ELGAR AS WAIT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2022, 6 March 1907, Page 4

ELGAR AS WAIT.

Recognition came to Sir Edward Elgar somewhat lato in life. The greatest English living composer—by some held to be the greatest of. tho present day—was born fifty years ago and it was not until 1900, when the “Dream of Gerotius” was produced and ho came to his kingdom. For more than twenty years he studied and composed without recognition. He was the son of an organist, and besides being a capital performer on the organ and tho violin, he is credited with having been able to play more or less on a score of other instruments. At one time he was a Christmas wait, and scored and composed with prodigality. According to a writer in the Birmingham Weekly Post he wrote no enc T-of pieces for the Worcester waits, and helped them to play with the bassoon. It is on record that as a conductor of the County Asylum Band he composed pieces at the rate of os for a set of quadrilles, and Is 6d for a nigger ditty. At the same time he covered acres of paper with church music. The waits had many difficulties. One night they serenaded an old- friend of the composer, but one member had not committed his part to memory, and had to pin the music to a door, and read ill by the light of a carriage lamp. They put all their soul into.

tho piece; but tho composer was informed next day by tho victim that ho had hoard a party of waits make a “dreadful caterwauling of somo rubbishy stuff!” Onco icicles formed on their instruments, sovoral coats did not suffico to koop out tho cold, and tho wind blow out their lights and thoir music away. But it was a merry band, Elgar himsolf having a groat fund of humor. Ono young enthusiast had to wait till his lather wont to bed boforo ho could break out of tho house and join tho musicians on thoir rounds Onco when this young man played nonfi his homo ho dofiod recognition with a board. When ho married ho recoivod from Elgar, with cordial grootings, a carefully written duct, scorotl for trombono and double bass 1 Then there was a cornot player who would persist in regarding his music as a cornot solo with musical accompaniment. Remonstrances from Elgar having failed, tho conductor took tho cornet, played a few dulcet; notes on it to show how tho thing should bo done, and handed the instrument back with a cork in tho bottom. After that tho cornot was not too loud.