Sir Edward Elgar was one of his generation's leading European composers and one of the best British composers. His music is also perceived in nature to be quintessentially English, but its characteristics owe much to the heritage of modern continental Europe. In Worcester, he became interested and developed himself in local music producing, conducting, teaching, performing, and composing for local societies, concerts, and festivals. The Worcester Glee Club, the Worcester Instrumental Society, the Worcester Philharmonic Society, and Powick's County Lunatic Asylum were among these. He also worked in the family music store with his father and finally succeeded him in 1885 as an organist at St. George's Church. Realizing that he was not going to become a first-class violinist, he started to turn to music more seriously. He kept sketchbooks of his compositions during his life that illustrate how much he tried to transform an original artistic concept into a final shape he was pleased with.