An enigma inside an Enigma
April 3, 2020 9:18 PM Subscribe
Elgar's Enigma Variations has become a well loved piece of classical music, but due to clues the composer wrote in the program and hints he left during his life, it has also led to many attempts over the years to solve the seeming mystery hidden within it. A recent elaborate attempt to crack the code is detailed in over 100 blog posts—of course not everyone agrees.
The "Stabat Mater" theory seems plausible, and sounds right, to me.
As for mister over-100-blog-posts, this is all I needed to know (from the last link):
As for mister over-100-blog-posts, this is all I needed to know (from the last link):
Apart from the Enigma, Padgett has endorsed other theories that academics tend to reject. He supports creationism over evolutionary theory. He believes record high temperatures in the summer of 2015 were divine retribution for the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States. He shared a story on Facebook about an Ohio warehouse of fraudulent ballots filled out for Hillary Clinton before the presidential election, a story later debunked as fake news. In essence, Elgar scholars have dismissed Padgett’s Enigma theory as fake news, too.posted by mmoncur at 2:00 AM on April 4, 2020 [8 favorites]
On the specific, I'm not sure it really matters. If the staggering news that Enigma was derived from Baa Baa Blacksheep or the list song from The Mikado got out, I'm sure the response even of people who give a hoot (like myself) would be "Oh, OK".
But yes, the notion that Elgar would have used a Lutheran hymn demonstrates that the theorist doesn't have very much curiosity about the world, or respect for the fact that it might deviate from his fantasy life.
On the subject of Elgar... I really like Elgar. He's the most Victorian/Edwardian thing I can imagine - the musical equivalent of neo-Gothic architecture - but at his best he's one of the greats.
When we come round to replacing the National Anthem, and it would be nice to do that (because it's a bit of a dirge, the last verse is notoriously racist towards people in the same country and Americans think it's My Country 'Tis of Thee), personally I would favour the Parry setting of Jerusalem, though I don't know how keen people would be to sing visionary gibberish at international occasions (and the Women's Institute would probably injunct). I would only oppose putting words on Nimrod because I fear it would be too effective. If the British got fired up on Nimrod there's no saying how much trouble they could cause, and I think we've caused more than our fair share of trouble already.
But if we did end up with Nimrod as our national anthem, there's no doubt we'd win National Anthems hands down.
As for the Enigma itself... I only hope it turns out to be one of Vesta Tilley's popular songs. It would be lovely to see all the po-faced pseudo-cryptologists trying to look solemn behind Burlington Bertie From Bow.
posted by Grangousier at 2:21 AM on April 4, 2020 [6 favorites]
But yes, the notion that Elgar would have used a Lutheran hymn demonstrates that the theorist doesn't have very much curiosity about the world, or respect for the fact that it might deviate from his fantasy life.
On the subject of Elgar... I really like Elgar. He's the most Victorian/Edwardian thing I can imagine - the musical equivalent of neo-Gothic architecture - but at his best he's one of the greats.
When we come round to replacing the National Anthem, and it would be nice to do that (because it's a bit of a dirge, the last verse is notoriously racist towards people in the same country and Americans think it's My Country 'Tis of Thee), personally I would favour the Parry setting of Jerusalem, though I don't know how keen people would be to sing visionary gibberish at international occasions (and the Women's Institute would probably injunct). I would only oppose putting words on Nimrod because I fear it would be too effective. If the British got fired up on Nimrod there's no saying how much trouble they could cause, and I think we've caused more than our fair share of trouble already.
But if we did end up with Nimrod as our national anthem, there's no doubt we'd win National Anthems hands down.
As for the Enigma itself... I only hope it turns out to be one of Vesta Tilley's popular songs. It would be lovely to see all the po-faced pseudo-cryptologists trying to look solemn behind Burlington Bertie From Bow.
posted by Grangousier at 2:21 AM on April 4, 2020 [6 favorites]
I've been listening to Nimrod on repeat for days.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 2:43 AM on April 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 2:43 AM on April 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
(Mulling on my thought further - and apologies for the derail - it struck me that the melodic line of Nimrod, though immensely moving and seductive, is very long and full of unexpected rhythmic shifts. The notes don't change quite where you'd expect them to. It would be wonderful watching pompous people trying to sing it for the first time, and wondering where to breathe and why they missed that note and what on earth's going on? while at the same time trying to look solemn and in control. That's how I feel about national anthems all the time.)
posted by Grangousier at 3:37 AM on April 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Grangousier at 3:37 AM on April 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you want a quick pick-me-up, I find that Anthony Dowell dancing Troyte Griffith in Frederick Ashton's Enigma Variations works wonders.
posted by thomas j wise at 5:54 AM on April 4, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by thomas j wise at 5:54 AM on April 4, 2020 [4 favorites]
If you want to hear another piece with a similar build to Nimrod, and of similar length*, take a listen to Respighi's Pini de Roma IV: I Pini della Via Appia.
Both this and Nimrod are on my MetaFilter Music Swap 2019 compilation btw. MeMail me if your want a download link.
*At least the Charles Dutoit version I've been listening to. The ones I'm finding on YouTube run considerably longer.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 1:47 PM on April 4, 2020
Both this and Nimrod are on my MetaFilter Music Swap 2019 compilation btw. MeMail me if your want a download link.
*At least the Charles Dutoit version I've been listening to. The ones I'm finding on YouTube run considerably longer.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 1:47 PM on April 4, 2020
→ I would favour the Parry setting of Jerusalem
Um, that's all about England. Also, have you ever heard Scottish fans yelling “Naaaaw!” after every second line? It's Betteridge, wall to wall.
posted by scruss at 4:09 PM on April 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
Um, that's all about England. Also, have you ever heard Scottish fans yelling “Naaaaw!” after every second line? It's Betteridge, wall to wall.
posted by scruss at 4:09 PM on April 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
That's true. I was dazzled by the notion of William Blake being the guiding spirit of the country. But, yes, England, I'd momentarily forgotten, sorry. I'd be prepared to go with Billy Connolly's suggestion that the national anthem be the theme from The Archers. Or nobody's suggestion that it should be the theme from Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em.
To try to keep myself at least marginally on topic, I looked to see whether Ken Russell's Elgar was on YouTube, and it is, but in bits. It is available on a Russian video site, though, if you can accept that. It's early, restrained Ken Russell. I can't remember whether there are any nuns, but there is a prominent role for a small horse.
posted by Grangousier at 1:26 PM on April 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
To try to keep myself at least marginally on topic, I looked to see whether Ken Russell's Elgar was on YouTube, and it is, but in bits. It is available on a Russian video site, though, if you can accept that. It's early, restrained Ken Russell. I can't remember whether there are any nuns, but there is a prominent role for a small horse.
posted by Grangousier at 1:26 PM on April 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
« Older Voleflix, a public domain movie site | Ted Chiang Explains the Disaster Novel We All... Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:12 PM on April 3, 2020 [6 favorites]