Nimrod

Sir Edward Elgar

Sir Edward Elgar (arr. Alfred Reed)

Subtitle: From Enigma Variations

General Info

Year: 1899 / 1965
Duration: c. 3:45
Difficulty: III 1/2 (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Orchestra
Publisher: Alfred Music
Cost: Score and Parts - $70.00   |   Score Only - $10.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo/Flute III
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
Contra-Bassoon (optional)
Eb Clarinet
Bb Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
Eb Alto Clarinet
Bb Bass Clarinet
Bb Contrabass Clarinet
Eb Alto Saxophone I-II
Bb Tenor Saxophone
Eb Baritone Saxophone
Bb Bass Saxophone (optional)
Cornets I-II
Bb Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium (Bass Clef & Treble Clef)
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:

• Crash Cymbals

Errata

2nd B-flat Clarinet. meas. 9, beat 2: A should read F
1st & 2nd B-flat Cornets. meas. 19: delete “20” rehearsal figure (add it 1 measure later)
1st & 2nd B-flat Cornets. meas. 39, beat 1&, lower line: add courtesy eighth rest for this voice
4th F Horn. meas. 40: rehearsal figure “28” should read “40”
1st Trombone: add E-flat major key signature to the beginning of each system
Basses. meas. 40, beat 2: E ledger line is broken

Program Notes

The Enigma Variations were written for orchestra in 1899 and bore the dedication “To My Friends Pictured Within.” The theme and fourteen variations catapulted Elgar to international acclaim. The story is told of how Elgar, returning home after a long day of giving violin lessons, sat down to unwind at the piano and tinkered by improvising. His wife commented on one of the melodies that emerged, and out of that exchange was born the concept of fashioning the original melody ... as it might be played by some of their friends in their own style. In all, fourteen people and a dog are featured in the Variations.

- Program Note by Nikk Pilato

Elgar was the dominant English composer of his time, and was knighted in 1904, awarded the Order of Merit in 1911, and made Master of the King’s Musick in 1924.

Elgar wrote the Enigma Variations in 1899 and dedicated them “to my friends pictured within.” The theme and 14 variations belong to the period in which Elgar developed the style that placed him in the front rank of English composers. The beautifully lyrical Nimrod (Variation IX) is dedicated to the publisher A.J. Jaeger. (Nimrod is the great hunter of the bible; Jaeger is the German word for hunter.)

- Program note from Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music

Commercial Discography

• Audio CD: Northshore Concert Band (John Lynch, conductor) - 2001

Audio Links

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

• Alabama: Class BB
• Arkansas: II
• Florida: IV
• Iowa: III
• Kansas: II
• Louisiana: III
• Maryland: IV
• Mississippi: VI-A
• North Carolina: IV
• South Carolina: IV
• Texas: III. Complete
• Virginia: II
• West Virginia: II

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Nashville (Tenn.) Youth Wind Ensemble (Greg Snyder, conductor) – 20 November 2019
• University of Kansas (Lawrence) Symphonic Band (Sharon Toulouse, conductor) – 25 March 2019
• University of Wisconsin-Parkside Wind Ensemble (Laura Rexroth, conductor) – 6 December 2018
• University of South Alabama (Mobile) Symphony Band (Jason Rinehart, conductor) – 19 November 2018
• State University of New York, Fredonia, Wind Ensemble (Paula Holcomb, conductor) – 6 October 2018
• Santa Fe College (Gainesville, Fla.) Wind Ensemble (Steve Bingham, conductor) - 27 September 2018
• Winchendon (Mass.) Winds (James Chesebrough, conductor) - 1 July 2018
• Rhode Island (Woonsocket) Wind Ensemble (Robert Franzblau, conductor) - 29 April 2018
• University of Windsor (Ont.) Wind Ensemble (Nicholas Papador, conductor) - 8 April 2018
• University of Texas (Austin) Longhorn Concert Band (Scott Hanna, conductor) – 25 February 2018
• Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant) University Band (James Batcheller, conductor) – 5 December 2017
• Phoenix (N.Y.) Community Band (David Frateschi, conductor) – 6 November 2017
• San Luis Obispo (Calif.) Wind Orchestra (Anthony Yi, conductor) – 21 May 2017 
• The Ohio State University (Columbus) Wind Symphony (Russel C. Mikkelson, conductor) – 29 November 2016
• University of Alabama (Birmingham) Symphonic Band (Randall Coleman, conductor) – 3 October 2016
• Collinsville (Ill.) High School (Bobby Wright, conductor) – 28 April 2016
• Eastern Washington University (Joshua Lindberg, Conductor) - 2 March 2016
• University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA) Wind Ensemble (Travis J. Cross, conductor) – 27 January 2016
• Austin Peay State University Symphonic Band (John Schnettler, conductor) - 2 March 2015
• University of California, Santa Cruz, Wind Ensemble (Nathanial Berman, conductor) - 5 December 2014

Works for Winds by this Composer

This composer primarily wrote orchestral music. Transcriptions of his works include:

• As Torrents in Summer (tr. Davis) (1896/1968)
• Crown of India
• Enigma Variations (tr. Slocum) (1899/)
• Enigma Variations (arr. Ray Thompson)
• Nimrod (arr. Reed)
• Pomp and Circumstance Military March No 1 (tr. Retford; ed. Reed) (1907/2000)
• Pomp and Circumstance March No 4 (arr. Retford; ed. Reed) (1907/2000)
• Pomp and Circumstance Marches (arr. Caron)
• The Severn Suite (tr. Reed) (1973)
• Sursum Corda (arr. Houseknecht) (1894/1967)
• Triumphal March (arr. Pollen)
• Variations on an Original Theme: "Enigma" (tr. Patterson) (1899/)

References

• Elgar, E.; Reed, A. (1965). Nimrod [score]. Mills Music: New York.
• Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "Nimrod." Accessed 22 November 2014