Elgar’s Enigma

A work dazzling in its ingenuity, technical skill and range of expression Enigma Variations was an immediate popular success and catapulted Elgar into national and international fame. The original theme is remarkable in that it has the same rhythm whether it is played forwards or backwards, and the two halves of the phrase suggest two different keys that create drama into the melody. Sibelius’ last symphony shines with a unique radiance. It is th...