MUSIC

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