The years from 1899 (the year of the ‘Enigma’ Variations) to 1919 (that of the Cello Concerto) were the most creative and important of Edward Elgar’s life. Until then he had little national success: born in 1857 in Worcester, he was considered a provincial composer. More than that, he was virtually self-taught. But ‘Enigma’ proved the turning point. It was his first undoubted masterpiece, and on an international scale; within a few years Elgar found himself at the forefront of British music, highly regarded in Europe and America. The Dream of Gerontius (although the premiere in Germany was not a success), Cockaigne and other works cemented his growing stature, but, above all, the Pomp and Circumstance marches reached the widest public and his music became known and loved from King to butcher’s boy.