The Kingdom (Elgar) facts for kids

The Kingdom, Op. 51, is a special kind of musical story called an oratorio. It's a big piece for singers and an orchestra, created by the famous composer Edward Elgar. It was first performed on October 3, 1906, in Birmingham, England. Elgar himself led the orchestra, and talented singers like Agnes Nicholls and Muriel Foster were the soloists.

How Elgar Created "The Kingdom"

Edward Elgar had a big idea for a long time: he wanted to write a musical story about the apostles. These were the close followers of Jesus. He decided to write not just one, but three oratorios, like a series of musical chapters.

The first part of his series was called The Apostles. It was all about how the apostles were called to follow Jesus. Elgar finished this one in 1903.

The Kingdom is the second part of his planned series. It tells the story of the apostles after Jesus's time, especially when they faced challenges. This piece was first performed in 1906.

Elgar had plans for a third oratorio about the Last Judgement, but he never got to compose it. He thought about it even into the 1920s, but it remained unfinished.

Elgar himself chose the words for The Kingdom. He took parts from the Acts of the Apostles, which is a book in the Bible. He also used lines from the Gospels, the Old Testament, and the Apocrypha.

Much of the music in The Kingdom is calm and thoughtful. It's not as dramatic as some other pieces. If Elgar had finished all three oratorios, The Kingdom would have been the quiet, reflective middle part.

Just like in The Apostles, Elgar used a special musical trick called a Leitmotif. This idea was made popular by the composer Richard Wagner. A leitmotif is a short tune or musical idea that represents a specific character, feeling, or event in the story. So, when you hear a certain tune, you know what it means!

The Kingdom is divided into a prelude, which is a piece played only by the orchestra at the beginning, and then five main parts.

Who Performs in "The Kingdom"?

The Kingdom needs a very large orchestra to play its music. It also requires a big group of singers, called a chorus. This chorus is special because it's a "double chorus," meaning it's split into eight different parts. There's also a smaller group of singers called a semichorus.

In addition to the chorus, there are four main solo singers. Each soloist represents a different character in the story:

• The Blessed Virgin (sung by a soprano)
• Mary Magdalene (sung by a contralto)
• St John (sung by a tenor)
• St Peter (sung by a bass)

What is "The Kingdom" About?

The story of The Kingdom follows the apostles and their journey after Jesus.

The Musical Introduction

The orchestral prelude starts the oratorio. In this part, you hear some of the same special tunes (motifs) that were in Elgar's earlier work, The Apostles. There are tunes that show Jesus's sadness, one for Peter, and others for the new faith and for Christ the Redeemer. The prelude ends with the tunes for the new faith and Christ the Redeemer playing together.

Part I: Gathering Together

This part is about the apostles and the holy women meeting after Christ’s Ascension. The Ascension is when Jesus went up to heaven. They choose Matthew to take the place of Judas, who had betrayed Jesus.

Part II: Remembering Miracles

This part is quite short. Mary (Jesus's mother) and Mary Magdalene talk to each other. They remember a lame man and think about how Jesus used to heal people who were blind or lame.

Part III: The Holy Spirit Arrives

This section is about Pentecost. This was a very important day when the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles. It gave them the amazing ability to speak in many different languages. This gift allowed them to travel and tell people all over the world about Jesus. Peter then tells everyone that they should be baptised in the Name of the Lord.

Part IV: Preaching and Arrest

In this part, John and Peter sing a big duet together. They preach to the crowd about Jesus’s resurrection, which means Jesus coming back to life after dying. Because they are preaching, they get arrested. After they are arrested, Mary prays for the two men. This prayer by Mary is not in the Bible; it was Elgar’s own idea for the story.

Part V: Faith and Peace

The opening chorus from the beginning of the oratorio is heard again, but in a different way. The apostles and holy women take communion, which is a special religious meal. They also sing the Lord's Prayer. Christ the Redeemer appears, and the whole musical story finishes quietly and peacefully with the theme of the new faith. It doesn't end with a loud, grand sound, but with a calm and gentle feeling.