When and where was Edward Elgar born?
Edward Elgar was born on the 2nd of June 1857 in Lower Broadheath, a small village near Worcester. His family home was a brick cottage with a large front garden that later became known as The Firs.
Questions about Edward Elgar
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What major orchestral works did Edward Elgar compose after his wife Alice died?
After Alice Elgar died of lung cancer on the 7th of April 1920, Edward Elgar composed no more large-scale works until he began work on the Third Symphony which remained unfinished due to his final illness. He also arranged youthful notebooks into the Nursery Suite in 1931 and made arrangements for Bach, Handel, and Chopin with distinctively Elgarian orchestration.
How old was Edward Elgar when he produced the Enigma Variations?
Edward Elgar produced the Enigma Variations at forty-two years old which premiered in London under Hans Richter's baton in 1899. The work consisted of fourteen variations on an original theme each labeled with nicknames representing particular friends.
Why did Edward Elgar stop composing after 1920?
Edward Elgar stopped composing after 1920 because his wife Alice died of lung cancer on the 7th of April 1920 leaving him without her support as business manager and musical critic. With no public demand for new works he allowed himself to be deflected from composition and indulged hobbies like amateur chemistry instead.
When did Edward Elgar die and where is he buried?
Edward Elgar died on the 23rd of February 1934 at age seventy-six following an operation for inoperable colorectal cancer discovered on the 8th of October 1933. He is buried next to his wife in St Wulstan's Roman Catholic Church Little Malvern.