Elgar Salut d'amour Op. 12 for String Quartet

Elgar: Salut d'Amour Op. 12 for String Quartet

Elgar wrote Salut d'Amour in 1888 as a gift for his fiancée Alice Roberts, and the piece has carried that original warmth ever since. The title translates as Love's Greeting, and everything about the writing reflects the sentiment: the gently rising melody, the tender harmony, the unhurried pace. Originally for violin and piano, later orchestrated by Elgar himself, this arrangement sets it for string quartet.

The piece is not technically demanding, and a professional quartet can read it through comfortably at short notice. For school and amateur ensembles, the individual parts are well within reach for most players, and the harmonic writing is generous enough that the piece sounds full and well-balanced without extensive rehearsal. The main requirement is sensitivity to the melodic line and a light touch in the lower parts: the first violin carries most of the melody, and the other three need to support without covering it.

At three minutes, it's a natural fit for wedding ceremonies and formal events, and the combination of instant recognisability and tenderness makes it one of the most reliable choices in the repertoire for those occasions.

See and hear the difference

Check the score and parts preview images above, then watch the complete score video below. They'll give you a clear picture of the engraving quality and overall difficulty before you buy.

Key features

• Instrumentation: String Quartet (Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello)
• Original: Salut d'Amour Op. 12 (1888), originally for violin and piano
• Difficulty: intermediate; sight-readable for professional quartets, accessible for school and amateur ensembles
• Duration: approximately 3 minutes
• Format: PDF download, full score and all four parts

Who it's for

This suits professional quartets playing at weddings and formal events where Salut d'Amour is specifically requested, and it's a good starting point for school and youth string quartets who want approachable repertoire that lands well with audiences. The romantic origin and gentle character make it a natural choice wherever something tender and immediately familiar is wanted.