Edward Elgar’s Salut d’amour is one of those pieces by the British composer that has a particularly haunting melody. Composed in 1888 for his future wife Caroline Alice Roberts, the work became an enormous success early on. There are numerous arrangements – but the only versions for which the autograph manuscripts survive are those for Violin and Piano (HN 1188), Piano solo (HN 1190) and Violoncello and Piano. Up to now there has only been an arrangement of the cello part made by the original publisher, presumably with Elgar’s approval. We are now for the very first time publishing the version following Elgar’s autograph manuscript, which for unknown reasons had never been released. In addition we are publishing the trusted musical text from the first edition.
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Preface
Salut d’amour, by Edward Elgar (1857 – 1934), arguably the best-known of his smaller-scale works and certainly one of his most-arranged compositions, was written in 1888, and thus belongs to the period during which Elgar was struggling to make a living in and around his home town of Worcester, playing the violin in various local orchestras and teaching. One of his pupils … more
Critical Commentary
About the composer
Edward Elgar
Most important English composer of his day. His immense oeuvre comprises numerous choral works, songs with piano and orchestral accompaniment, several stage works, orchestral music of a mostly programmatic character, a few works of chamber music in his last phase, and works for piano and organ.
| 1857 | Born in Broadheath (Worcester) on June 2, the son of a music dealer. First attempts at composition at ten years of age. He is largely an autodidact with rich practical experience. |
| from mid-1870 | He plays in various orchestras in Worcester, including the Worcester Philharmonic Society as well as the Festival Orchestra (under the direction of A. Dvořák and others). From 1878 some of his compositions are performed (sometimes for the first time). |
| from 1882 | He serves variously as conductor of the Worcester Amateur Instrumental Society and the newly founded Worcestershire Philharmonic Society (1889–1904). |
| 1889 | Moves to London. |
| 1889–1903 | Cantata, “The Black Knight,” Op. 25. |
| 1890 | Premiere of the overture “Froissart,” Op. 19, as his first major work. |
| 1891 | Moves to Malvern; activities in the countryside. |
| 1896 | Oratorio, “The Light of Life (Lux Christi),” Op. 29. |
| 1897–99 | “Sea-Pictures,” Op. 37, for contralto and orchestra. |
| after 1897 | He composes works for ceremonial occasions for the English royal court. |
| 1898–99 | Enigma Variations, Op. 36, a musical portrayal of fourteen of his friends. |
| 1899–1900 | Oratorio, “The Dream of Gerontius,” Op. 38, serves as a watershed moment. He receives numerous honors, including honorary doctorates in 1900 and 1907, and in 1911 the Order of Merit. |
| 1901–06 | Oratorios “The Kingdom,” Op. 51, and “The Apostles,” Op. 49. |
| 1904–08 | Professorship at the University of Birmingham. |
| 1908 | Premiere of his Symphony No. 1 in A-flat major, Op. 55; the pinnacle of his success, with 84 performances by 1909. |
| 1909/10 | Violin Concerto in B minor, Op. 61, the first significant English concerto. |
| 1911 | Premiere of his Symphony No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 63, enjoys little success. |
| 1912 | He moves to London. |
| 1913 | Symphonic study, “Falstaff,” Op. 68. |
| 1918 | Chamber music works, including the Sonata for Violin and Piano in E minor, Op. 82; the String Quartet in E minor; the Piano Quintet in A minor. |
| 1918–19 | Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85, a late magnum opus. |
| 1934 | Dies in Worcester on February 23. |
About the authors
Rolf Koenen (Fingering)
As a pupil, Prof. Rolf Koenen, born in 1946 in Duisburg, had already had contact with Ewald Zimmermann, the first editor at the young publishing house. He studied the piano at the Folkwangschule in Essen with Detlef Kraus, with Ludwig Hoffmann in Munich and with Maria Tipo in Florence.
He gave concerts in a permanent duo partnership with Hansjörg Schellenberger, who was later to become the solo oboe player with the Berlin Philharmonic, and made several recordings with the Deutsche Grammophon-Gesellschaft, with Denon and Sony. Other chamber music partners included András Adorján, Stefan Dohr, Wolfgang Schulz, Claes H. Ahnsjö. Following a teaching position in Munich, Rolf Koenen was appointed as a professor at the Berlin University of the Arts in 1982.
Dem Rezensenten hat es viel Freude gemacht, beide Versionen zu spielen und die hilfreichen Fingersätze und Strichbezeichnungen von Claus Kanngießer kennenzulernen. Ein Lob geht an den Henle-Verlag für die kritische Kommentierung der Neuausgabe, für die gut umsetzbaren spieltechnischen Hinweise in beiden Cello-Arrangements sowie für das übersichtliche Notenbild - und das alles zu einem günstigen Preis!