WAS Sir Edward Elgar really the David Beckham of his day?
His stalwart supporters certainly think so and the Elgar Festival, which starts tonight, suggests so.
Marking the 150th anniversary of his birth, the four-day festival celebrates the man behind the moustache as well as the music.
"Elgar was in many ways the equivalent of David Beckham today," said Cathy Sloan, director of the Elgar Birthplace museum, Lower Broadheath. "He overcame the disadvantages of being the son of a tradesman and a Catholic and at the height of his fame endorsed all sorts of products - from tobacco to suits.
"Everything he did was widely reported, not just his music but his travels, his hobbies and even a minor motoring accident."
It seems Worcestershire's most famous son was far from a stuffy Edwardian.
In fact he was quite the cultural icon.
"Elgar has long drawn visitors here," said Georgia Smith, head of VisitWorcester. "But there is still huge potential to both attract more visitors and to boost our local economy's leisure, heritage and hospitality sectors.
"Everyone from bed-and-breakfast proprietors to international hotel chains should be seizing this opportunity. Now is our chance to promote Elgar Country to an international audience."
Lesser known facts about the composer include his love of writing in code and using ciphers, that he built his own science laboratory, opened EMI's Abbey Road studios and was an ardent Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club fan. He was also a huge supporter of new technology and the first major composer to conduct recordings of his own works.
The Elgar Festival marks the 150th anniversary of his birth.
Highlights include the Malvern-based English Symphony Orchestra performing at Worcester Cathedral, pupils from the Elgar School of Music performing in All Saints' Church, Deansway, Professor David Cannadine giving a talk on Elgar's life and Donald Hunt conducting the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra with Julian Lloyd Webber on cello.
For full listings of events go to www.elgar-festival.co.uk
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