Trailer

Ask students to think about the factors that can influence a composition: ie. historical context, whether it has been commissioned for a particular occasion etc. Students could brainstorm in pairs or small groups.

Now ask them to consider what kinds of factors might affect how a piece of music is received (its popularity) and the ways in which it is listened to.

Main Attraction

Play students the clip Hope and Glory, asking them to note down the information they learn about the context in which Elgar's initial piece was composed, when and why it became popular and how the composer's own view of the piece changed. Collect their ideas on the board as part of a whole class discussion.

Encourage students to investigate the relationship between music and words. Ask them to answer the following questions: How would they describe the tune of 'Pomp and Circumstance' (the music Land of Hope and Glory was derived from)? How do the words change the nature of the piece, if at all? (Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free / How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee? / Wider still, and wider, shall thy bounds be set / God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet!) Is the changing historical context of the music more significant than the words in changing its nature and the way in which it was understood?

Pupils will most likely be familiar with 'Land of Hope and Glory'. Where have they heard it before (football matches, sung as a hymn, last night of the Proms)? Why is it still sung today, and what meanings do students think people attach to the song? Ask them to write a short description of the piece, using key vocabulary relating to rythmn/metre, melody/harmony, explaining why they think the piece was adopted and has endured as an 'unofficial national anthem'. What do they think the main features of an anthem are?

Musical contexts can evolve over time, in turn changing the nature of the music. Challenge students to write a paragraph either in support or against this statement using the example of 'Land of Hope and Glory'.

End Credits

Play students another clip from Elgar such as Enigma variations or Cello concerto. In discussion, compare and contrast the differences between the music in these extracts with 'Land of Hope and Glory'.