Ronald, Landon

English composer; born 1873; received his general education at St. Marylebone and All Souls Grammar School and High School, Margate, now Margate College, and his musical education at the Royal College of Music. He originally appeared as solo pianist in a musical pantomime, L'Enfant Prodigue, and in 1891 was engaged by Sir Augustus Harris as master of piano and conductor at Covent Garden Theatre, where he conducted grand opera in 1894. The same year he came to America as conductor with Melba, and was appointed conductor at the Lyric Theatre in 1898, becoming an associate of the London Philharmonic Society in 1901. Since 1897, in which year he appeared before the Queen at Windsor, and married Fraulein Mimi Ettlinger, of Frankfort-on-Main, he has been accompanist-in-chief at the State concerts. He conducts the Albert Hall Sunday concerts, the Birmingham Promenade concerts and the Blackpool Symphony concerts. He has been musical editor of three periodicals; The Artist, in 1902; The Onlooker, in 1903, and the Tattler, in 1906. He has published about one hundred and fifty songs, and a number of orchestral works, including a suite de ballet, four song-cycles, and two dramatic scenas for voice and orchestra; a symphonic poem, A Winter's Night; a birthday overture; and a coronation ballet, Britannia's Realm, and Entente Cordiale, a ballet, both produced at the Alhambra Theatre, having a record number of performances. He also has written numbers interpolated in several plays, including the musical comedy, Florodora.