Falstaff – Symphonic Study in C minor, Op.68, is an orchestral work by the English composer Edward Elgar.
Falstaff, though not so designated by the composer, is a symphonic poem in the tradition of Liszt and Richard Strauss. It portrays Sir John Falstaff, the "fat knight" of Shakespeare's Henry IV parts 1 and 2.
Elgar set out the divisions of the score in an "analytical essay" in The Musical Times in 1913:
In the first section, Elgar establishes ...
more
Falstaff – Symphonic Study in C minor, Op.68, is an orchestral work by the English composer Edward Elgar.
Falstaff, though not so designated by the composer, is a symphonic poem in the tradition of Liszt and Richard Strauss. It portrays Sir John Falstaff, the "fat knight" of Shakespeare's Henry IV parts 1 and 2.
Elgar set out the divisions of the score in an "analytical essay" in The Musical Times in 1913:
In the first section, Elgar establishes the two main themes of the piece, that for Prince Hal (marked grandioso) being courtly and grand, and that for Falstaff himself showing "a goodly, portly man, of a cheerful look, a pleasing eye and a most noble carriage."' Boito adapted these words of Falstaff for his libretto for the Verdi opera of the same name, but the Falstaff of the opera is essentially the buffo character from The Merry Wives of Windsor, whereas Elgar's is the Falstaff of Henry IV.
The subsequent development of the score follows closely the key events of the two parts of...
less
