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Quiz about Edward Elgar
Quiz about Edward Elgar

Edward Elgar Trivia Quiz


Edward Elgar is one of England's most famous and enduring national composers. How much do you know about the life and work of this important musical figure?

A multiple-choice quiz by cliveh. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
cliveh
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
296,514
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
336
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Question 1 of 10
1. Edward Elgar was born in the year 1857, but in which county of England? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. What was the profession of William Elgar, Edward's father? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. In the 1890s Elgar became closely associated with the Three Choirs Festival. To which three English cathedrals does the name of this festival refer? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Who was the first name of Edward's wife, who he married in 1889? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Elgar's first major orchestral work, the "Enigma Variations", was published in 1899. To whom did he dedicate the piece? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. The following year Elgar wrote "The Dream of Gerontius", arguably his greatest choral work. This was based on words written by whom? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. How many symphonies did Elgar write? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Elgar wrote six "Pomp and Circumstance" marches. The first of these, which includes the music later used for the words "Land of Hope and Glory", were later used for a state occasion. What was this occasion? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Between 1918 and 1919 Elgar composed his last great work, the "Cello Concerto in E Minor". What is usually thought to be the inspiration behind this work? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Elgar died on 23rd February 1934. Which other prominent English composers died during that year? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 03 2024 : angostura: 10/10
Feb 07 2024 : comark2000: 10/10

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quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Edward Elgar was born in the year 1857, but in which county of England?

Answer: Worcestershire

Elgar was born in the village of Broadheath, just outside Worcester. The countryside around the western counties of England, including Worcestershire, proved to be inspirational for many English composers in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
2. What was the profession of William Elgar, Edward's father?

Answer: Music seller

His father's love of music - he was also the organist of a church in Worcester - doubtless had a profound influence on the young Edward.
3. In the 1890s Elgar became closely associated with the Three Choirs Festival. To which three English cathedrals does the name of this festival refer?

Answer: Gloucester, Worcester and Hereford

The Three Choirs Festival has been in existence since at least the early eighteenth century, and is probably one of the oldest music festivals in Europe. It is held annually in August, alternately at each of the three cathedrals, and includes music ensembles from around the world as well as the three main cathedral choirs.
4. Who was the first name of Edward's wife, who he married in 1889?

Answer: Alice

Alice was the daughter of Major-General Sir Henry Roberts. Her family felt that she had married beneath her social status, but her faith in the composer was probably the main factor behind his success.
5. Elgar's first major orchestral work, the "Enigma Variations", was published in 1899. To whom did he dedicate the piece?

Answer: "To my friends pictured within"

At the start of the piece the main "enigma" theme is played, and this is then followed by fourteen variations. The main theme has never been identified - an alternative name for the work is "Variations on an Original Theme". Each of the variations is named after one of Edward's friends, often just using their initials or a code word (such as "Nimrod" or "Troyte").
6. The following year Elgar wrote "The Dream of Gerontius", arguably his greatest choral work. This was based on words written by whom?

Answer: Cardinal John Henry Newman

"The Dream of Gerontius" tells the story of the passage of a soul (Gerontius) from this life into the next. With the help of his friends and a priest at his bedside, Gerontius dies peacefully. He is then escorted by his guardian angel towards the judgement throne, where he is judged with a single glance.

He is then lowered into the soothing lake of purgatory, with the promise of a future re-awakening in glory.
7. How many symphonies did Elgar write?

Answer: Two, with one unfinished

Elgar wrote his first two symphonies between 1907 and 1911. He wrote sketches for a third symphony in the early 1930s, but he never completed the work. Many years later the sketches were elaborated by Anthony Payne and published in 1997.
8. Elgar wrote six "Pomp and Circumstance" marches. The first of these, which includes the music later used for the words "Land of Hope and Glory", were later used for a state occasion. What was this occasion?

Answer: The coronation of King Edward the Seventh

When King Edward first heard the music to the first march, he told Elgar that he thought it would make a great song. The poet A.C. Benson was commissioned to write the words, and it was incorporated into the "Coronation Ode" that Elgar wrote for the coronation in 1902. Since then it has become one of England's national songs, and is often thought of as an alternative national anthem. Elgar himself grew to hate the song because he thought it had become "jingoistic".
9. Between 1918 and 1919 Elgar composed his last great work, the "Cello Concerto in E Minor". What is usually thought to be the inspiration behind this work?

Answer: The death and destruction of the First World War

The "Cello Concerto" is usually thought to be Elgar's lament on the First World War. It is full of beautiful, elegiac melodies which can be seen as the composer's sadness at the death caused by war and the passing of the world he had known and loved.
10. Elgar died on 23rd February 1934. Which other prominent English composers died during that year?

Answer: Gustav Holst and Frederick Delius

Following his wife Alice's death in 1920, Elgar largely lost interest in composing, although he made a number of recordings of his music. In the early 1930s he started work on his third symphony and also on an opera ("The Spanish Lady"), both of which remained unfinished. Holst and Delius were also major figures in English music during the same period as Elgar, both making individual and valuable contributions to the national music scene.
Source: Author cliveh

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor CellarDoor before going online.
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