Why is Enigma Variations called Nimrod?

The best known of the variations is the serene Variation No. 9, identified by the composer as “Nimrod.” The name is a play on words, as the biblical Nimrod was a great hunter, and the German word meaning “hunter” is Jaeger.

Who did Elgar dedicate Nimrod to?

my friends pictured within
Elgar dedicated the piece to “my friends pictured within” and in the score each variation is prefaced the initials, name or nickname of the friend depicted. As was common with painted portraits of the time, Elgar’s musical portraits depict their subjects at two levels.

What is the story behind Nimrod?

Nimrod is described in Genesis 10:8–12 as “the first on earth to be a mighty man. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord.” The only other references to Nimrod in the Bible are Micah 5:6, where Assyria is called the land of Nimrod, and I Chronicles 1:10, which reiterates his might.

Was Nimrod played at Prince Philip’s funeral?

The coffin entered the quadrangle of Windsor Castle to the sound of Elgar’s Nimrod played by a military band. This was the funeral, not only of a Prince Consort, but also of a patriotic naval officer, cap and sword prominent on top of the coffin.

Why is Nimrod played at funerals?

Nimrod (from Enigma Variations) – Edward Elgar Variation IX, also known as Nimrod, is dedicated to Augustus J. Jaeger, who helped the composer through his darkest periods of self-doubt and depression. Nimrod is a favourite piece for funeral music and is always played at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday.

What is Enigma Variations based on?

Elgar’s Enigma Variations is one of the greatest pieces of the 19th century – and this is the true story about how it came about. On 21 October 1898, Edward Elgar returned to his wife and their home in Malvern after a long day teaching (which he described as “like turning a grinding-stone with a dislocated shoulder”).

Why is the music called Nimrod?

Why is it called ‘Nimrod’? Because of their portraiture, each variation is titled with a name or initials that identify the person being captured by the music. Biblically, Nimrod is a great hunter of the Old Testament, therefore representing its muse through a play on words: Jäger in German means ‘hunter’.

Is the Tower of Babel still standing today?

Today, nothing remains but a watering hole. The Tower was said to be almost 100 meters tall and was dedicated to Babylon’s own God, Marduk.

Is Nimrod an insult?

In modern North American English, the term is often used sarcastically to mean a dimwitted or a stupid person, a usage first recorded in 1932 and popularized by the Looney Tunes cartoon characters Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, who both sarcastically refer to the hunter Elmer Fudd as “nimrod”, as an ironic connection …

Is Canon in D appropriate for funeral?

Used for everything from weddings and military ceremonies to funerals and memorial services, Canon in D is as beautiful as it is famous. This famous religious song is often sung at funerals. There are many different versions of Ave Maria, but Schubert’s composition is arguably the most famous.

How long is Elgar’s Enigma Variations?

32 minutes
ELGAR – HIS MUSIC VARIATIONS ON AN ORIGINAL THEME (Enigma), op 36

Who destroyed the tower of Babel?

An angered God of the Heavens called upon the inhabitants of the sky, who destroyed the tower and scattered its inhabitants. The story was not related to either a flood or the confusion of languages, although Frazer connects its construction and the scattering of the giants with the Tower of Babel.

Why was Nimrod chosen for the Enigma Variations?

The result was the ‘Enigma Variations’, a suite of fourteen variations on an original theme, of which Variation IX, ‘Nimrod’ is by far the most well-known. ‘Nimrod’ is a figure in the Old Testament, ‘a mighty hunter before the Lord’, and was chosen to represent Elgar’s publisher Augustus J. Jaeger, whose surname means ‘hunter’ in German.

Why did Edward Elgar write the Enigma Variations?

‘Nimrod’ : Edward Elgar suffered from depression, and ‘Nimrod’ is his token of thanks to the true friend who supported him through it. By far the best-known of all Elgar’s ‘Enigma Variations’ is ‘Nimrod’, frequently played at Remembrance services and funerals.

Why was Nimrod so popular in the UK?

The game turned into his ‘Enigma Variations’, and Variation IX, ‘Nimrod’, is a popular favourite in Britain. It tells in music the story Elgar’s battle with depression, and the encouragement he received from his friend and publisher, Augustus Jaeger.

Where does the song Nimrod by Elgar take place?

The winding River Wye at Symonds Yat in Herefordshire. It has been suggested that Variation XI depicts a bulldog belonging to the organist of Hereford Cathedral splashing about in the river. By far the best-known of all Elgar’s ‘Enigma Variations’ is ‘Nimrod’, frequently played at Remembrance services and funerals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts_S5DJf9D8