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Elgar: An Anniversary Portrait

"Too frequently a multi-author work on a composer obscures rather than illuminates its subject. This volume casts a genuinely prismatic light upon it."R.J. Stove, The New Criterion "An Anniversary Portrait succeeds in offering a sufficient yet panoramic view of Elgar's life and music. The impressive list of authors and concise nature of their contributions make this book an easily digestible and enjoyable read."Muso Edward Elgar was a man of many contradictions. He was born an outsider, into a family of lower-middle class, Catholic, origins. Yet his fame, and ability to write music that struck a chord in the national consciousness, led him to adopt a sycophantic attitude towards the Royal Family and high society, even though he always felt ill at ease with them. Elgar was a depressive with a problematic marriage, who craved recognition, but in many ways he regretted the piece of music which made him famous. 'Pomp and Circumstance' made him the leading English composer of his age, but also contributed to the jingoism which he so disliked during the First World War.Yet, unquestionably, he was the greatest musical genius that England had produced in centuries. This Portrait, by some of the scholars and musicians that understand him best, offers new light on a wide range of aspects of Edward Elgar's life and work.

Paperback: 224 pages

Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic; 1 edition (November 4, 2008)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1847065333

ISBN-13: 978-1847065339

Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.4 x 8.5 inches

Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

Best Sellers Rank: #4,216,585 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #56 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Composers > Elgar #2031 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Biographies > Pop #6563 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Musical Genres > Popular

This book contains several rewarding essays on Sir Edward Elgar that help provide a fuller picture of the composer of several well-known pieces (the Pomp & Circumstance March #1 being in the super-well-known category). Each reader is likely to find a different set of essays to be most interesting; mine are those by Diana McVeagh, Stephen Hough and Mark Elder. One problem is that the authors are not identified. Some, such as Hough, Janet Baker and Yehudi Menuhin are well-known, but the others are known mostly to persons already well familiar with the composer, and some will be new to most readers. Many chapters have notes, but the one by Hans Keller does not despite his quoting three sources.

Elgar: An Anniversary Portrait A Handbook of Transport Economics (Elgar Original Reference) Handbook of Innovation Systems and Developing Countries: Building Domestic Capabilities in a Global Setting (Elgar Original Reference) EU Public Procurement Law: Second Edition (Elgar European Law series) Edward Elgar Violin Cello In E Minor Op85 Book And 2 CD Set Edward Elgar (Shire Library) 7 Classical Favorites Arranged for Two Pianos, Eight Hands: Selections by Brahms, Elgar, Grieg, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, and Purcell Arranged for Intermediate Piano (Alfred's Classic Editions) Elgar: Enigma Variations (Cambridge Music Handbooks) Elgar Piano Quintet In A Min Op84 Pn/4Str Sc&Pts Edward Elgar - 'Enigma' Variations - Op.37 - A Score for Solo Piano Conducting Elgar Elgar Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra in E minor Op. 85 (Eulenburg Audio+Score Series) Elgar Studies (Cambridge Composer Studies) Easy Classical Electric Guitar Duets: Featuring music of Elgar, Grieg, Bach and others. In Standard Notation and Tablature. Ravel, Elgar and More - Volume 7: The Orchestra Musician's CD-ROM Library - Trumpet Edward Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius Op.38 (Study Score) Ravel, Elgar and More - Volume 7: The Orchestra Musician's CD-ROM Library - Cello ELGAR IMPERIAL MARCH TRIUMPHAL MARCH ORGAN Ravel, Elgar and More - Volume 7: The Orchestra Musician's CD-ROM Library - Flute Ravel, Elgar and More - Volume 7: The Orchestra Musician's CD-ROM Library - Violin I and II