Pageant of Empire is the title given to a set of songs, to words by Alfred Noyes, written by the English composer Sir Edward Elgar and given important positions in the Pageant of Empire at the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Park.
[1][2] The songs were first performed at the Pageant on 21 July 1924,[1] when they were conducted by the composer.
5 "Sailing Westward", and three other poems by Noyes: "Indian Dawn", "The Cape of Good Hope" (for South Africa) and "Gloriana" (Queen Elizabeth I) were also arranged for chorus SATB and have the same musical accompaniment.
8 "A Song of Union" is a part-song for chorus SATB written for but not actually performed in the Pageant.
[2] The orchestral scores and parts for all the songs with the exception of "Immortal Legions" and the "March" have been lost, but they have been orchestrated by conductor Martin Yates and recorded complete on Dutton Epoch by Baritone Roderick Williams with the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Martin Yates.