Edward Elgar | Nimrod | Enigma Variations (1899)
Edward Elgar composed his Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36, popularly known as the Enigma Variations, between October 1898 and February 1899. It is an orchestral work comprising fourteen variations on an original theme.
1899-02-04 19:00:00 - Music Video
After its 1899 London premiere the Variations achieved immediate popularity and established Elgar's international reputation.
PERFORMANCE
In 1982, Leonard Bernstein visited London and gave a concert at the Royal Festival Hall which featured Elgar's "Enigma Variations."
It is now known that he and the BBC Symphony Orchestra didn't exactly hit it off, while his reading of Elgar's work proved to be somewhat controversial. As an example, here is the "Nimrod" variation performed in what is believed to be its longest duration.
The whole concert and the first rehearsal was issued by 'ICA Classics' on DVD (Catalogue No. ICAD 5098) from which this extract is taken.