Crack the mystery

Elgar is a representative of the "Renaissance" in British music and has a profound influence on contemporary British composers. Although some of his works are still influenced by the European neoclassical music style and romantic style at that time, the melodies and harmonies from British folk contained in them set a model for his successors. Putting aside the above serious topics, music lovers are often directly fascinated by the cleanliness and clarity in Elgar's works. Not only the violin piece "Ode to Love" and the song collection "Seascape", but even the middle section of the march "March" makes people feel like they are on the British seaside, facing the endless sea, facing the refreshing sea breeze, and being open-minded. , feeling refreshed. As he explained for "Mystery Variations", Elgar's music, or British national music, is actually a never-ending process of "discovering yourself" and solving puzzles. Although the final answer may not be found, in the process of pursuit, British music and composers found themselves.

Elgar was born in traditional British music. With his middle-class background, he found new ways in many vocal and orchestral music, becoming the first British master to enter the international music stage in modern times. Despite financial constraints and a difficult external environment, he persisted in the path of music with perseverance, immersed himself in local bands, trained, waited for opportunities, and then gradually reached the peak. And because of his beloved wife's keen eye for recognizing heroes, she has been encouraging and supporting him since before marriage. Finally, he finally became a great master and the pride of the British. His important works include "Mighty March", "Violin Concerto", "Cello Concerto", and many art songs. I don’t know who said: “All great works have two characteristics: one is to adhere to tradition, and the other is to strive for innovation.” Elgar's monumental work certainly possesses both of these characteristics. Today, let’s take his “Mystery Variations” to get a glimpse of its style characteristics.

It’s hard enough to guess what is behind the abstract musical notes. If it's like the cuckoo's cry, clock swinging, wind and horse rumbling recorded on the record in "The Waterwheel of the Forest", there are still traces to follow; if it's like the vivid imitation in Saint-Sa?ns' "Carnival of the Animals" The sound of the song is almost the same with a little imagination, not to mention that it directly uses the name of the animal to be depicted as the title of the song. And if, like "Mystery Variations", you have to rely on a bunch of notes to guess who the music represents, it's not easy. But in the world, some people will ask questions, and some people will work hard to solve them. As for whether the solution is right or wrong, to be honest, it is still a mystery!

After the theme, go directly to the first variation. The abbreviation Elgar added in front of the first variation is C.A.E., which is the abbreviation of the composer's beloved wife (Caroline Alice Elgar). Against the background of plucked strings and jumping tones, the flute plays bright variations on the theme. The music shows the charm and tenderness of women, and also shows the composer's deep love for his wife. This variation presents the first climax of the music, with strings and brass playing passionate phrases that make people's hearts swell. At the end, the calm third notes of the clarinet and the overtones of the strings reminded me of the scene of afternoon tea in a British country courtyard: under the verandah under the clear sky, the steaming samovar and the puddings on the plate, the hostess After pouring hot tea into the cup, the man of the house was reading the day's newspaper; one or two guests were chatting quietly with the hostess while sipping the tea. From time to time, children playing in the yard ran over to grab a piece of snack from the plate. This piece of music gives me the feeling of a warm family scene that I have seen before, and it also shows the harmonious and happy feeling of the composer and his wife.

In the third chapter of the variation, there is a section where he imitates the singing voice of an old man. Sometimes the bass will go out of tune and turn into a wild soprano voice. This is British humor, playful but not cruel. William Baker came out next and accidentally slammed the door. The viola naturally plays a pivotal role in the sixth movement. The timbre of the viola is very embarrassing. It is really said that if it is high or low, it is not as good as the violin. The treble is not as bright as the violin, and the bass is not as deep as the cello. It is rarely used for solos and it is difficult to hear it in orchestral music. You have to listen carefully to distinguish it.

The powerful final chapter represents Elgar himself, showing his love for his wife and Jaeger (the Nimrod depicted in Chapter 9). A person who has had a profound influence on life and art. The three abbreviations E.D.U come from Alice Elgar's German nickname for her husband.

(Xue Wei)