Elgar's incidental music to Laurence Binyon's play Arthur - A Tragedy was written in 1923 and scored for a theatre “pit” orchestra of thirteen players. Because Elgar never extracted a performable Suite from the incidental music, and because it was scored for non-standard forces, the music has remained unperformed and unknown. This is its first appearance in print.

King Arthur Suite comprises six movements, incorporating the bulk of Elgar’s original score, reorchestrated for standard symphony orchestra. The movements, which follow in chronological order the action of the play, are : King Arthur and Sir Lancelot — Elaine — Banqueting Scene —The Castle At Night — Battle Scene — The Death of Arthur.

A live performance of the King Arthur Suite can be heard here.

ISBN : 978-1-873690-10-9

Duration : 22 minutes.

Orchestral requirements : 2+1 2 2 2  4 2 3 1  Timp Hp 3Perc Strings.

Difficulty : Moderate.

Study score : Available from Acuta Music in a limited edition of 300 copies. Includes detailed Editorial commentary. See "Sales" bookmark for price and ordering details.

Orchestral parts, Conductor's full score : Available for sale from Goodmusic. Click here for a link to Goodmusic's King Arthur Suite web page.

Copyright : Although Elgar's music is out of copyright, the Acuta Music and the Acuta/Goodmusic editions of the King Arthur Suite constitute a "copyright arrangement" for the purposes of performance and recording, and should be disclosed as such on PRS or MCPS returns.