1899 Variations on an Original Theme (‘Enigma’), Op. 36

I ‘C. A. E.’ Caroline Alice Elgar, ‘a romantic and delicate inspiration’.

II ‘H. D. S.-P.’ Hew David Steuart-Powell, an amateur pianist, ‘humorously travestied’ in the semi-quavers.

III ‘R. B. T.’ Richard Baxter Townshend, ‘low voice flying off occasionally into “soprano” timbre’.

IV ‘W. M. B.’ William Meath Baker, hurriedly leaving with ‘an inadvertent bang of the door’.

V ‘R. P. A.’ Richard P. Arnold, ‘serious conversation … broken up by whimsical and witty remarks’.

VI ‘Ysobel.’ Isabel Fitton, an amateur viola player, an ‘exercise for crossing the strings’.

VII ‘Troyte.’ Arthur Troyte Griffith, the ‘boisterous mood is mere banter’.

VIII ‘W. N.’ Winifred Norbury, ‘a characteristic laugh’.

IX ‘Nimrod.’ A. J. Jaeger, the record of a talk when he ‘discoursed eloquently’ on Beethoven.

X ‘Dorabella.’ Dora Penny, ‘a dance-like lightness’.

XI ‘G. R. S.’ George Robertson Sinclair, organist, and Bulldog Dan, ‘paddling up’ the river Wye, and barking.

XII ‘B. G. N.’ Basil G. Nevinson, amateur cellist, ‘serious and devoted friend’.

XIII ‘* * *’. Lady Mary Lygon, ‘the name of a lady … on a sea voyage’.

XIV ‘E. D. U.’ Elgar, to show what the composer intended to do.

The Variations were the first of Elgar's great orchestral works. He was at the time ‘possessed’ by the idea of composing a symphony to commemorate General Gordon of Khartoum. He proposed it for the 1899 Three Choirs Festival, and it was announced in the press. But even after the success of Caractacus earlier that month he was not certain enough of himself to embark on a symphony. The grand theme he sketched for it on 20 October 1898 became the Committal in The Dream of Gerontius.