Review

Edward Elgar
Nimrod: from Enigma Variations

Arranged by Keith Terrett

Two B-flat trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2019
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 5 brass

Elgar completed his ‘Enigma’ Variations in 1899 when he was 42. Each movement is a musical portrait of a close friend. ‘Nimrod’ is a deeply serious and profoundly beautiful tribute to A.J. Jaeger. Possibly by no coincidence, it is comprised of 42 measures. The arrangement is cast in B-flat, original key E-flat; all the players have interesting and quite challenging parts. There are no more than four measures rest in any part; the trombone has none. The melody is played mostly by the trumpets; the trombone has it in unison with first in mm28-38. The dynamic range is fully exploited; rising from ppp in the first eight measures to ff in measure 40, and back to pianissimo in the last two measures. Trombone part is given in bass clef, range is F–b-flat¹. First trumpet tops out on c³ and second on e². Keith Terrett trained as a British military bandsman and currently teaches at Pathways School (Gurgaon) in India.