Edward Elgar (1857-1934) Edward Elgar born June 2, 1857 at Broadheath in Worcestershire, was the son of an organist in Worcester's Catholic Church. It's not surprising that Edward spent a life in music for his father was also a piano tuner, a violinist and owned a music shop. His father's contacts in the town's musical society helped Edward to work in socially. It was not long before he learned to play the piano and this carried over to the organ whereby in his middle years he became the organist at the Worcester Cathederal. Being completely self-taught, he also took up the violin. After he completed his schooling at 15, he worked in a lawyer's office but this didn't last long. Music was his calling and he soon earned money teaching piano and violin, playing in concerts and finding opportunities to conduct. During this time he composed music for the Worcester Catholic Church as well as songs, part-songs, and violin pieces. His conducting experience at the nearby mental hospital gave him the opportunity to learn and practice orchestration. When he was 29 he found an Alice Roberts scheduled in his date book for a piano lesson. What transpired was not only music but a courtship ending in marriage. Alice had not only become his wife but also an important source of encouragement and driving force in his composing. His music took on the form of choral works which were popular in his area of the country. Part-songs, motets and oratorios were what he composed most and in it he made a name for himself. His "The Dream of Gerontius" became a most popular work and it was not long before he received knighthood and other forms of recognition. His work on non-vocal orchestral music continued as well. He wrote several overtures and commenced work on his "Pomp and Circumstance Marches." As he turned 40, he developed his famous Variations on an Original Theme Opus #36. Later referred to as his "Enigma Variations," it served to bolster his drive to write what he felt was the most important form in music, the symphony. With work on other orchestral pieces continuing, it was a natural form of progression that in 1907 he started sketches on his First Symphony. Completed a year later, it was fabulously received throughout Europe. In a short time he came forth with his Violin Concerto which too was a success and among virtuosi, a tremendous challenge. He composed his Second Symphony and was working on a Third which went unfinished. His last work was his Cello Concerto shortly after which Alice died. He became the first romantic composer to fly in an airplane(a brief trip to Paris), and died at age 77 in Worcester, 1934.