Landon Ronald

Sir Landon Ronald (Landon Ronald Russell) (1873–1938), was an English conductor, composer, pianist, singing teacher and administrator, born in London, England. He was the son of Henry Russell, noted composer of popular songs.

He studied at the Royal College of Music, 1884-1890. He then worked at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and became conductor of Augustus Harris's touring company. In 1894, he toured the USA as accompanist for Nellie Melba. From 1900 he worked for the recording company The Gramophone & Typewriter Ltd, predecessor of His Master's Voice (HMV), initially as pianist; he accompanied early recordings by distinguished singers such as Charles Santley and Adelina Patti. From 1908 he was principal conductor of the New Symphony Orchestra (known as the Royal Albert Hall Orchestra between about 1915 and 1928), with which he began to make records in 1909. He also worked with the Scottish Orchestra (afterwards the Royal Scottish National Orchestra) and in Birmingham, where (according to the local critic Sydney Grew) he was distinguished by his imaginative programme-building.

As a conductor Ronald was especially noted as a concerto accompanist; the critic Robert Elkin [R.H. Elkin, "Queen's Hall" (London, 1944)] paid him an extraordinary compliment by describing Arthur Nikisch as "the finest accompanist until Landon Ronald". Ronald was also closely associated with the music of Elgar; it is unfortunate that, because the record company for which he worked also had Elgar himself on its books, he recorded only one work, the "Coronation March" on 7 March 1935, a year after Elgar's death.

He composed over 200 songs. These include "Serenade espagnole" recorded by the Italian tenor Enrico Caruso. The song describes a trip to Spain to see the capital city. An English song, "Down in the Forest", is still performed.

He was knighted in 1922, and published his memoirs "Variations on a Personal Theme" in 1922.

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