麻豆社

Stephen Johnson explores Elgar's "Enigma Variations", a series of 13 musical sketches of the composer's friends which concludes with a representation of Elgar himself. The theme of the variations was spotted by his wife, as an exhausted Elgar strummed on the piano to relax after a long day teaching violin. When it was completed, this impromptu session turned into Elgar's most ambitious orchestral work to date, which, after it was first performed in London on 19th June 1899, went on to secure his reputation as a composer of international standing.