Landon Ronald

Sir Landon Ronald (born Landon Ronald Russell) (7 June 1873 – 14 August 1938) was an English conductor, composer, pianist, singing teacher and administrator. He was the son of Henry Russell, noted composer of popular songs, and the half brother of impesario Henry Russell, founder of the Boston Opera Company.

Landon Ronald was born in London, England and educated at St Marylebone Grammar School. 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 United States 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...
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