h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Elgar's Enigma Variations - A600562
Author: Gnomon - U151503

The story of Elgar's Enigma Variations, along with a possible solution to the Enigma.

That had me riveted from beginning to end Gnomon In fact I was so wrapped up in it I didn't even notice if there were any typos or grammatical errors And I never suspected it might be Rule Britannia. It does fit, for sure, and the clues certainly point that way.

This gets my vote all the way

I like this very much, Gnomon! I saw the title and your name flew to mind!

I have only one slight concern, and that is the title. I thought the entry would be about the variations themselves and this is about the enigma of the variations. A minor point, though. Well done!

The last section has me rather flat-footed though. *shows ignorance*

I'm sorry but the Rule Britannia theory, ingenious and attractive though it seems, is flawed. It is not accepted by The Elgar Society (I happen to know someone who is a big noise there) for various reasons. The van Houten theory is of course much more complicated that Gnomon would want to spell out in an h2g2 entry, and it has been thoroughly debunked now.

Gnomon, you might like to add to the list of suggested 'solutions' "Twinkle, twinkle, little star".

The fact is that The Elgar Society are constantly receiving suggestions from people who are convinced they have 'solved' the enigma, but no solution put forward is really convincing in the end.

One that I came across is the famous Wedding March from Mendelssohn's MND music, parts of which are uncannily similar to the Elgar theme, and there are other associations too. It's all very interesting but, at the end of the day, inconclusive.

Gnomon, it's a pleasant article but there are things that need correcting. In particular:

"Elgar wrote the word 'Enigma' on the score over the original theme. He mentioned in his writing that while all the variations were based on the Enigma theme, the theme itself was a variation on another popular theme."

This didn't sound right to me, so I've looked it up.

Elgar is quoted thus, in the programme note to the premiere on 19 June 1899:
"The Enigma I will not explain - its 'dark saying' must be left unguessed, and I warn you that the apparent connexion between the Variations and the Theme is often of the slightest texture; further, through and over the whole set another and larger theme 'goes', but is not played."

This is a crucial point. These cryptic words, "another and larger theme 'goes', but is not played" are not saying that his Original Theme is a variation on another popular theme. What he meant by 'a larger theme' and in what sense it 'goes' is indeed the enigma.

I think it's worth saying, also, that the enigma of the Enigma Variations is a double enigma - the meaning of that cryptic comment, and the dedicatee of Var XIII (which, tellingly, is a Romanza).

Elgar never called it the Enigma Variations, and I think the idea that he wrote Enigma on the score must be apocryphal. It was other people who called it that. It was, however, an extremely popular piece and did much for his reputation (and still does) around the world.

Personally I cannot abide Nimrod the way it is played these days. It's so bo-o-o-o-ring, so dirge-like. You need to hear it conducted by Elgar himself to get an idea of what it should sound like. Not that composers are necessarily the best conductors of their own music, but in this case I think he was.

does anyone know which of the variations was the theme to the south bank show?

Is that a trick question? Ya don't get me that easily matey boy

Bels,

I know that there have been more theories than you can shake a stick at. I didn't bother trying to list them all. I like the Rule Britannia theory, and I am proposing it here as a theory, but I admit in the conclusion that it is not conclusive. I still think it deserves an airing, whatever the Elgar Society says. And I did think that by putting the weakest arguments last where people would remember them as they read it, they would come away with a feeling of inconclusiveness.

"Elgar wrote the word 'Enigma' on the score over the original theme. He mentioned in his writing that while all the variations were based on the Enigma theme, the theme itself was a variation on another popular theme."

and

"The Enigma I will not explain - its 'dark saying' must be left unguessed, and I warn you that the apparent connexion between the Variations and the Theme is often of the slightest texture; further, through and over the whole set another and larger theme 'goes', but is not played."

As far as I know, Elgar did write the word 'Enigma' over the original theme. Everything I've read says that he did.

As to whether the hidden theme is a tune or a symbolic theme such as friendship, the quotation you give does not make it clear, but combined with the story about Troyte Griffith playing the hidden theme on Elgar's piano, it is quite clear, and I feel justified in paraphrasing Elgar as I did.

I mentioned the fact that the dedicatee of the 13th variation is disputed, but this was never considered an enigma in Elgar's lifetime and I think too much importance is attached to it in recent years.

Slow Nimrod, boring Nimrod - you're probably right. The Nimrod variation was supposed to be an illustration of a discussion with Jaeger on the slow movements of Beethoven. These are also abused by many conductors, from Wagner onward. You only have to compare, say, a Karajan version of Beethoven's 9th, 3rd movement, with the recording by Sir CHarles Mackerras which attempts to restore the original intended speed.

*goes off to find comb with coarser teeth*

Hi ZSF. Do you think the entry would be better with the title 'Elgar's Enigma' ?

I don't want to say anything more about the individual variations than I do here, so it'll have to be a title change or nothing.

I'll be away for the next week, but I'll address any issues here as soon as I get back (Sun 11 Aug).

Just to let you know that this entry has been scouted for inclusion in the Edited Guide. Can you let me know if it is ready before I process it?

Many thanks

Ashley

The content of the entry is ready, but I still haven't decided on a title. The entry is more about the Enigma itself than about the Variations. Zarquon's Singing Fish suggested that the present title is not entirely appropriate.

How do people feel about the following?

Elgar's Enigma
Elgar's Enigma Variations
The Enigma in Elgar's Enigma Variations
The Enigma in Elgar's Variations

The Enigma in Elgar's Variations
sounds best if you want to emphasise that it's the Enigma you're talking about.

Azara

Thanks, Azara.

OK, Ashley, this is ready to go. Do your worst!

oh don't tempt me

just dropping in to say i am really glad ashley that you didnt just scout it and take it away like has happened with so many otehr almost finished entries.

please mark the start of a new policy on scouting. much appreciated even though the entry is nothing to do with me

FABT

As I have said in other conversations:

"... When we process the Scouts pick, we do so with an eye on getting entries into the Edited Guide, rather than leaving them to stew. I noticed your and Spaceman's comments in the Conversation and believed that they could be incorporated by a diligent sub. This way we get a great entry into the Guide with all the comments in PR included.



Disagreements arise, and unfortunately it is those we remember rather than the hundreds of picks that go through the system without a hitch."

We regularly ask the Researchers to come back and update an entry, if they don't we have to make a call - leave it in PR for longer or see if there is info in the threads that can be incorporated further along the system. This isn't a change in policy, this has always been the way.

That said, let's get this baby into the Edited Guide.

Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've therefore moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

If you'd like to know what happens now, check out the page on 'What Happens after your Entry has been Recommended?' at EditedGuide-Process. We hope this explains everything.

Thanks for contributing to the Edited Guide!

Yay!

It is possible to accept the quotation from Rule Britannia as genuine - as I do now - and still hold a different view of the solution to the enigma. I have just proposed that The Solution is

The Fellowship of Composers,

in support of which I think one will find a different composer in each variation.

Taking into account van Houten's case, the list of composers unmistakably identified in the Enigma Variations is: Arne, Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Elgar (in the finale), Mozart and Saint-Saens. There is one other definite instance whose name I can't remember.

That still leaves quite a number to be identified.