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ELGAR – Patriotic Song ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ – FOUR CELLOS, OR CELLO ORCHESTRA

Other Identification:
“Land of Hope and Glory” is a British patriotic song, with music by Edward Elgar and lyrics by A. C. Benson, written in 1902. The music to which the words of the refrain “Land of Hope and Glory, &c” is the “trio” theme from Edward Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1. The words were fitted to the melody on the suggestion of King Edward VII who told Elgar he thought the melody would make a great song.

When Elgar was requested to write a work for the King’s coronation, he worked this suggestion into his Coronation Ode, for which he asked the poet and essayist A. C. Benson to write the words. The last section of the Ode uses the march’s melody. Due to the King’s illness, the coronation was postponed.

“Land of Hope and Glory” has traditionally been sung as the first song amidst flag-waving at the climax of the Last Night of the Proms.

Movements or sections:
marked ‘Andante – Andantino’

Instrumentation:
QUARTET OF FOUR CELLOS – also possible with cello orchestra.
Arranged by David Johnstone

3 PDFs:
PDF 1 – Cello Parts I and II
PDF 2 – Cello Parts III and IV
PDF 3 – General Score

Approximate difficulty:
David Johnstone first freely transcribed this on the 1990s but he later felt that the writing was perhaps a little too high for comfort for many cellists. So in 2017 he has relooked at it once again and apart from lowering the writing has also made a few other improvements. It is now very convincing for four cellos as a piece where all players have weight of writing, so a good and constant bow contact on every phrase is needed; please play virtually everything on-string!

This is also equally something of great interest for large cello orchestras for this work will offer you a marvelous ‘cellistic’ grandiose sound. Actually it is rather easier to perform in larger ensembles because of being able to play ‘divisi’ on all the double-stoppings that you will find.

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Johnstone Music has been performed by orchestras and conservatories worldwide, earning international recognition in cello repertoire.

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