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BRITAIN MUSICAL GREATNESS
ELGAR
Britain's
first period of musical greatness spanned the Elizabethan period through the
Restoration period--from the late 1500s, with composers such as Byrd, Gibbons,
and Dowland, through the life of Henry Purcell (d. 1695). For virtually the
next 200 years, Britain was the "Land without Music"--or at least, without any
real music of its own. While there was musical life, it was entirely dominated
by foreign--primarily German and Italian--musicians. Not one British composer
during this period created works remotely comparable to those produced on the
continent. With the appearance of Elgar, Britain at last produced a composer
of international stature, and he is the first in a series of composers who
created a 20th century Renaissance of British music, a series that included
composers such as Vaughan Williams, Delius, Holst, Britten, Bliss, Finzi, Bax,
and others. The backdrop of Elgar's life is the Victorian era, the Edwardian
era, the First World War, and its aftermath. It was the apex of the British
Empire, followed by the shattering of the old world order that had dominated
Europe since the time of Napoleon. It became fashionable after Elgar's death
to deride his music as pompous, ceremonial music celebrating empire. Indeed,
for some people, visions of empire crop up when Elgar's music is mentioned,
even when totally unwarranted (as when Time Magazine's vapid music
critic referred to Elgar's "king and country" violin concerto--even though it
is no more patriotic than those of Beethoven or Brahms!). It is true that some
of Elgar's music has a patriotic element and expresses the opulence and
confidence of the era; he was a patriotic man, and the British Empire was
viewed positively in his time, not negatively as it often is now. (Unfairly,
IMHO. It did, after all, bring more peace, prosperity, law, and order to more
people in more places of the world than they have known any time before or
since, with the possible exception of the Roman Empire under Hadrian--a not
altogether insignificant accomplishment). However, the Edwardian era--the
dozen years or so prior to World War
One,
which saw the peak of Elgar's creative activity--were hardly confident or
complacent. (The Edwardian era took its name from King Edward VII, whose
picture appears to the left.) It was an era of economic prosperity and
world leadership for Britain, but with domestic unrest (suffragettes, labor
movements, Irish problems) and international uneasiness (an arms race with
Germany). And, of course, the Great War which followed shattered Britain
incalculably. All this influenced Elgar's music, so that confidently
ceremonial music is often juxtaposed with music of uncertainty and uneasiness.
But like any great composer, his music goes beyond extraneous influences to
express his personality, which--oddly enough--paralleled the times. Outwardly,
he looked more like an English country squire than a composer--dignified, with
a mighty moustache, down to earth. Inwardly, however, he was acutely
sensitive, often doubtful, occasionally depressed.
Photo: King Edward VII
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