Today is the 150th anniversary of English Romantic Composer
Edward Elgar. He died 23 February 1934 leaving a legacy of music, best known of which are his
Pomp and Circumstance Marches. Now, I am no expert in classical music; I have only recently acquired an interest through my listening to sacred religious works by well known European composers. However, I have been aware of Elgar for a long time because he was a Midlander born and bred. His mother converted to Catholicism shortly before his birth, so he was also a baptised and raised in the Faith. He is buried in Little Malvern, amongst the great Worcestershire countryside where I proposed to Wendy (a native herself) on the first anniversary of our relationship.
In the year 1900 he produced a choral setting to Cardinal Newman's poem
The Dream of Gerontius, which was performed in Birmingham. It has been speculated that the early failure of this work led to a crisis in his faith, which was supposedly never that strong. He played the organ at St George's Catholic Church in Worcester (which we visited,
left, for Mass some time ago, on the Feast of the Transfiguration; a treat given the huge replica of Raphael's painting against the back wall of the sanctuary), although so did his father William, who was a protestant. William actually converted to Catholicism on his deathbed in 1906, and similarly Edward reaffirmed his Faith whilst dying of cancer in 1934, receiving the Last Rites. There are many other Worcester memorials to him, including a statue at the end of the high street (
pictured above right) and a memorial window in the
Worcester Cathedral (
pictured below), where he attended many services (despite it being an
Anglican Cathedral).
He will perhaps be best remembered for the patriotic enthusiasm aroused in our hearts whenever
Land of Hope and Glory is played at the Proms. Whether that is what he wanted or not, is a question best left to the historians.
Today is the 150th anniversary of English Romantic Composer Edward Elgar. He died 23 February 1934 leaving a legacy of music, best known of which are his Pomp and Circumstance Marches. Now, I am no expert in classical music; I have only recently acquired an interest through my listening to sacred religious works by well known European composers. However, I have been aware of Elgar for a long time because he was a Midlander born and bred. His mother converted to Catholicism shortly before his birth, so he was also a baptised and raised in the Faith. He is buried in Little Malvern, amongst the great Worcestershire countryside where I proposed to Wendy (a native herself) on the first anniversary of our relationship.
In the year 1900 he produced a choral setting to Cardinal Newman's poem The Dream of Gerontius, which was performed in Birmingham. It has been speculated that the early failure of this work led to a crisis in his faith, which was supposedly never that strong. He played the organ at St George's Catholic Church in Worcester (which we visited, left, for Mass some time ago, on the Feast of the Transfiguration; a treat given the huge replica of Raphael's painting against the back wall of the sanctuary), although so did his father William, who was a protestant. William actually converted to Catholicism on his deathbed in 1906, and similarly Edward reaffirmed his Faith whilst dying of cancer in 1934, receiving the Last Rites. There are many other Worcester memorials to him, including a statue at the end of the high street (pictured above right) and a memorial window in the Worcester Cathedral (pictured below), where he attended many services (despite it being an Anglican Cathedral).
He will perhaps be best remembered for the patriotic enthusiasm aroused in our hearts whenever Land of Hope and Glory is played at the Proms. Whether that is what he wanted or not, is a question best left to the historians.
I think the status of Elgar's Catholicsm at his death is dubious. Christopher Howse had an article about it in the Telegraph last week. He received the Last Rites, but after slipping into unconsciousness: he had refused them hitherto.
ReplyDeleteBut his music for parish choirs is wonderful and singable.
The Dream of Gerontius is really wonderful. You must listen to it at least 6 times and get a good CD. The best one is John Barbirolli and the Halle Orchestra & Chorus. Barbirolli became completely obsessed with it - not that anyone could blame him. This work has helped me so much in my faith. It leads you into a deeper sense of Gods love and helps you to really enter into the creed. Elgar's music is marvelous and much underrated. My beloved is not really a fan of classical music but even he is deeply moved by this one. As you can see I can't recommend it too much to you.
ReplyDeleteAlso, one of the reasons suggested as to why it was not popular was that the climate was not very welcoming to Catholics, also those who frequented concerts were mainly non-Catholics and did not warm to the Catholic themes. These points I gleened reading a history of the work.
Thanks for bringing us a bit of culture matt!
ReplyDeleteGod bless
Did you know that he was married at the London Oratory?
ReplyDelete