Edward Elgar (1857-1934) was the most significant British Composer since Henry Purcell.
Although he was largely self-taught and his early works much influenced by Wagner and Dvóràk, his compositions are all unmistakable; their warmth and humanity, inventiveness, and sheer beauty places them with the great 19th century European romantic composers.
The Enigma Variations date from 1898. Elgar wrote to Johannes Jaeger, who championed his cause to Novello: “I have sketched a set of variations on an original theme; the variations amuse me because I’ve labelled them with the names of my particular friends.”
The first performance was in June 1899 and it transformed Elgar’s reputation from that of a worthy composer of choral music to one of a nationally recognized figure. At last, he had achieved the fame he so richly deserved. The sophistication and subtlety of Elgar’s orchestration are, of course, integral parts of his fine piece. In transcribing it for winds, care has been taken to try to preserve as much as possible of the composer’s orchestral coloring. Conductors should study the orchestral score and carefully control the internal balance of the band.
William A. Schaefer transcribed all but three movements: nos.2, 10 and 12. These were done by Denis Wick. Performance of Enigma is relatively straightforward. Conductors should resist the temptation to take the fast sections too fast, especially Troyte and the Finale, or to wallow in the slow sections. The short Largamente sections in the Finale are usually played at just over half-tempo. The 16th notes (semiquavers) are ALWAYS taken at the fast tempo and treated as acciaccaturas. By making short pauses, as indicated by the fermatas, the traditional effect can easily be achieved.
Much has been made of the Enigma-riddle. Tradition amongst the older members of the London Symphony Orchestra, where Elgar had been for a short time principal conductor, was that the original theme was, in fact, a slow version of the last line of the old song, Rule Britannia. (Thomas Arne) When Elgar was questioned about the “Secret” and asked if he would reveal it, his answer was “Never, never!” which would seem to bear this out. (The words of the song are: “Britons never, never, never shall be slaves”
At figure 79 in the Finale, the barring has been altered from the original whole-note (semibreve) beat to a half-note (minim) beat. The original rhythm is maintained, but the music becomes much easier to play when written in 3/2, 4/2 and 2/2.
Denis Wick, Milford-on-Sea 1999
William A. Schaefer was active for many years on the American Band scene, having directed an army band, two school groups and two university ensembles, the latest and longest being as conductor of the Wind Orchestra at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
During this time, he produced many arrangements of orchestral music for winds, in order to make the music of great composers accessible to young musicians. Many of these have been taken up by several US Publishers.
Mr. Schaefer always manages to score as the composer himself might have done if writing for wind ensemble, always giving the impression that the pieces are wind-band originals.
In two unusual incidents he was given approval by composers – Stravinsky for setting of Petrouchka and by Shostakovitch for that composer’s ninth symphony. Aaron Copland sought Schaefer’s advice when he accepted a commission for his band composition, Emblems and the transcription of the Suite for the Birthday of Prince Charles was done at the request of the composer, Sir Michael Tippett.
William Schaefer always maintained an enthusiasm for performing worthwhile original compositions for band and for several years was chairman of the Original Compositions Committee for the American College Band Directors Association.
After many extended visits to Cambridge, England, he took up permanent residence there in 1994.
