Edward Elgar

Full Name: Edward William Elgar
Profession: Composer

Biography: Elgar's best known works include the Elgar Variations and the Pomp and Circumstance Marches. For many years he was a major figure in the British classical music scene, despite arousing the suspicions of the Victorian-era Protestant establishment due to his Roman Catholic heritage.

One of the first artists to use the gramophone as a recording tool, he conducted recordings of his work, and with the introduction in 1923 of the moving-coil microphone he completed recordings of most of his major orchestral works.

Born: June 2, 1857
Birthplace: Lower Broadheath, Worcester, England, United Kingdom
Star Sign: Gemini

Died: February 23, 1934 (aged 76)
Cause of Death: Colorectal cancer