A War Song

This article is about the 19th-century poem set to music by Edward Elgar. For other uses, see War song (disambiguation).

"A War Song", originally called "A Soldier's Song", was a poem written by C. Flavell Hayward[1] and set to music by the English composer Edward Elgar in 1884.

As A Soldier's Song, it was Elgar's first published song, appearing in Magazine of Music in 1890. It was dedicated to "F. G. P." (Frederick Pedley),[2] who gave its first performance on 18 March 1884 at a Worcester Glee Club meeting in the Crown Hotel, Broad Street, Worcester.

In 1903 it was re-published by Boosey & Co. with the name A War Song, as Elgar's Op. 5. The cover of the song clearly shows "Op.5, No.1", but no other Op.5 work is known, though J.F. Porte in his book describing the works of Elgar commends 'the two numbers comprising Opus 5.'[3] It was performed at the Royal Albert Hall on 1 October of that year, sung by Kennerley Rumford.

  1. ^ Charles Flavell Hayward (1863-1906) was born in Wolverhampton, England into a show-business family. He was an actor, poet, violinist, conductor, composer and arranger of music. He was a friend of Elgar's and played at the same desk in the violins. His father Henry Hayward was a violinist known as the "English Paganini". The family emigrated to New Zealand where he, his brothers, their wives and other family (known as "The Brescian Family") made their living in the theatre, which included the novelty of a moving picture show or bioscope as it was called. He died in Adelaide, Australia. His most well-known song (he wrote the lyrics and the music) is called "Come back to me" which was sung by his sister Florence Hayward.
  2. ^ Young, Elgar O. M. p.53
  3. ^ Porte, p.22