《威风凛凛进行曲》取自英国剧作家莎士比亚戏剧《奥赛罗》Othello中的一句台词：
Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump,
The spirit-stirring drum, the ear-piercing fife,
The royal banner, and all quality,
Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war!
1901年，这首乐曲在英国利物浦首演时获得巨大的成功，在观众掌声、欢呼声强烈要求下连续加演了两遍才罢，这大概在交响音乐会史上是独一无二的。真正使埃尔加这部作品成为不朽，在很大程度上要归功于这首乐曲的第二主题。作曲之时的大英帝国，正是其日不落帝国霸力之巅峰。其中第二主题旋律被爱德华七世听得上瘾，提出建议将其中第二主题旋律配上歌词。在乐曲问世的次年，诗人Arthur Christopher Benson 为此段旋律填上歌词 Land of Hope and Glory (《希望和光荣的国土)，使之成为合唱曲， 用作当时英国国王爱德华七世的the Finale of Coronation Ode (《加冕大典颂歌》的终曲)。二次大战中面对纳粹德国的狂轰滥炸，英国军民藉这首歌振奋保卫家园的斗志与爱国精神。如今这首歌曲在英国的地位，几乎与国歌一样神圣。这支曲子还成为每年传统英国音乐活动 Last Night of the Proms中的保留节目。
Land of Hope and Glory
Thy fame is ancient as the days,
As Ocean large and wide
A pride that dares, and heeds not praise,
A stern and silent pride
Not that false joy that dreams content
With what our sires have won;
The blood a hero sire hath spent
Still nerves a hero son.
Mother of the Free,
How shall we extol thee,
Who are born of thee?
Wider still and wider
Shall thy bounds be set;
God, who made thee mighty,
Make thee mightier yet
God, who made thee mighty,
Make thee mightier yet.