Pomp and Circumstance Marches splendid show of military pageantry—"Pomp"—has no connection with the drabness and terror—"Circumstance"—of actual warfare. The first four marches were all written before the events of World War I shattered that belief, and the styles in which wars were written about spurned the false romance of the battle-song. The "Pomp and Circumstance" marches are The first five were all published by Boosey & Co. as Elgar's Op. 39, and each of the marches is dedicated to a particular musical friend of Elgar's. Each march takes about five minutes to play. March No. 1, was composed in 1901 and dedicated "to my
Fantasia 2000 of Rome" was re-arranged in 1993 by Bruce Coughlin, who reduced the four-movement piece by cutting the second movement and trimming sections of the third and fourth movements. The piece was recorded on March 28, 1994. The second recording involved "Symphony No. 5", "Carnival of the Animals", and "Pomp and Circumstance", on April 25, 1994. "Carnival of the Animals, Finale" uses two pianos played by Gail Niwa and Philip Sabransky. "Pomp and Circumstance" was arranged by Peter Schickele and features the Chicago Symphony Chorus and soprano soloist Kathleen Battle. The next recording took place on April 24, 1995 for "Piano