Nimrod

A Piano arrangement of the famous "Nimrod", Variation No.IX from "Enigma Variations" composed by Edward Elgar.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Nimrod
• Elgar
• Enigma
• Variations
• Piano
• Classical

[Gae41]

Thanks for all the comments. Just to clarify though....the music is taken from the Novello Edition of Elgar's Variations Opus 36 Piano Solo. It is also available as a Solo version of Nimrod from Novello. It is not my own arrangement.

[jkhalsa]

I am a violinist who has fallen in love with this piece again after having played it 40 years ago in an orchestra. Can you as a musician say what makes this piece so special? I hear some church cadences in the harmonies, like in some hymns and amens. But can you say more? I consider this the most beautiful piece I've heard in a long time and have begun playing it wherever I go visiting friends and serenading them. Sometimes I fiddle the piano harmony and sing the melody best as I can!

[Gae41]

jkhalsa...good question. I think it has that yearning quality within the rising and descending intervals. At first the music is tentative as though testing the water. Every time we strive for new heights, illustrated by rising 6ths, we fall back further i.e. descending 7ths. We are brought down to Earth as a reminder of our fragility. Finally though, we reach ourgoal as the music reaches the triumphant climax. The constant striving and yearning of the human soul to reach new heights.

Gae41

[andrewsurtees]

makes you proud to be british..

[mairzyd]

I agree: bloodless and mechanical playing, too marcato and also too fast. This music should be noble, profound and spiritually uplifting. However, because Gae41's written interpretation, posted below, is so much more expressive of this piece, his/her playing might simply be a function of clumsy technique, rather than any lack of musical feeling. He/she gets points for recognizing the beauty of the music, and for being brave enough to post it at all.

[swmorrow]

Just stunning. I loved your arrangement.

[Alexe2damoney]

sounds great man...a little fast at points but i think with some parts of this piece thats not necessarily a bad thing. i get the chills when i hear nimrod played well and i just got 'em!

[horngeek8D]

@Harlequin374 to my personal view, there are times it just does not reflect the flow that is in the orchestral part. if you listen around 32 sec. and building to the climax it just feels too separated. idk I just love the orchestral piece, I just don't feel that it is the same on piano.

[lionhearte1]

Are you an organist by any chance...?

[Harlequin374]

@horngeek8D He does. How can you not hear it?

[bobareebop]

@jkhalsa Yes, that yearning quality and the nobility that pervades so much of Elgar's music. You are communing with Elgar's soul when you play this. Speaking of singing it, I once heard the St. Olaf Choir do a choral version of this with words.

[Jinglelegs]

You play this gorgeous piece with true feeling and musicality. Its yearning quality certainly brings a lump to my throat.

[giacolle]

Good version on a piano!

[ASAngelo]

Well put!

A.