Pomp and Circumstance Marches August 1997 "Musical Times" explaining the sketches. One idea in the sketches was marked by the composer "jolly good". Kent believed that Elgar's compositional thoughts and time were by then engaged with the Third Symphony and "The Spanish Lady", and that the main theme for the march was "unpromising". Payne felt there was not enough in the sketches to complete the march, but fortunately three pages of score in Elgar's handwriting were discovered at the Royal School of Church Music Colles Library marked "P&C 6". In 2006, the score and sketches were turned into a performing version. Payne observed in
Pomp and Circumstance Marches timpani (3), percussion (side drum, bass drum & cymbals), and strings. Without introduction, its opening episode is extended with enormous confidence and proceeds directly into the "Trio" section. The "Trio" starts quietly in a similar way to the introduction of his First Symphony: just a moving bass line and a tune, also in the same key (A). The tune is re-stated strongly, as we expect, then developed. The re-statement of the opening employs the same instruments of the orchestra, but is this time started as soft as possible for just four bars before a quick "crescendo" restores its spirit to