Elgar developed a strong love for music and literature through the influence and education he received from his music-loving parents. Although he admired Germany and its music, he was unable to study abroad due to financial reasons, indicating that he did not receive a particularly privileged education. Nevertheless, he was a composer who deepened his musicality through a sincere love for music, diligent effort and research, and a profound knowledge of literature.

After graduating from school, Elgar worked as a clerk in a law firm but soon left, deciding at the age of 16 to pursue a life as a musician. He performed, composed, arranged, and even conducted, while also giving piano and violin lessons. Eventually, at the age of 29, he took on a pupil named Caroline Alice Roberts. Caroline, who would later become Elgar's wife, supported him socially, spiritually, and musically, offering advice. In 1888, Elgar dedicated "Salut d'Amour" to her as an engagement gift. This work was originally written for violin and piano, but it was arranged for various ensembles by the composer himself. The piano solo version is one such arrangement.

The piece is in ternary form, A (E major) - B (G major) - A' (E major), with a coda at the end. Over a lightly flowing accompaniment figure, a conversational melody unfolds in four-bar phrases. While composed of simple melodies and harmonic progressions using combinations of quarter and eighth notes, subtle ingenuities are evident throughout, such as reversing ascending and descending melodic contours or shifting the emphasis of syncopated rhythms. Furthermore, the effective use of chromatic progression imbues the work with rich color and a sweet expression.