Edward Elgar

Edward Elgar was a British composer associated with the Romantic movement. He was born on 2 June 1857 in Lower Broadheath, Worcestershire, and died on 23 February 1934 in Worcester. His best-known orchestral works include the Enigma Variations and the Pomp and Circumstance Marches. He also wrote oratorios, symphonies, chamber music, concertos, and songs. In 1924, he was appointed Master of the King's Music.

Elgar was the fourth of seven children. His father tuned pianos and sold musical goods, and Elgar grew up among musical instruments, scores, and books. He began piano and violin lessons at the age of eight, and initially wrote music for the violin. He studied music theory on his own and, at 15, left school to work for a local solicitor after he could not afford to study music in Leipzig. He soon turned to music, performing as a violinist and organist and teaching piano and violin.

In Worcester, Elgar played in local musical groups, arranged music, composed, and made his first appearance as a conductor. At 22, he became bandmaster at the Worcester and County Pauper Lunatic Asylum, where he also wrote music for its orchestra. He performed at the Worcester and Birmingham festivals and gained experience playing works by major composers. Visits to Paris and Leipzig in 1880–1882 introduced him to leading orchestras and the music of Richard Wagner. After a period in London, he returned to Great Malvern, where he earned a living through teaching and conducting local musical groups.

In 1889, Elgar married Caroline Roberts, a published writer who supported his career and managed his affairs. In 1925, he received the Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal, followed by the Walter Willson Cobbett Medal in 1928. His music remains closely associated with the annual BBC Proms, where the First Pomp and Circumstance March is performed at the season's final concert.