How Elgar's 'Pomp and Circumstance' Marched Its Way into Graduation Season

Graduation season is here, and that means the melody of Edward Elgar's "Graduation March" is in the air. It also means WQXR is celebrating the Class of 2025 with a very special feature!  We're asking listeners to tell us about a recent or soon-to-be graduate you’re proud of by writing to us at [email protected].  Then, starting from May 23 through the end of June, listen every weekday at 5 PM as we celebrate their achievements on air (on-air) with joyful music and your inspiring messages. Do you know the history of the "Graduation March?" It turns out that's not even its real name, even though it might as well be. Its actual title is March from Pomp and Circumstance No. 1. Elgar, who was born in England on June 2, 1857, wrote it in 1901 as an attempt to compose a military march that would win him more popular acclaim. When Elgar came up with this melody, he told a friend, “I’ve got a tune that will knock 'em flat.” And at its London premiere, it did. The crowd went wild. To this day, it’s the only time in the history of Proms concerts that the audience demanded — and received — a double encore of an instrumental piece. The soon-to-be King Edward VII liked it so much, he encouraged Elgar to set text to it. A year later it was performed at the king’s coronation. It’s almost a second national anthem in England today, where it's known as “Land of Hope and Glory.” So how did an English military march wind up being America’s go-to graduation tune? In 1906, Yale University gave Elgar an honorary doctorate at its commencement ceremony. The composer came in person, but his music was the star of the show. As the guests left the hall to Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March that day, the piece made such an impression that Princeton used it at its graduation next year. Chicago was next, then Columbia and Vassar and on and on. * Sophie Varon contributed to this piece.ESCUCHAR RADIO 👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=light&playlist=show&playlist-continuous=true&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=true&hide-likes=true&hide-comments=true&hide-sharing=true&hide-download=false&cover_image_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net%2Fimages.spreaker.com%2Foriginal%2F28309762a15caddc03af1f60293a7f2d.jpg&color=eb144c%22%20width=%2210