Pageant of Empire

Pageant of Empire

Pageant of Empire is the title given to a set of eight songs, all with words by Alfred Noyes, written by the English composer Sir Edward Elgar for the huge British Empire Exhibition of 1924.

Though Elgar conducted the choirs at the opening ceremony of the exhibition in the Empire Stadium (later Wembley Stadium) on 23 April 1924, the songs were not performed there until 21 July, when they were conducted by the composer.

The songs are

*"1. "Shakespeare's Kingdom"
*"2. "The Islands (A Song of New Zealand)"
*"3. "The Blue Mountains (A Song of Australia)"
*"4. "The Heart of Canada"
*"5. "Sailing Westward"
*"6. "Merchant Adventurers"
*"7. "The Immortal Legions"
*"8. "A Song of Union"

Nos. 1 - 7 are for a solo singer with accompaniment.

Nos. 5 and 7 were also arranged for chorus SATB.

No. 8 is a part-song for SATB.

Elgar composed his "Empire March" for the same occasion, and this march was at the time considered part of the "Pageant of Empire". However the Empire March was not performed then and Elgar's "Imperial March" took its place.

References

*Kennedy, Michael "Portrait of Elgar" (Oxford University Press, 1968) ISBN 0193154145
*Moore, Jerrold N. "Edward Elgar: a creative life" (Oxford University Press, 1984) ISBN 0193154471
*Richards, Jeffrey "Imperialism and Music: Britain 1876-1953" (Manchester University Press, 2002) ISBN 0719045061

External links


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