Edward Elgar

Sir Edward William Elgar was an English composer born in 1857 in Broadheath, Worcestershire. He rose to prominence in the late Victorian and Edwardian eras, becoming one of Britain’s most celebrated composers. His major works include the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, and the oratorio The Dream of Gerontius. Elgar was largely self-taught and broke through with the Enigma Variations in 1899. He composed in a late-Romantic style with rich orchestration and memorable melodies. He served as Master of the King’s Musick from 1924 until his death in 1934. His music remains a cornerstone of the British classical repertoire.