Mats writes:

>Although Edward Elgar was Englands leading composer, and in fact, the
>first English composer who seriously challenged the composers on the
>continent

Oh, I don't know.  Byrd? Weelkes? Taverner? Tallis? Costeley? Purcell?

>,... it might seem remarkable that he chose a subject like "Falstaff"
>to constitute the program of a Symphonic Study

Doesn't seem remarkable to me.  He was, after all, known in his day as a
fine amateur (ie, non-academic) Shakespear scholar, with at least one
journal article to his credit.

>Elgar had a natural aversion against strict counterpoint actually, but
>that stemed from his idea of what kind of music he wanted to compose,
>and not lack of manage of the craft.

Really? He sure wrote enough of it.

Steve Schwartz