What is Edward Elgar?
[[File:Edward Elgar.jpg|right|thumb|Sir Edward Elgar]] '''Sir Edward William Elgar,''' '''1st [[Baronet]]''' <small>[[Order of Merit|OM]] [[Royal Victorian Order|GCVO]]</small> (2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was the most famous [[English people|English]] [[composer]] of his time. He composed in the late [[romantic music|romantic era]]. ==Birth== Elgar was born in [[Broadheath (Worcestershire)|Broadheath]], [[Worcestershire]]. His [[father]] owned a [[music]] shop. Apart from having [[violin]] lessons Elgar taught himself about music, he studied the printed music in his father’s shop and often travelled with him when he went on his rounds to tune [[Piano|pianos]]. He heard a lot of [[cathedral]] music and often practised the [[Organ (music)|organ]]. He took over his father’s job as [[church]] [[organist]] and soon became [[Conductor (music)|conductor]] of local [[orchestra]]s and [[band]]s. [[Worcester]] was a small town but the music there was good. The [[Three Choirs Festival]] took place there every third year. In 1884 he was playing the violin in the [[orchestra]] when the great [[Czech Republic|Czech]] composer [[Antonín Dvořák|Dvořák]] was conducting. ==Marriage== In 1889 Elgar married. His wife [[Caroline Alice Roberts]] came from a family who had more money than the Elgars, and she was 8 years older than he was. Many people did not approve of the [[marriage]], but she was a good wife to him and encouraged him in his efforts to be a successful composer. ==Works== In 1899 Elgar wrote an orchestral piece called the ''Enigma Variations''. There is a main tune, and then a series of variations on the tune. Each variation describes one of his friends, but he did not say which friends they were: he only put their initials or nickname at the top of each variation. This is why the piece is an enigma (a “puzzle” or “secret”). People have managed to work out who each friend was, but the meaning of the main tune is still a puzzle. This music made Elgar very famous. The next work that he wrote is probably his gre