"A War Song", originally called "A Soldier's Song", was a poem written by C. Flavell Hayward and set to music by the English composer

Edward Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, (; 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestr ...

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), who gave its first performance on 18 March 1884 at a Worcester Glee Club meeting in the Crown Hotel, Broad Street,

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Englan ...

. 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''.'Porte, p.22 It was performed at the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

on 1 October of that year, sung by

Kennerley Rumford Robert Henry Kennerley Rumford (2 September 1870 – 9 March 1957) was an English baritone singer of the 20th century. He was first known for his performances of oratorios, but following his marriage to the well-known contralto singer Clara But ...

Lyrics

A SOLDIER'S SONG / A WAR SONG :Hear the whiz of the shot as it flies, :Hear the rush of the shell in the skies, :Hear the bayonet’s clash, ringing bright, :See the flash of the steel as they fight, :Hear the conqueror’s shout ! :As the foe’s put to rout ! :Hear the cry of despair :That is rending the air – :Now the neigh of a horse, now the bugle’s loud blast. :See! anger and pain, passion and shame, :A struggle for life, a thirst for fame. ::::Ah ! ::Glory or death, for true hearts and brave, ::Honour in life, or rest in a grave. :Now the warfare is o’er, life is past, :Now in peace lie the dead, still at last ; :Bronzed and brown, wan and pale, side by side, :Side by side, as they fought, fell and died ; :There they lie, rank and pride, :Rags and wealth, proved and tried. :Youth and age, fear and trust, :Scarred and scorched, in the dust ; :Gone for ever their pain, anger, passion, and shame, :Gone! tumult and smoke, conflict and din, :Gone, anguish and trouble, sorrow and sin, - ::::Ah ! ::Glory or death, for true hearts and brave, ::Honour in life, or rest in a grave.

Recordings

"The Unknown Elgar"
includes "A War Song" performed by Stephen Holloway (bass), with Barry Collett (piano)

has "A War Song" performed by Peter Savidge (baritone), with David Owen Norris (piano).
John Ireland - Orchestral Songs and Miniatures
With a collection of the music of Ireland, two songs by Elgar are included: ''

Follow the Colours "Follow the Colours" is a marching song written by the English composer Edward Elgar in 1907, with words by Capt. William de Courcy Stretton. The song is for male voice solo with an optional male voice chorus, accompanied by piano, orchestra or mi ...

'' and ''A War Song'', performed by Roderick Williams (baritone), BBC Concert Orchestra/Martin Yates

References

*Banfield, Stephen, ''Sensibility and English Song: Critical studies of the early 20th century'' (Cambridge University Press, 1985) *Kennedy, Michael, ''Portrait of Elgar'' (Oxford University Press, 1968) *Moore, Jerrold N. “Edward Elgar: a creative life” (Oxford University Press, 1984) * * *

External links

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:War Song, A Songs about the military Songs by Edward Elgar 1884 songs