The Cambridge Companion to Elgar

This is principally a scholar's book. Those looking for general biographical information would do better with one of the numerous accounts already available (and listed in the bibliography of this book).

This selection of essays takes a number of different areas of Elgar's musical output and sets them into their cultural context, for example church music, orchestral works, music relating to the first world war and even theatre music, of which he wrote sufficient to merit discussion. There is comparison with his contemporaries, and also insights into his relationship with publishers and also with the recording industry – the last...