New Elgar Songs Discovered

On a beautiful June day, Edward Elgar’s music floats through the air at the place where he was born 156 years ago. For the audience in the Elgar Museum, in Lower Broadheath, Worcestershire, it’s a little bit of history: the first performance of two newly-discovered songs: The Mill Wheel and The Muleteer’s Serenade. ‘Really Elgar there – yes, I enjoyed them very much.’ ‘Very beautiful.’ ‘It was different.’ ‘Delightful!’ ‘Not ground-breaking Elgar, but very pleasant…’ he songs were found in the British Library by researchers working on a Complete Elgar Edition. ‘ it’s rare to find two previously unknown songs: it’s usually songs already known; or manuscripts. ‘Quite a discovery!’ ‘There are no other recordings to listen to. Elgar's wife worte the words for, 'The Mill Wheel' in 1896.