Edward Elgar

The Wand of Youth: Suite No. 2, Op. 1b

The Wand of Youth suites are based on materials Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) wrote as a boy for use in a play by the younger members of his family. The composer also used materials he composed while employed as conductor of the attendants' band at the Worcester and County Lunatic Asylum (now called Powick Hospital). Elgar gave both suites the opus numbers 1a and 1b respectively, in recognition of the materials being his earliest surviving compositions. The Wand of Youth First Suite was premiered in 1907 at the Queen's Hall in London under the direction of Henry Wood. The Wand of Youth Second Suite premiered at the Worcester Three Choirs Festival in 1908, under the direction of the composer. While the entire suite is not typically programmed in its entirety, individual movements were required repertoire for small salon orchestras from 1910 into the 1960s and are often paired with other shorter pieces by Elgar. Instrumentation: 2(2dPicc).2.2.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(2-6): Hp: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).