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Elgar's Enigma Variations

The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Philharmonic perform one of the most well-known and much-loved British classical pieces to a packed audience at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall.

The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Philharmonic perform one of the most well-known and much-loved pieces in the British classical music canon, Sir Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations, filmed at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall.

Composed as a musical portrait of some of his friends, his wife and even himself, this work is packed full of musical riddles. Elgar loved codes and ciphers and mischievously hid one within this great piece – but its exact nature has yet to be conclusively solved. This masterpiece features the Nimrod Variation, which commands an enduring appeal in its own right.

As an accompaniment, Six Monologues from Everyman, a song cycle by Swiss composer Frank Martin, is brought to the concert platform by world-renowned baritone Roderick Williams. There is also the mesmerising anthem Swansong by Arvo Pärt, composed to mark the 200th anniversary of minister, theologian and poet Cardinal Newman’s birth; and to complete the programme, a world premiere of Geoffrey Gordon’s bassoon concerto Anima Mia, which was inspired by and performed by the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Philharmonic’s very own principal bassoon, Roberto Giaccaglia.

Release date:

1 hour, 36 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Roderick Williams
Conductor John Storgårds
Music Group Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Philharmonic
Production Manager Sue Perry-Grech
Producer Dawn Payne
Series Producer Martyn Stevens
Executive Producer Paul Bullock
Director Sian Parry

Broadcast