"The Blue Mountains" is a poem written by
Alfred Noyes, 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 ...
. It was one of the songs (collectively known as the ''"
Pageant of Empire The Pageant of Empire was name given to various historical pageants celebrating the British Empire which were held in Britain during the early twentieth century. For example there was a small Pageant of Empire at the town of Builth Wells in 1909. I ...
"'') written to be performed in the ''
Pageant of Empire The Pageant of Empire was name given to various historical pageants celebrating the British Empire which were held in Britain during the early twentieth century. For example there was a small Pageant of Empire at the town of Builth Wells in 1909. I ...
'' at the
British Empire Exhibition in
Wembley Park, London, on 21 July 1924.
The song is subtitled "A Song of
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
". It refers to the
Blue Mountains of
New South Wales, Australia, and the pioneers who went westward to new lands beyond them.
References
*Richards, Jeffrey "Imperialism and Music: Britain 1876-1953" (Manchester University Press, 2002)
External links
*
Digital CollectionsThe Blue Mountains
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blue Mountains, The
Songs by Edward Elgar
1924 songs
Culture of the Blue Mountains (New South Wales)
World's fair music
British Empire Exhibition