Dedicated to King Edward VII, Elgar composed the Coronation Ode in response to a commission from the Covent Garden Grand Opera Syndicate for performance at a royal gala to be held on the eve of King Edward's coronation. Scored for soprano, contralto, tenor and bass soloists, chorus and orchestra, the work was conceived around the finale, "Land of Hope and Glory", the music of which came directly from the trio section of Elgar's first Pomp and Circumstance March. Although a suggestion opposed by Elgar's publisher, August Jaeger, the idea for setting text to the march and including it in the Coronation Ode was probably in response to a suggestion by Clara Butt. The King himself, upon hearing a performance of the march, had suggested to Elgar that words be added. The task of authoring the text fell to Arthur (A.C.) Benson, a son of a former Archbishop of Canterbury who was an amateur musician who taught at Eton. With the finale being the first movement to be assembled, the remainder of the Ode was completed on 1 August. The following day Benson wrote, "One other point; it struck me suddenly on a lonely walk yesterday that there was not a word in the Ode about Queen Alexandra. This is a grave omission." Thus, "Daughter of Ancient Kings" came to be inserted between what had originally been intended to be the first two movements.

In late June, The King had to undergo surgery for acute appendicitis, causing a postponement of the coronation ceremony, which had been scheduled for 1 July. Due to the postponement of the ceremony, the Coronation Ode received a country premiere on 2 October 1902 at the Sheffield Festival, under the direction of the composer. The choice of the Sheffield Festival was a natural one, as it was the Sheffield Choir that had been intended to sing the London premier.

Approximately thirty-five minutes in length, the Coronation Ode is arranged in six movements. It is set in the key of E flat, Elgar's key of choice for ceremonial and patriotic works. It is this ceremonially patriotic atmosphere that dominates the mood of the work. In the introduction, entitled "Crown the King", Elgar presents a series of characteristically majestic melodies. Benson's text for "Daughter of Ancient Kings" portrays the queen in more of a domestic role than as a public symbol; emphasizing her place as the descendant of an important royal line, and as the mother of generations of royalty to come. The third movement, "Britain, Ask of Thyself" is military in character, speaking of the use of British military power in the cause of peace. The fourth movement speaks of purifying the heart through music so that courage can meet with gentleness and the wisdom of peace can ensue. The glory of that peace is extolled in the fifth movement before, in the finale, England and its newly crowned king are praised.

Although best suited as an occasional work, the Coronation Ode was an immense popular success, earning accolades for the composer, including, in 1904, a knighthood. The music became such a symbol of British patriotism that in 1902 Elgar made a new, stand-alone, arrangement of the finale, intended to be sung by solo voice, with an alternate text, again by Benson. In 1911, the Ode was revived in its entirety for the coronation of King George V. Since "Daughter of Ancient Kings" speaks specifically of Queen Alexandra, Elgar composed an alternate second movement, entitled "The Queen". It has become traditional for both second movements to be performed when the work is given in concert.



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