Both patriotic and moving in equal measure, Sir Edward Elgar’s Nimrod variation is a staple of British patriotic events such as the Last Night of the Proms, the opening of the 2012 Olympic Games in London, and the coronations of Elizabeth II and Charles III, whilst its sombre nature lends itself equally well to the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph, and funerals such as those of Princess Diana and Prince Philip. It is the ninth and best-known variation in Elgar’s Enigma Variations, an orchestral work of fourteen variations on an original theme composed between 1898 and 1899.
Each variation is also a musical sketch of members of Elgar’s family and close circle of friends and contains, in Elgar’s words, “a distinct idea founded on some particular personality or perhaps on some incident known only to two people”. Thus, each variation contains a personal expression from Elgar of an aspect of each subject’s personality, or an event they shared, and the subjects are identified by either initials or a nickname: for example, the first variation is “CAE” (Elgar’s wife, Caroline Alice); others include “RBT” (Oxford classicist Richard Baxter-Townshend), “Troyte” (architect Arthur Troyte Griffith) and so on.
Variation IX (Adagio) “Nimrod” is a portrait of Augustus J. Jaeger, Elgar’s editor and publisher, and close friend. Nimrod is the great hunter of the Old Testament, and the piece is so named through a play on words: Jäger in German means ‘hunter’. This serene variation represents the years of advice and encouragement given to Elgar by Jaeger, when Elgar was suffering depressive episodes and lack of confidence in his work. Jaeger had reminded him that Beethoven had had similar anxieties and yet his music had only increased in beauty; in tribute to this moment, Nimrod’s opening moments evoke subtle hints of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 8.
The piece builds through long phrases of swelling dynamics and rippling melody, and the emotional climax comes slowly but surely. Solemn and evocative, Nimrod has everyone reaching for their hankies. Enjoy this version featuring Gustavo Dudamel conducting the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra.
