 |
| Nimrod from Dante's Divine Comedy |
"He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; that is why it is said, 'Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.'"
After identifying Ein feste Burg as the missing Principal Theme of the Enigma Variations, the next step was to determine if it could convincingly play “through and over” each of the variations. The first variation subjected to this analysis was the most solemn and revered in the collection: Nimrod. With the Enigma Theme, Ein feste Burg remained in its original 4/4 meter (also known as common time). Nimrod is in 3/4 with three rather than four quarter note beats per measure. This obviously demands some flexibility with interpolating the notes of the missing Principal Theme over the variation. Just as Elgar more freely construed the theme in each of the variations, so too must the Principal Theme play more fluidly “through and over” the whole set while taking into consideration each movement’s meter, key, and melodic and harmonic architecture. Dr. Clive McClelland correctly argued in general for the application of “free rhythm”, but did so under the misguided assumption the missing Principal Theme should be subjected to such a treatment when being paired with the Enigma Theme. As shown in this post, the meter and note values of Ein feste Burg remain virtually unchanged when wedded with the Enigma Theme.
Variation IX is the third in the series with a six-letter title originating from the Bible following Enigma and Ysobel. It is fascinating the first letter of each of these names (E-Y-N) forms the phonetic spelling of ein, the first word in the title of the missing Principal Theme. It is equally fascinating the first three letters of the word “enigma” may be reshuffled to spell ein. The epigraph is Genesis 10:9. It is hardly coincidental the chapter number corresponds exactly to the movement in the series (10) and the verse number to the Roman numeral (9). As the Bible explains, Nimrod means “A mighty hunter before the Lord.” The literal translation of the title of the missing Principal Theme is “A mighty fortress is our God”. It is truly incredible the first two words of each title are identical (“A mighty”), and the last from each are interchangeable terms for the same Person (“Lord” and “God”).[1] One of the largest fortresses of the Middle Ages is situated on the northern Golan Heights. It is known as Nimrod's Fortress. This presents a direct link between the name Nimrod and the third word in the title of Ein feste Burg - A Mighty Fortress. Elgar's use of the name Nimrod is the cunning wordplay of a master cryptographer. Only after cracking the melodic enigma was it even possible to recognize these subtle yet by now obvious allusions to the title of the unstated Principle Theme.
Did Elgar premeditate the Enigma theme and its ancillary elements like the Enigma cipher? Considering the elegant nature of the melodic and cipher solutions, the answer is clearly in the affirmative as this post explains. Nonetheless, there is further evidence in his personal correspondence bolstering this conclusion. Elgar first mentioned the Enigma Variations to Jaeger only just three short days after beginning the composition. In a letter dated October 24, 1898, he wrote:
Did Elgar premeditate the Enigma theme and its ancillary elements like the Enigma cipher? Considering the elegant nature of the melodic and cipher solutions, the answer is clearly in the affirmative as this post explains. Nonetheless, there is further evidence in his personal correspondence bolstering this conclusion. Elgar first mentioned the Enigma Variations to Jaeger only just three short days after beginning the composition. In a letter dated October 24, 1898, he wrote:
Since I've been back I have sketched a set of Variations (orkestra) on an original theme: the Variations have amused me because I've labelled 'em with the nicknames of my particular friends - you are Nimrod.[2]
The formal melodic solution with Ein feste Burg played “through and over” Nimrod is presented in Figure 14.1. A Finale 2009 sound file of this solution is available here. Hearing is believing, and the contrapuntal "fit" is credible and compelling:
With the obvious connection between the variation’s name and the unstated Principal Theme's title, Elgar’s use of the name Nimrod confirms that he contemplated the melodic enigma from the very beginning. He began composing the Variations on October 21, 1898, just three days before his letter to Jaeger mentions the nick name Nimrod. The Roman numeral assigned to this variation holds a powerful literary link to Elgar’s favorite poet, Longfellow, and his renowned translation of Dante’s Divine Comedy. In Canto XXXI of the Inferno, Nimrod is described as a babbling giant trapped in the ninth circle of hell. Variation IX, the ninth, is appropriately named Nimrod. Dante links Nimrod to the construction of theTower of Babel
With the obvious connection between the variation’s name and the unstated Principal Theme's title, Elgar’s use of the name Nimrod confirms that he contemplated the melodic enigma from the very beginning. He began composing the Variations on October 21, 1898, just three days before his letter to Jaeger mentions the nick name Nimrod. The Roman numeral assigned to this variation holds a powerful literary link to Elgar’s favorite poet, Longfellow, and his renowned translation of Dante’s Divine Comedy. In Canto XXXI of the Inferno, Nimrod is described as a babbling giant trapped in the ninth circle of hell. Variation IX, the ninth, is appropriately named Nimrod. Dante links Nimrod to the construction of the
Figure 14.2 shows how Ein feste Burg was carefully mapped over Nimrod based on Melodic Interval Mirroring, and the contrapuntal devices of contrary and parallel motion. Melodic interval mirroring occurs when intervals in Ein feste Burg are mirrored or reflected in the variation. For the purposes of this analysis, parallel motion is loosely defined to include similar motion, something that occurs when voices from Ein feste Burg and the variation move in the same direction but not necessarily by the same interval or degree. Contrary motion takes place when Ein feste Burg moves in the opposite direction than the variation, again not necessarily by the same interval. The prima facie evidence of this approach is overwhelming and undeniable. For the sake of countless examples, consider measures 349-352 in which there is a clear cut case of contrary motion between Ein feste Burg and the base line of Nimrod
Table 14.1 documents 27 shared melody notes between Ein feste Burg and Nimrod, an amount just over twice that found with the Enigma theme (13). These melodic conjunctions are present from measures 334 to 373, a span of 40 measures. Nimrod is 43 measures in length with 153 melody notes, 38 of which play when Ein feste Burg is dormant in measures 341, 349-350, 356, 361-364, 368-372 (See Figure 14.1). There are 79 notes in this version of Ein feste Burg, so 34% overlap with the melody line from Nimrod. Excluding dormant notes from Nimrod’s melody leaves 115 out of 153. This means 23% of Nimrod’s melody notes overlap with Ein feste Burg.
TABLE 14.1
| ||
Melodic Conjunctions between Ein Feste Burg and Nimrod
| ||
Measure Number
|
Beat
|
Shared Melody Note
|
334
|
1.5
|
E flat
|
335
|
1
|
B flat
|
336
|
2
|
E flat
|
339
|
3.5
|
C
|
340
|
2
|
A
|
342
|
1.5
|
E flat
|
343
|
1
|
B flat
|
344
|
2
|
E flat
|
347
|
3
|
C
|
351
|
1.5
|
B flat
|
3
|
B flat
| |
352
|
1.5
|
A flat
|
353
|
2
|
B flat
|
3.5
|
C
| |
354
|
1
|
C
|
3
|
D
| |
358
|
3
|
C
|
359
|
1
|
B flat
|
2
|
C
| |
2.5
|
C
| |
360
|
1
|
C
|
2.5
|
B flat
| |
3
|
A flat
| |
361
|
1
|
G
|
366
|
3.5
|
C
|
373
|
1.5
|
E flat
|
374
|
1
|
B flat
|
Totals
| ||
20 Measures
|
27 Notes
| |
Table 14.2 breaks down melodic conjunctions between Ein feste Burg and Variation IX by note type. There are 7 types of shared melody notes with frequencies ranging from 2 to 9. The identical numbers for note types and frequency spreads are also found in Variation III R.B.T which will be discussed in a future post.
TABLE 14.2
| |||||||
Total melodic conjunctions by note type between Ein Feste Burg and Nimrod
| |||||||
Notes
|
A flat
|
A
|
B flat
|
C
|
D
|
E flat
|
G
|
Frequency
|
2
|
1
|
8
|
9
|
1
|
5
|
1
|
Table 14.3 identifies 131 shared notes between Ein feste Burg and Nimrod occurring over 36 out of 43 measures. Conjunctions are indicated in bold. Note conjunctions not involving both melody lines are also known as chordal conjunctions. There are at least 181 notes from the piano reduction of Nimrod s reduction matching 68 out of 79 melody notes from Ein feste Burg. An astounding 86% of the melody notes from Ein feste Burg are embedded sequentially into the melody and score of Nimrod with 27 shared melody notes (see Table 14.1). Ein feste Burg was deemed dormant over 37 quarter note beats dispersed over 13 bars (i.e., measures 341, 349-350, 356, 361-364, and 368-372).
Table 14.4 condenses data from Table 14.3 according to note type and frequency with a total of 9 types of shared notes with frequencies ranging from 2 to 61. Of these shared notes, 7 are shared by both melodies (i.e., A flat, A, B flat, C, D, E flat, and G).
Conclusion
Based on information presented in Figures 14.1-4.2 and Tables 14.1-4.4, the preponderance of the evidence shows Variation IX is a clear and convincing counterpoint to Ein feste Burg.
Based on information presented in Figures 14.1-4.2 and Tables 14.1-4.4, the preponderance of the evidence shows Variation IX is a clear and convincing counterpoint to Ein feste Burg.
[1] Psalms 38:15 says, “I will wait for you, O Lord; you will answer, O Lord my God.” Danial 9:9 reads, “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving…” After Jesus presented himself to doubting Thomas after the resurrection, Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).
[2] Elgar, E. (1965). Letters to Nimrod: Edward Elgar to August Jaeger, 1897 - 1908. London
4 comments:
I'm sorry but I think Nimrod and Ein feste Burg sound horrendously dissonant together, and no amount of diagrammatics are going to convince me otherwise.
While there are a few dissonances present, these result invariably from brief but necessary passing tones. What is undeniable is there are 150 melodic and chordal note matches between "Ein feste Burg" and "Nimrod". Such a high number of shared notes is compelling evidence "A Mighty Fortress" is in fact the unstated Principal Theme to Elgar's 'Enigma' Variations.
There can be 150 melodic and choral note matches between "Smoke gets in your eyes" and "Nimrod" but that in itself proves nothing.
The resultant voice-leading here is atrocious, e.g. the four consecutive parallel fifths at four bars before reh. 36. You can't wriggle out from under the multiple contrapuntal infractions here by invoking "passing tones." Elgar was no avant-gardiste and his counterpoint was always impeccable.
Anonymous insists there can be 150 note matches between “Nimrod” and “Smoke gets in your eyes” without furnishing one iota of evidence in support of such an outlandish assertion. If Anonymous attempts such a mapping, that party would quickly discover it is much easier said than done. In any event, the absence of just such a mapping renders Anonymous’ torpid claim empty and meritless.
As for “contrapuntal infractions” in my mapping of “Ein feste Burg” over “Nimrod”, I turn to no higher authority than Elgar himself in my defense. In his first biography published in 1905 by Robert J. Buckley, Elgar is quoted as saying:
“You were talking of contrapuntal rules and restrictions. I have gone over them all: marked, learned, and inwardly digested everything available in theoretical instruction I could come across (and I think I have come across most of what has been written); and I cherish a profound respect for the old theorists. They were useful in their day, but they were not entitled to lay down hard and fast rules for all composers to the end of time.”
Concerning Elgar’s cavalier attitude towards contrapuntal rules, Elgar’s first biographer observed the following:
“I have not given any space to consideration of Elgar’s wanderings from the paths of contrapuntal rectitude, as laid down by the theory formalists. The Roman soldiers tied weights to their sandals when marching for exercise, that by discarding them in time of war they might rejoice in comparative lightness and freedom. So, it would seem, are musicians weighted in the study of strict counterpoint, that in free composition they may derive additional inspiration from the joy of casting the load aside. It may be suggested that Elgar has cast away not only the weights but also the sandals. The sequence of consecutive fifths in ‘The Apostles’ is calculated to make the old theorists uneasy in their graves. But this is only history repeating itself. The Man of Progress is necessarily the Breaker of Laws, and if the Law-breaker is justified by results, we can demand no more.”
Anonymous would have been wise to review Elgar’s first biography before commenting, particularly the section referencing his use of parallel fifths. Facts are stubborn things, and Anonymous would benefit from consulting them before commenting.
An excellent description of Anonymous’ contribution to this debate is aptly conveyed by the title “Smoke gets in your eyes.” Is it any wonder that bumbling personage posted anonymously?
Post a Comment