Elgar was born in Worcestershire in 1857 and showed immediate aptitude for music in particular the piano. He left school early to pursue music and was largely self educated. He gave violin lessons at first and played the organ at mass. After his marriage to Alice Roberts, he moved to London to seek fame as composer but moved away in 1891 to countryside after failing to find it. However in 1893 he wrote ‘The Black Knight’ choral symphony, performed in Worcester and then in London two years later, and it was this that marked the beginning of his proffessional career. From then on he gained international renown and was the first musician to be given the Order of Merit a few days before the coronation of George V. He joined the special constabulary during WWI performing to the troops. He died in 1934 and was buried with his wife who had died of cancer some years earlier.