Enigma Variations
Variations on an Original Theme for or-
chestra, Op. 36 ("Enigma"), commonly re-
ferred to as the Enigma Variations, is a set
of a theme and its fourteen variations written
for orchestra by Edward Elgar in 1898–1899.
It is Elgar’s best-known large-scale composi-
tion, for both the music itself and the enig-
mas behind it. Elgar dedicated the piece to
"my friends pictured within", each variation
being an affectionate portrayal of one of his
circle of close acquaintances.
History
His wife’s contribution
One account of the piece’s genesis is that
after a tiring day of teaching in 1898, Elgar
was daydreaming at the piano. A melody he
played caught the attention of his wife, who
liked it and asked him to repeat it for her. So,
to entertain his wife, he began to improvise
variations on this melody, each one either a
musical portrait of one of their friends, or in
the musical style they might have used. Elgar
eventually expanded and orchestrated these
improvisations into the Enigma Variations.
Première
The piece was first performed at St James’s
Hall, London, on 19 June 1899, conducted by
Hans Richter. Critics were at first irritated by
the layer of mystification, but most praised
the substance, structure, and orchestration
of the work. Elgar revised the final variation,
adding 100 new bars and an organ part; the
new version, the one usually played today,
was played at the Worcester Three Choirs
Festival on 13 September 1899, with Elgar
himself conducting.[1] It has been popular
ever since. It quickly achieved many interna-
tional performances, from Saint Petersburg,
where it delighted Alexander Glazunov and
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1904, to New
York, where Gustav Mahler conducted it in
1910.[2]
Music
Orchestration
The work is scored for 2 flutes (one doubling
piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in B flat, 2 bas-
soons, contrabassoon, 4 horns in F, 3 trum-
pets in F, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, side
drum, triangle, bass drum, cymbals, organ
(ad lib) and strings.
Structure
The work consists of the theme, f