Une Idylle (Sketch for Violin Solo)

Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, OM, GCVO (2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. . He was appointed Master of the King's Musick in 1924. Although he is often regarded as a typically English composer, most of his musical influences were not from England but from continental Europe. He felt himself to be an outsider, not only musically, but socially. In musical circles dominated by academics, he was a self-taught composer; in Protestant Britain, his Roman Catholicism was regarded with suspicion in some quarters; and in the class-conscious society of Victorian and Edwardian Britain. In his fifties, Elgar composed a symphony and a violin concerto that were immensely successful.

"Une Idylle" was originally written as a violin solo with piano (I assume) accompaniment. This superb arrangement was done by Alfred Redhead. It was published by Gould & Bolttler.

Alfred Edward Redhead (1855-1937) was organist of St. Augustine's Church, Kilburn, London for 37 years. He published a number of collections of organ works, as well as many arrangement/s transcriptions. He was ths son of Richard Redhead (1820-1901), organist of All Saint's, Margaret Street, London, and composer of some well-known hymn tunes.

In this performance I've made full use of the spectacular Solo strings on the Salisbury Willis. The featured solo voices throughout are the Violoncello and ' Cello Celestes plus tremulant. I believe that this "combination" comes closer than ANY other strings in producing a living, and emotionally beautiful sound, which I think is pretty obvious here.

The work is not easy, as there are many inner details and subtle "traps" awaiting the performer, but hopefully you will like the outcome. :-)

The score is attached below, as well as a photo of Elgar, and some of the magnificent St. Augustine's Church, Kilburn, were Redhead served as organist for many years.