to find it)

[redsquirrel2000]

I thought I had heard all his music but I have not heard this before..it is absolutely beautiful. Now I have to find it on cd..I must have it.

[ayidas]

Oh my goodness. This song is so beautiful I just listened to it four times.

[Kev3542]

I know what you mean. It's one of my favourite pieces by Elgar and I can never understand why it's not as famous as "Nimrod" or "Pomp & Circ." BY the way, Mina was the name of his Cairn terrier.

[nankipoo]

Bravo!

[davidabailey]

Did he write all his own tunes or is this a cover of someone elses?

[Reynartthefox]

Absolutely he wrote all his own unforgettable melodies and magical orchestrations! He was one music's greatest geniuses! Alas others have meddled with his music, most notably Anthony Payne with the so-called 3rd Symphony 'completion', the few sketches of which Elgar on his deathbed requested be destroyed to avoid anyone tinkering with them; Elgar must be turning in his grave now...

[davidabailey]

I WAS joking...

[Reynartthefox]

Ooops... sorry I missed that!

[all1rog]

Actually, there were quite extensive sketches, such as the second movement in full, not scored, and even the opening of the 4th movement, in full ink score. Although his inspiration faded a bit at the end of the 4th movement (where there was no material), overall Payne did a good job - unlike the person who tried to complete Elgar's opera, "The Spanish Lady"

[Reynartthefox]

That's true, but now people are forgetting how much composing from scratch Anthony Payne had to do. And the work is gradually becoming known as Elgar's Symphony no. 3 rather than it's original title of 'Edward Elgar - the Sketches for Symphony no 3 elaborated by Anthony Payne'. Elgar himself said "the symphony all bits and pieces - no one would understand - no one - no one. Don't let anyone tinker with it - no one could understand - no one must tinker with it. I think you had better burn it."

[all1rog]

One of the great sadnesses for all Elgarians is that he became terminally ill during a period when he had recovered his desire and powers of composition, leaving us tantalising glimpses of several potentially great works, of which the Third Symphony is one.

[Reynartthefox]

Of course there is some very beautiful music in the sketches for the 3rd Symphony, but that should hardly surprise anyone, as it IS Elgar. Wulstan Atkins, Elgar's godson, was 'enraged' by the Elgar family's about turn on Elgar's daughter's clear wishes that no one should be allowed to view the manuscript "for the purpose of finishing or completing or making any alteration".

[all1rog]

It was a difficult choice for Elgar's family. They hoped that, by commissioning someone competent, who loved Elgar's music, they would close down the prospect of numerous travesties of the music, after copyright expired. They seem to have succeeded, despite the drawbacks. The sketches, incidentally, give a fascinating insight into Elgar's approach to composing major works: totally different from what anyone could have imagined.

[Reynartthefox]

One more thought on this and I'll shut up!: If left to the end of copyright in 2004 Payne would still have had the opportunity to publish his own elaboration of the 3rd symphony sketches and almost certainly ahead of anyone else's version. By 'commissioning' Payne the Elgar family have added authority to the existence of this fictitious Elgar work. And now many people who don't read the small print assume Elgar wrote 3 symphonies, a piano concerto, a 6th Pomp and Circumstance March etc etc.!

[all1rog]

I agree that it is unfortunate that the original title of the symphony is not always used. Wulstan Atkins (whom I once had the great pleasure of talking to about Elgar) did come round to the idea & participated in a TV programme, broadcast during the interval of the 1st performance.

[Reynartthefox]

Thanks for the interesting replies. I didn't know Wulstan Atkins was interviewed on TV re the premiere. But yes I also spent a wonderful and inspiring afternoon at Wulstan Atkins' home talking about Elgar with Wulstan and his wife! He was an amazing person wasn't he! Lucky for our generation he lived so long!

[daverantuk]

Goodness me, how bizarre to find a reference to my own grandfather on YouTube! This place really is all things to all people. I remember grandad being very generous in his praise for Payne's work, but he was always very firm in reminding anyone who'd listen (!), that it was Payne's interpretation of Elgar's sketches

[Reynartthefox]

Your grandfather was Wulstan Atkins? So your greatgrandfather was one of Elgar's closest friends. That's an amazing family connection! Thanks for the valuable information. And yes I know, YouTube seems able to embrace everything from HM Queen Elizabeth to Paris Hilton!!

[wbuno]

I just finished your grandfather's book and I found it utterly charming and a gold mine of information about Elgar. Wulstan himself seems to have been a marvellous individual. Did he ever mention Vera Hockman the woman with whom Elgar had a late, and rather sweet flirtation? She was the muse of the Third Symphony, I believe!