Introduction

Sir Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations is an iconic orchestral piece that secured Elgar's international fame and premiered in 1899 in London. This piece is important and interesting in many different ways, but this project will focus on the themes that Elgar used to organize and create the different parts of the piece. Elgar, ultimately, was very moved by the people around him, so in this piece each movement, or in his words, variation, is centered around a person or small group of people.

Firstly, I will be using the information that he used in his documentation of the characters named "My Friends Pictured Within". The quotations and pictures are both from the book, however, the lines after the quotations will mostly note the direct connection between the Variation and the annotations that I made on the next page and will be written in this font. Below each variation title will be the "Index term" where you can go to the Index page on the left and look at all the annotations made for each variation.

The book leaves out any notes regarding the "Theme" that comes before the first variation because it is believed to have been about Elgar himself. This is what is presumed about the "Finale" as well. So, we'll begin with Variation I and work our way through to Variation XIV.

The Enigma

The mystery and controversy around this work has mainly stemmed from part of the title: Enigma . Although there was some hinting as to what Elgar might have meant by Enigma, its reality is still unknown. There has been some work produced by scholars, investigators, and Elgar fans in an attempt to "solve" the puzzle. In part, this gathering of annotations that I provide can be of use to those looking for a more systematic presentation of his work and highlighting some of the analogies that he mentions in his writing on the music itself.
There are also many who believe, with great influence by Elgar's writing, that though it is a mystery, it is one that is meant to be left unsolved. He mentions, rather counter-intuitively, that the connection between the Theme and the different Variations is quite subtle and hard to notice.

"The Enigma I will not explain – its "dark saying" must be left unguessed, and I warn you that the connexion between the Variations and the Theme is often of the slightest texture; further, through and over the whole set another and larger theme "goes", but is not played . . . . So the principal Theme never appears, even as in some late dramas – eg Maeterlinck's L'Intruse and Les sept Princesses – the chief character is never on the stage."

Elgar in Charles A. Barry's Programme Note

This note has done little to stop the public effort to solve the Enigma, and has led more people to attempt and develop a theme that can fit perfectly, like a puzzle, as a layer on top of the Variations and the Theme. Here is a bit more of the programme note entailing more about the Enigma :

"This work, commenced in a spirit of humour & continued in deep seriousness, contains sketches of the composer's friends. It may be understood that these personages comment or reflect on the original theme & each one attempts a solution of the Enigma, for so the theme is called. The sketches are not 'portraits' but each variation contains a distinct idea founded on some particular personality or perhaps on some incident known only to two people. This is the basis of the composition, but the work may be listened to as a 'piece of music' apart from any extraneous consideration."

Nationhood and Historic Value

However, no matter if one is interested in solving the puzzle that may or may not have the ability to be solved, one cannot undermine the beauty and affectionate attitue that the world has placed onto Elgar's piece. No country more than Britain understands its importance and value, and the piece, especially the ninth variation, Nimrod, continues to be used in critical moments in British history.

Here are some examples of how it has been used and remembered throughout history:

- Elgar conducted a performance of the Variations at the memorial of the musicians that had been lost due to the sinking of the Titanic.
- Some believe the use of the "Enigma machine" by Nazi Germany was named after the British piece during World War II.
- Hans Zimmer used some of the themes in the soundtrack for the movie Dunkirk.
- The ninth variation, Nimrod, the piece's most popular movement, is commonly used at funerals and memorials, and has been used in the Hong Kong handover ceremoney in 1997, the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and the final piece, before the national anthem, played by the Greek National Orchestra as their ensemble was being cut due to governmental funding issues.

Variation I

Index term: CAE

"C. A. E.", Elgar's wife. I.
"There is no break between the theme and this movement. The variation is really a prolongation of the theme with what I wished to be romantic and delicate additions; those who knew C.A.E. will understand this reference to one whose life was a romantic and delicate inspiration."

The annotation attached to Variation I highlights the melody that he would sing to Alice, his wife, every time he got home. This annotation is seen at annotation #5.

Variation II

Index term: HDSP

"H. D. S.-P.", Hew David Steuart-Powell. II.
"Hew David Steuart-Powell was a well-known amateur pianist and a great player of chamber music. He was associated with B.G.N. (Cello) and the Composer (Violin) for many years in this playing. His characteristic diatonic run over the keys before beginning to play is here humorously travestied in the semiquaver passages; these should suggest a Toccata, but chromatic beyond H.D.S.-P.'s liking."

As mentioned in the passage, I selected the half-step melody to emphasize in Hew's passage. The diatonic run is noted in annotation #7.

Variation III

Index term: RBT

"R.B.T.", Richard Baxter Townshend. III.
"Richard Baxter Townshend, whose Tenderfoot books are now so well known and appreciated. The Variation has a reference to R.B.T's presentation of an old man in some amateur theatricals- the low voice flying off occasionally into 'soprano' timbre. The oboe gives a somewhat pert version of the theme, and the growing grumpiness of the bassoons is important."

Elgar notes Richard T's 'growing grumpiness' in the bassoons, so I chose to recognize that in annotation #9 and #10.

Variation IV

Index term: WMB

"W.M.B.", W. M. Baker. IV.
"A country squire, gentleman and scholar. In the days of horses and carriages it was more difficult than in these days of petrol to arrange the carriages for the day to suit a large number of guests. This variation was written after the host had, with a slip of paper in his hand, forcibly read out the arrangements for the day and hurried left the music-room with an inadvertent bang of the door. In bars 15-24 are some suggestions of the teasing attitude of the guests."

Variation V

Index term: RPA

"R.P.A.", Richard P. Arnold. V.
"Richard P. Arnold, son of Matthew Arnold. A great lover of music which he played (on the pianoforte) in a self-taught manner, evading difficulties but suggesting in a mysterious way the real feeling. His serious conversation was continually broken up by whimsical and witty remarks. The theme is given by the basses with solemnity and in the ensuing major portion there is much light-hearted badinage among the wind instruments."

The wind instruments were chosen in the #13 and #14 annotation in the fifth variation to resemble Richard A's witty remarks.

Variation VI

Index term: YSOBEL

"YSOBEL", Isabel Fitton. VI.
"A Malvern lady, an amateur viola player. It may be noticed that the opening bar, a phrase made use of throughout the variation, is an 'exercise' for crossing the strings- a difficulty for beginners on this is built a pensive and, for a moment, romantic movement."

Annotation #16 and #17 both highlight Isabel's challenge in being an amateur violist.

Variation VII

Index term: TROYTE

"TROYTE", Troyte Griffith. VII.
"A well-known architect in Malvern. The boisterous mood is mere banter. The uncouth rhythm of the drums and lower strings was really suggested by some maladroit essays to play the pianoforte; later the strong rhythm suggests the attempts of the instructor (E.E.) to make something like order out of chaos, and the final despairing "slam" records that the effort proved to be vain."

Annotation #19 highlights the the drums and frantic rhythm that Elgar expresses as his frustrations in teaching Troyte pianoforte.

Variation VIII

Index term: WN

"W. N.", Winifred Nobury. VIII.
"Really suggested by an eighteenth-century house. The gracious personalities of the ladies are sedately shown. W. N. was more connected with music than others of the family, and her initials head the movement; to justify this position a suggestion of a characteristic laugh is given."

This annotation highlights the only one that was about a group of people, even though the picture below depicts the most obvious personality throughout the variation, Winifred Nobury. Annotation #21 and #22 locate where her laugh is present in the piece.

Variation IX

Index term: NIMROD

"NIMROD", A. J. Jaeger. IX.
"The variations are not all "portraits"; some represent only a mood, while other recall an incident known only to two persons. Something ardent and mercurial, in addition to the slow movement (No. IX), would have been needful to portray the character and temperament of A. J. Jaeger (Nimrod). The variation bearing this name is the record of a long summer evening talk, when my friend discoursed eloquently on the slow movements of Beethoven, and said that no one could approach Beethoven at his best in this field, a view with which I cordially concurred. It will be noticed that the opening bars are made to suggest the slow movement of the Eighth Sonata (Pathetique). Jaeger was for years the dear friend, the valued adviser and the stern critic of many musicians besides the writer; his place has been occupied but never filled."

For the most popular and culturally significant variation in the work, I've chosen to highlight the point in the piece where I believe to be the suggestion of paralleling Beethoven's Pathetique at annotation #24. I've also wanted to make it significant to notice that it also represents Jaeger's voice and his influence on Elgar continuing his musical pursuits.

Variation X

Index term: DORABELLA

"DORABELLA", Dora Penny. X.
"Intermezzo. The pseudonym is adopted from Mozart's "Cosi fan tutti." The movement suggests a dance-like lightness. The inner sustained phrases at first on the viola and later on the flute should be noted."

Annotation #26, #27, and #28 all recognize the different points where people believe Elgar to be making light-hearted jabs at Dora's stutter.

Variation XI

Index term: GRS

"G. R. S.", George Robertson Sinclair. XI.
"George Robertson Sinclair, Mus. D., late organist of Hereford Cathedral. The variation, however, has nothing to do with organs or cathedrals, or, except remotely, with G. R. S. The first few bars were suggest by his great bulldog Dan (a well-known character) falling down the steep bank into the river Wye (bar 1); his paddling up stream to find a landing place (bars 2 and 3); and his rejoicing bark on landing (2nd half of bar 5). G. R. S. said, "Set that to music." I did; here it is."

The annotations chosen on Variation XI were, like Elgar emphasized in his passage above, focused more on the dog, Dan, rather than George. Annotation #30 locates Dan's fall into the river. His struggle in search for land is found in annotation #31, and his rejoice is found in the 32nd annotation.

Variation XII

Index term: BSN

"B. G. N.", Basil G. Nevinson. XII.
"Basil G. Nevinson, an amateur cello player of distinction and the associate with H. D. S.-P. and the writer (violin) in performances of many trios- a serious and devoted friend. The variation is a tribute to a very dear friend whose scientific and artistic attainments, and the whole-hearted way they were put at the disposal of his friends, particularly endeared him to the writer."

The twelth variation was highlighted for the cello solo that both starts and finishes it. As a tribute to Basil by Elgar, I've chosen to highlight the beginning and end and the separate cello solos in annotation #34 and #35.

Variation XIII

Index term: MARY

"* * * ", Lady Mary Lygon. XIII.
"The asterisks take the place of the name of a lady who was, at the time of the composition, on a sea voyage. The drums suggest the distant throb of the negines of a liner, over which the clarinet quotes a phrase from Mendelssohn's "Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage"."

The final annotations of the piece are seen in #37 and #38. Annotation #37 focuses on making it clear where I believe to be Elgar's attempt of showing her asterisked name. The final annotation, #38, shows the clarinet quote of "Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage".

Variation XIV

Index term: EDU

"E. D. U.", The composer, Sir Edward Elgar. XIV.
"Finale: bold and vigorous in general style. Written at a time when friends were dubious and generally discouraging as to the composer's musical future, this variation is merely to show what E.D.U. (a paraphrase of a fond name) intended to do. References made to Var. I (C.A.E.) and to Var. IX (Nimrod), two great influences on the life and art of the composer, are entirely fitting to the intention of the piece. The whole of the work is summed up in the triumphant broad presentation of the theme in the major."

Bibliography

Elgar, Edward (1946). My Friends Pictured Within. The subjects of the Enigma Variations as portrayed in contemporary photographs and Elgar's manuscript. London: Novello.
Moore, Jerrold Northrop (1984). Edward Elgar: A Creative Life. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-315447-1.
Turner, Patrick (2007). Elgar's 'Enigma' Variations – A Centenary Celebration (second ed.). London: Thames Publishing.