Introduction
By far the best-known of all Elgar’s ‘Enigma Variations’ is ‘Nimrod’, frequently played at Remembrance services and funerals. But the story behind it suggests that it was intended as music not of loss or parting, but of enduring friendship, and new hope.
AFTER a long day teaching the violin, Elgar and his wife Alice joked about how their friends might develop a simple tune, given their distinctive personalities - from a memorable laugh to likeable pomposity and poor piano-playing, and even the organist of Hereford Cathedral’s bulldog, splashing about in the River Wye.
The result was the ‘Enigma Variations’, a suite of fourteen variations on an original theme, of which Variation IX, ‘Nimrod’ is by far the most well-known. ‘Nimrod’ is a figure in the Old Testament, ‘a mighty hunter before the Lord’, and was chosen to represent Elgar’s publisher Augustus J. Jaeger, whose surname means ‘hunter’ in German.
Elgar was subject to fits of depression, and on one such occasion it was Jaeger who talked him round, pointing to Beethoven’s courage in adversity and the superlative music that flowered amid it. Unlike the other variations, ‘Nimrod’ is not an affectionately teasing portrait: it is a tale of a true friendship’s beautiful victory.
Précis
One day, Elgar and his wife played a game improvising variations on a tune that reminded them of their friends. The game turned into his ‘Enigma Variations’, and Variation IX, ‘Nimrod’, is a popular favourite in Britain. It tells in music the story Elgar’s battle with depression, and the encouragement he received from his friend and publisher, Augustus Jaeger. (59 / 60 words)
One day, Elgar and his wife played a game improvising variations on a tune that reminded them of their friends. The game turned into his ‘Enigma Variations’, and Variation IX, ‘Nimrod’, is a popular favourite in Britain. It tells in music the story Elgar’s battle with depression, and the encouragement he received from his friend and publisher, Augustus Jaeger.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, because, besides, may, must, ought, unless, until.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Bulldog. Even. Their.
2 Fit. Other. Victory.
3 Courage. His. Theme.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Verb and Noun Find in Think and Speak
Many words can serve as noun or verb depending on context: see if you can prove this with the examples below. Nouns go well with words such as the/a, or his/her; verbs go well after I/you/he etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Occasion. 2 Joke. 3 Result. 4 Tune. 5 Figure. 6 Point. 7 Laugh. 8 Talk. 9 Play.
Variations: 1.if possible, use your noun in the plural, e.g. cat → cats. 2.use your verb in a past form, e.g. go → went. 3.use your noun in a sentence with one of these words: any, enough, fewer, less, no, some.
Subject and Object Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in two sentences, first as the subject of a verb, and then as the object of a verb. It doesn’t have to be the same verb: some verbs can’t be paired with an object (e.g. arrive, happen), so watch out for these.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Might. 2. Round. 3. Tale. 4. Variation. 5. Occasion. 6. Music. 7. Wife. 8. River. 9. Joke.
Variations: 1.use your noun in the plural (e.g. cat → cats), if possible. 2.give one of your sentences a future aspect (e.g. will, going to). 3.write sentences using negatives such as not, neither, nobody and never.
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
whl (5+1)
awhile. whale. wheel. while. whole.
wheelie.
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