エニグマ変奏曲
The name is my substitute for Jaeger who was well known as a critic & friend of musicians. The Variations are not all “portraits”; some represent only a mood, while others recall an incident known only to two persons. Something ardent and mercurial, in addition to the slow movement (No. IX), would have been needful to portray the character and temperament of A. J. Jaeger (Nimrod).
During an evening walk my friend discoursed eloquently on the slow movements of Beethoven, & said that no one could approach Beethoven at his best in this field. A view in which I cordially concurred. It will be noticed that the opening bars are made to suggest the slow movement of the eighth Sonata (Pathétique).
演奏時間はおおよそ30分前後である。
二部形式による主題に、14の変奏が続く。変奏は主題の旋律線や和声、リズム的要素から飛躍し、最終変奏は大団円を作り出す。エルガーは、各変奏の譜面に、あたかも副題であるかのように、下記のような頭文字や愛称を記入した。これが、「作品中に描かれた友人たち」が誰であるのかを解く手懸かりとなった。