MINA

Edward Elgar like to immortalise things with his music - after all what's the point of art if not to reach like Michelangelo's David for something eternal?

Along with the Malvern hills and his friends, family and lovers he also set about portraying his dogs, including Dan the Bulldog, in his iconic Enigma Variations and later, towards the very end of his life, his beloved 'little Cairn' in composition form.

After his wife Alice’s death in 1920, Elgar spent his remaining years keeping company with two canine companions, including Marco (a Spaniel) and Mina (a Cairn Terrier).

Whenever the composer was away on work trips to London from his home in the countryside, Elgar made sure that he kept in touch with both of his dogs with the aid of the latest innovations in communications technology. Delivering a short speech after a live broadcast on his 70th birthday, Elgar said goodnight to Mina on the radio who, by all accounts, wagged her tail, getting very excited hearing her master's voice across the airwaves. One other occasion at his favourite private club Elgar was called away to take a call by one of the waiting staff. "They are on the line now, Sir Edward." Diners sat close by could over hear loud barking coming down the other end of the telephone as Elgar said firmly, 'Don't bite the cushions!'

The composer described Mina as 'a love and so sharp' and portrayed her most adeptly in his miniature piece named after her, deploying lilting strings and lulling woodwinds to depict her musically.

There's an exquisite tenderness to the composition that exudes pure connectedness between man and dog and it says a lot about its significance that Elgar died listening to this very piece on his gramophone next to his bed whilst gazing toward Worcester Cathedral in the distance.

Whenever I hear it, I just think of the unconditional love that animals teach us in their wordless way like spiritual deities sent to remind us that we all live in service to each other in some form or another.

And that anything, no matter how small, is capable of achieving immortality.