Editing Enigma Variations (section)

===Variation I (''L'istesso tempo'') "C.A.E."===
[[Caroline Alice Elgar]], Elgar's wife. The variation repeats a four-note melodic fragment which Elgar reportedly whistled when arriving home to his wife. After Alice's death, Elgar wrote, "The variation is really a prolongation of the theme with what I wished to be romantic and delicate additions; those who knew C.A.E. will understand this reference to one whose life was a romantic and delicate inspiration."

(In these notes Elgar's words are quoted from his posthumous publication ''My Friends Pictured Within'' which draws on the notes he provided for the Aeolian Company's 1929 [[Player piano|pianola rolls]] edition of the ''Variations''.)
<score sound="1">
  \relative c'' { \clef treble \key g \minor \time 4/4 \tempo "L'istesso tempo." 4 = 63 r4\f^"largamente"_"espress." \times 2/3 {d8( bes d)} c4~ c8 r8 }
</score>