You can download your part for Pomp and Circumstance for this year’s graduation ceremony here and also get the recording of it for your reference when you practice.
Pomp and Circumstance Music
Pomp and Circumstance
Have you ever wondered where “Pomp and Circumstance” came from?
Did you know that the tune that is played at practically every high school and college graduation ceremony, called “Pomp and Circumstance”, is actually from a set of Military Marches composed by English composer Sir Edward Elgar? You might recognize Elgar’s name from his more famous composition for orchestra, “Enigma Variations”. Starting in 1901, Elgar began writing what would become a set of 6 military marches for orchestra and the 1st March of the set is where we get our famous theme for graduation.
The actual melody of that theme comes from the English Patriotic Hymn “Land of Hope and Glory” and you can hear it being performed at this link:
“Land of Hope and Glory”
Sir Edward Elgar used the melody of this hymn for the trio section of his March no. 1 in D Major and since then it has been used for graduation ceremonies everywhere. Follow the link below to listen to the full composition; it shouldn’t be hard to recognize the part you know when it comes up!
Elgar’s March no. 1 in D Major for Orchestra
Now you know the rest of the story…