Sir Edward Elgar was a bridge in classical music from the baroque period to the modern period. Elgar married up in society to a Ms. Caroline Alice Roberts, daughter of a wealthy military man. She was disinherited by her family because they considered Elgar unworthy because he was both a Catholic and the son of a piano tuner - a common shop worker. Alice got the last laugh because, although penniless at her marriage, she ended up quite wealthy.
Most of us know Elgar through our graduation marches from high school and, sometimes, college. The seemingly endless march is actually a segment only of Elgars "Pomp and Circumstance" number 1, clipped from the middle of the march and repeated until all graduates have entered.
My favorite of the 6 Pomp marches is actually number four. I heard it first in its clipped version in the soundtrack to the move "A Clockwork Orange".
For your enjoyment, here are Elgar's 'Pomp and Circumstance' marches number 1 and 4:
Pomp and Circumstance march number 4
Pomp and Circumstance number 1
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