Elgar, Edward: Mina

Mina, immortalising his pet dog, was Elgar’s last piece of light music. It was originally written in 1932 for piano, and this version for small orchestra dates from 1933 - 1934. It is a short, whimsical piece clearly portraying the dog’s capricious and affectionate nature. This edition is based on the orchestral manuscript score in the British Library. Elgar’s final illness prevented him from completing the orchestration, and the scoring was completed by friends and colleagues in order that Elgar could hear a recording of the piece before his death.