Composition: Variations on an Original Theme 'Enigma', Op. 36 (Elgar, Edward)
| Title | Variations on an Original Theme |
| Alternative title | Enigma Variations |
| Creators | Edward Elgar (composer) |
| Opus | Op.36 |
| Instrumentation | orchestra |
| Number of movements | 15 |
| Keys | — |
| Composed | 1899 |
| First published | 1899 |
| Dedication | "To my friends pictured within" |
| Tempo markings | — |
| Metronome markings | — |
| Time signatures | — |
| Average duration (sec) | 1920 |
| Number of measures | — |
| Composition types | Variations |
| Period | Romantic |
| View on IMSLP |  |
| Code |  |
Sections
| Title click for details |
Metronome | Key | Measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theme (Andante) | — | — | — |
| Variation I. L'istesso tempo "C.A.E." | — | — | — |
| Variation II. Allegro "H.D.S-P." | — | — | — |
| Variation III. Allegretto "R.B.T." | — | — | — |
| Variation IV. Allegro di molto "W.M.B." | — | — | — |
| Variation V. Moderato "R.P.A." | — | — | — |
| Variation VI. Andantino "Ysobel" | — | — | — |
| Variation VII. Presto "Troyte" | — | — | — |
| Variation VIII. Allegretto "W.N." | — | — | — |
| Variation IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | — | — | — |
| Variation X. Intermezzo: Allegretto "Dorabella" | — | — | — |
| Variation XI. Allegro di molto "G.R.S." | — | — | — |
| Variation XII. Andante "B.G.N." | — | — | — |
| Variation XIII. Romanza: Moderato "* * *" | — | — | — |
| Variation XIV. Finale: Allegro Presto "E.D.U." | — | — | — |
Arrangements
| Details | Section | Arranged for | Arranger |
|---|---|---|---|
| view | Complete | wind band | John Morrison |
| view | Complete | 2 violins, 2 violas and 2 cellos | John Bernstein |
| view | Complete | 2 pianos | William Gray McNaught |
| view | Complete | piano 4 hands | John Ebenezer West |
| view | Complete | piano | — |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | wind band | John Morrison |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns and double bass | Patrick Clements |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | mixed chorus and strings | Matteo Falloni |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | 8 accordions, timpani and bass | Paul De Bra |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | 6 cellos | Gwyn Seymour |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | — | Marc Terré Garcia |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | synthesizer and theremin | Richard Kram |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | organ | Pierre Gouin |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | piano | — |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | piano | Percy Grainger |
| view | Var.X. Intermezzo: Allegretto "Dorabella" | orchestra | — |
| view | Var.X. Intermezzo: Allegretto "Dorabella" | piano | — |
Scores
| Details | Section | Type | Publisher | Date | File |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| view | Complete | — | Novello | 1899 | Complete Score · view Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | parts | Novello | 1899 | Flute 1/2 and Piccolo · view Oboe 1/2 · view Clarinet 1/2 (B) · view Bassoon 1/2, Contrabassoon · view Horn 1/2, 3/4 (F) · view Trumpet 1/2, 3 (F) · view Trombone 1/2, 3, Tuba · view Small Drum/Triangle, Bass Drum/Cymbals, Timpani · view Organ ''(ad libitum)'' · view Violins I · view Violins II · view Violas · view Cellos · view Basses · view |
| view | Complete | parts | Novello | 1899 | Violas (with optimized page turning) · view |
| view | Complete | Arrangement for wind band |
John Morrison | 2012 | Complete Score · view Flutes 1, 2, 3/Piccolo, Alto Flute · view Oboes 1, 2, English Horn · view EClarinet, Solo Clarinet (B), Clarinets 1, 2, 3 (B) · view Alto Clarinet (E), Bass Clarinet (B) · view Soprano Saxophone (B), Alto Saxophones 1, 2 (E) Tenor Saxophone (B), Baritone Saxophone (E) · view Bassoons 1, 2, Contrabassoon · view Horns 1/2, 3/4 (F) · view Cornets 1, 2, 3 (B), Trumpets 1/2 (B) · view Trombones 1, 2, Bass Trombone · view Euphonium (bass clef), Euphonium (Btreble clef), Tuba, Double bass · view Timpani · view Percussion (Side drum/Triangle, Bass Drum/Cymbals) · view |
| view | Complete | Arrangement for 2 violins, 2 violas and 2 cellos |
— | — | Complete Score · view Violin 1 · view Violin 2 · view Viola 1 · view Viola 2 · view Cello 1 · view Cello 2 · view |
| view | Complete | Arrangement for 2 pianos |
Novello | — | Complete Score (merged file of below) · view Nos.1-9 · view Nos.10-14 · view Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | Arrangement for 2 pianos |
Martin van Noord | 2021 | Complete Score · view Complete Score (in ''klavarskribo'' / Klavarscribo version) · view |
| view | Complete | Arrangement for piano 4 hands |
Novello | 1905 | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | Arrangement for piano | Novello | 1899 | Complete Score · view Part 1 · view Part 2 · view |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | Arrangement for wind band |
John Morrison | 2013 | Complete Score · view Complete Parts · view |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | Arrangement for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns and double bass |
Patrick Clements | 2019 | Complete Score · view Complete Parts · view |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | Arrangement for mixed chorus and strings |
— | — | Complete Score and Parts · view |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | Arrangement for 8 accordions, timpani and bass |
Paul De Bra | 2018 | Complete Score · view Complete Parts · view Source files (Musescore) · view |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | Arrangement for 6 cellos |
— | — | Complete Score and Parts · view |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | Arrangement |
Marc Terré Garcia | 2021 | Complete Score · view |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | Arrangement for synthesizer and theremin |
— | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | Arrangement for organ |
Montréal: Les Éditions Outremontaises | 2010 | Complete Score · view |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | Arrangement for piano | Novello | 1899 | Complete Score · view |
| view | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | Arrangement for piano |
London: Bardic Edition | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Var.X. Intermezzo: Allegretto "Dorabella" | Arrangement for orchestra | Novello | 1901 | Complete Score · view Flute 1/2 · view Oboe 1/2 · view Clarinet 1/2 (B) · view Bassoon 1/2 · view Horn (1)/2 (F) · view Timpani · view Violins I · view Violins II · view Violas · view Cellos · view Basses · view |
| view | Var.X. Intermezzo: Allegretto "Dorabella" | Arrangement for piano | Novello | 1901 | Complete Score · view |
Recordings/Performances
| Details | Type | Section | Ensemble | Performers | Arranged for | Files | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| view | Synthesized | — | DuPage Symphony Orchestra (orchestra) | Barbara Schubert (conductor) | — | Theme (Andante) · file Variation I: "C.A.E." (L'istesso tempo) · file Variation II: "H.D.S-P." (Allegro) · file Variation III: "R.B.T." (Allegretto) · file Variation IV: "W.M.B." (Allegro di molto) · file Variation V: "R.P.A." (Moderato) · file Variation VI: "Ysobel" (Andantino) · file Variation VII: "Troyte" (Presto) · file Variation VIII: "W.N." (Allegretto) · file Variation IX: "Nimrod" (Adagio) · file Variation X: "Dorabella" (Intermezzo: Allegretto) · file Variation XI: "G.R.S." (Allegro di molto) · file Variation XII: "B.G.N." (Andante) · file Variation XIII: "* * *" (Romanza: Moderato) · file Variation XIV: "E.D.U." (Finale: Allegro presto) · file |
|
| view | Synthesized | — | Orchestre national de France (orchestra) | Pierre Monteux (conductor) | — | Complete Recording · file | |
| view | Synthesized | — | — | Peter Bradley-Fulgoni (piano) | For Piano (Elgar) | Complete performance · file | |
| view | Synthesized | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | — | Professor P (performer) | *For Accordion Orchestra (De Bra) | Complete Performance · file | |
| view | Synthesized | Synthesized | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | — | For Organ (Gouin) | Synthesized performance · file | |
| view | Synthesized | Synthesized | Var.IX. Adagio "Nimrod" | — | For Theremin and Synthesizer (Kram) | Complete recording · file |
©2025 David P. Anderson