Symphony No. 1 in A flat major, Op. 55

The symphony opens not with fanfare but with a hushed, hymn-like melody in the strings, marked "nobilmente" (nobly), a tune that will return at the very end of the piece, having traveled through storm and struggle to arrive changed.

I. Andante, nobilmente e semplice, leading to Allegro: After that quiet opening theme, the music breaks into a restless, faster main section full of shifting moods, the calm tune periodically resurfacing like a memory.

II. Allegro molto: A quick, nervous scherzo (a light, fast-moving movement) with scurrying strings and sharp rhythmic jabs, occasionally interrupted by warmer, singing episodes.

III. Adagio: Without pause, the scherzo's material slows down and transforms into one of Elgar's most sustained lyrical movements, a long-breathed melody unfolding over a gently pulsing accompaniment.

IV. Lento, leading to Allegro: A somber slow introduction gives way to a turbulent finale that works through agitated material before the opening "nobilmente" theme returns in full orchestral splendor, closing the symphony in triumph.

Listen for the way that opening melody functions almost like a motto, vanishing and reappearing across all four movements until it finally wins out.

Elgar composed his First Symphony in 1908, after years of hesitating to attempt the form, having already established his reputation with the "Enigma" Variations and "The Dream of Gerontios." He was in his early fifties and had spoken for years of wanting to write a symphony worthy of the genre. The premiere took place in Manchester in December 1908 under Hans Richter, who called it "the greatest symphony of modern times, written by the greatest modern composer, and not only in this country." The response was extraordinary: the symphony received about 100 performances worldwide within a year of its premiere, an unprecedented reception for a new symphonic work in Britain. It remains one of the most performed British symphonies and a cornerstone of Elgar's orchestral output.