Elgar Cello Concerto
Elgar Cello Concerto Program Notes
By the time he wrote his cello concerto in 1919, Edward Elgar was a celebrated (and knighted) composer in his native England. His works included several of the Pomp and Circumstance marches, a violin concerto commissioned by Fritz Kreisler, the oratorio The Dream of Gerontius, and two symphonies. His Enigma Variations were twenty years old. During the years of the First World War, Elgar’s health had deteriorated, and his wife, Alice, had moved them to the country. He continued to compose, writing some beautiful, and somewhat autumnal, works. The inception of the Cello Concerto is a curious one: following surgery for a throat ailment, and while coming out of anesthesia, Elgar requested pencil and paper, and sketched the first theme of this concerto. Although the first performance, by the London Symphony Orchestra, went poorly, the concerto has since become a favorite of cello soloists and audiences across the world. Born: June 2, 1857, Broadheath, United Kingdom Died: February 23, 1934, Worcester, United KingdomThe Cello Concerto in E minor is one of the great works in the cello repertoire, composed by Edward Elgar in 1919. It is a deeply autumnal and introspective work, suffused with a sense of loss and farewell that reflects Elgar's state of mind after the devastation of World War I.
The concerto was premiered in London on October 27, 1919, but the premiere was poorly received due to an inadequately rehearsed performance. It was not until decades later — particularly through Jacqueline du Pré's celebrated recordings — that it became a beloved repertoire staple.
A typical performance lasts approximately 28 to 32 minutes.
Listen for the opening declamatory statement from the solo cello — bold and immediately arresting. The slow third movement is one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful in the concerto literature, and the finale alternates between playfulness and a deeply felt final farewell.
The Cello Concerto was Elgar's last major completed work. He lived for another 15 years after its premiere but composed almost nothing of significance, as if the concerto had said everything he had left to say.
