“Grate Malverne on a rocke” by Edward Elgar

The British romantic composer Edward Elgar composed this hymn in 1897. It was printed on a holiday card and sent to his friends to celebrate Christmas 1897 and the New Year 1898. The words are traditional. Elgar re-purposed this carol in 1908 for “Lo! Christ the Lord is Born.” Hymns were on Elgar's mind when he ushered in the pivotal year of 1898, a turning point in his career when he openly began composing the Enigma Variations in October.