Most people will have heard of...

[jeffhasgoodhair]

Edward Elgar.

DH on a long speakerphone conversation with his parents now talking about the potential closing of Elgar's Birthplace by the National Trust due to lack of footfall.

They think the problem is that no one 'these days' knows who he is.

Could I be biased as I live where he lived therefore know people who have lived in one of his properties, have been in venues he frequented, know roads named after him and see statues everywhere... therefore I think he's more significant than he is?

I've never heard of him.

Oh no! Many an orchestral piece played in my youth. Shame about the NT closure.

The name rings a bell, but can't put my finger on why.

Yeah I think you probably are a bit biased. I’m quite musical so know who he is. Gotta be honest though, I’m not really interested in where he was from!

For a moment I thought he was an artist or sculptor but that would be Degas. Don't know him, never heard of him and there were no music lessons in any of my schools growing up.

I’ve heard of him but I don’t know whether that knowledge would entice me to a national trust property. But then my criteria are generally focused on whether they’ve got playgrounds and cafes.

I've heard of him but I'm a music teacher.

I am shocked to hear this. It's on my list of places to go; I just haven't got there yet. I've just given DH a nudge and said we need to go.

FWIW I am 27 and from the Black Country. That might help your research

Depends if you learnt an instrument as a kid or have had a decent amount of exposure to classical music. If you didn't then you probably wouldn't know.

open.spotify.com/track/1K4VF5z3CcJTNHFIsmtFVF?si=nQ45lOhyRbuAuGeZ0oKsHg&context=spotify%3Aplaylist%3A37i9dQZF1DWZXjKiX0FBkp

I’ve never heard of him

I only know because I homeschool one of my dc and we some work on composers recently.

Until then I had never heard of him.

Definitely know who he is. Enigma Variations was one of the pieces I studied at school.

I know the name but didn’t know who he was / what he was famous for. My initial guess would have been WW1 poet 😂

I've heard of him! One of the most important British composers of... ever.

We studied him for O level music, but I knew of him and his works anyway.

Many people will have heard Land of Hope and Glory, even if they don't know who composed it.

I've definitely heard of him. I didn't know there was a NT place where he was born though. I might have gone if I'd known.
I bet loads of people recognise his music though - Nimrod variation ,Pomp and Circumstance, etc, even if they don't know they're by him. And they probably quite like some of it too, even if they think they don't like classical music!

63, normal type of education , no musical knowledge (or ability) and I know who Elgar was.

It's only PILs opinion of the writing on the wall.
They blame it on lack of decent cafe which tbf I think would be a decent pull!

This is incredibly sad! The NT property is lovely (not to mention Elgar’s music)

I was once blessed to hear the organist in Worcester Cathedral practicing Elgar. It was magnificent! (Mid 50s and from the Midlands!)

The composer? If yes then only because my Nan had Four Seasons at her funeral

Having said that, despite knowing who he is, visiting his birthplace would not be something I would be particularly interested in doing. It would have been the sort of thing my mum would have taken me to as a kid but I wouldn't want to do it now that I have a choice.

Maybe all the people who have never heard of Elgar will remember him next time they hear the tune Land of Hope and Glory (or Pomp and Circumstance as Elgar called it)

Vivaldi wrote the Four Seasons.