Ronald Binge
Encyclopedia
Ronald Binge was a British
composer and arranger of light music
.
in the English Midlands. In his childhood he was a chorister at Saint Andrews Church (CofE), London Road, Derby - 'the railwaymens church' (demolished 1970). In his early life he was a cinema
organist and later started working in summer orchestra
s in British seaside resorts (including Blackpool
and Great Yarmouth
), for which he learned to play the piano accordion
. His skill as a cinema organist was put to good use, and he played the latter instrument in Mantovani
's first band, the Tipica Orchestra. During the Second World War
, Binge served in the Royal Air Force
, during which time he was much in demand organising camp entertainment.
After the end of the war, Mantovani offered him the job of arranging and composing for his new orchestra. In 1951, his arrangement of Charmaine
gave him and Mantovani worldwide success and recognition. However, he later tired of writing arrangements and turned to composing original works and film score
s. He died in Ringwood
, Hampshire
of liver cancer
in 1979, aged 69.
" effect which is the signature sound of the Mantovani orchestra, much used in their arrangements of popular music. It was originally created to capture the essence of the echo properties of a building such as a cathedral, although it later became particularly associated with easy listening
music genre.
His best known composition is probably Elizabethan Serenade
(1951), which was used by the British Broadcasting Corporation as the theme for the popular 1950s series, "Music Tapestry," and as the play-out for the British Forces Network radio station, for which he won an Ivor Novello Award. It was later turned into a vocal version called Where the Gentle Avon Flows, with lyrics by the poet Christopher Hassall
. Binge is also known for Sailing By
(1963), the BBC Radio 4
Shipping Forecast
theme. Other well-known pieces include Miss Melanie, Like Old Times, The Watermill
(1958) for oboe and strings, and his Concerto
for Alto Saxophone
in E-flat major (1956). His largest, longest and most ambitious work is the four-movement Symphony
in C ("Saturday Symphony") which was written during his retirement c. 1970 and performed in England and Germany.
Less well-known is a piano
piece known as Vice Versa, a musical palindrome which was not only a front-to-back palindrome
, but also exploited the two staves used for writing for piano. The music reads the same, whatever way it is turned. He later extended this theme, composing a piece known as Upside/Downside for his son, who was learning to play the recorder
at Downside School
. This musical palindrome was for piano, recorder and cello
and again was universally reversible - two players could therefore play from the same sheet of music reading from opposite ends.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
composer and arranger of light music
Light music
Light music is a generic term applied to a mainly British musical style of "light" orchestral music, which originated in the 19th century and had its heyday during the early to mid part of the 20th century, although arguably it lasts to the present day....
.
Biography
He was born in a working-class neighbourhood in DerbyDerby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
in the English Midlands. In his childhood he was a chorister at Saint Andrews Church (CofE), London Road, Derby - 'the railwaymens church' (demolished 1970). In his early life he was a cinema
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
organist and later started working in summer orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
s in British seaside resorts (including Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
and Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
), for which he learned to play the piano accordion
Piano accordion
A piano accordion is an accordion equipped with a right-hand keyboard similar to a piano or organ. Its acoustic mechanism is more similar to that of an organ than a piano, as they are both wind instruments, but the term "piano accordion"—coined by Guido Deiro in 1910—has remained the popular...
. His skill as a cinema organist was put to good use, and he played the latter instrument in Mantovani
Mantovani
Annunzio Paolo Mantovani known as Mantovani, was an Anglo-Italian conductor and light orchestra-styled entertainer with a cascading strings musical signature. The book British Hit Singles & Albums states that he was "Britain's most successful album act before The Beatles .....
's first band, the Tipica Orchestra. During the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Binge served in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, during which time he was much in demand organising camp entertainment.
After the end of the war, Mantovani offered him the job of arranging and composing for his new orchestra. In 1951, his arrangement of Charmaine
Charmaine (song)
"Charmaine" is a popular song written by Erno Rapee, with lyrics by Lew Pollack. The song was written in 1926 and published in 1927. However, Desmond Carrington on his BBC Radio 2 programme marked the song's writing as being in 1913....
gave him and Mantovani worldwide success and recognition. However, he later tired of writing arrangements and turned to composing original works and film score
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
s. He died in Ringwood
Ringwood
Ringwood is a historic market town and civil parish in Hampshire, England, located on the River Avon, close to the New Forest and north of Bournemouth. It has a history dating back to Anglo-Saxon times, and has held a weekly market since the Middle Ages....
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
of liver cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
in 1979, aged 69.
Compositions
Binge was interested in the technicalities of composition and was most famous as the inventor of the "cascading stringsCascading strings
Cascading strings is an arrangement technique of British light music. This technique is associated in the U.S. with the style of Easy Listening known as Beautiful Music. The cascading strings effect was first developed by British composer/arranger Ronald Binge, but most associated with Annunzio...
" effect which is the signature sound of the Mantovani orchestra, much used in their arrangements of popular music. It was originally created to capture the essence of the echo properties of a building such as a cathedral, although it later became particularly associated with easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
music genre.
His best known composition is probably Elizabethan Serenade
Elizabethan Serenade
Elizabethan Serenade is a light music composition by Ronald Binge. When it was first played by the Mantovani orchestra in 1951, it was simply titled "Andante cantabile"...
(1951), which was used by the British Broadcasting Corporation as the theme for the popular 1950s series, "Music Tapestry," and as the play-out for the British Forces Network radio station, for which he won an Ivor Novello Award. It was later turned into a vocal version called Where the Gentle Avon Flows, with lyrics by the poet Christopher Hassall
Christopher Hassall
Christopher Vernon Hassall was an English actor, dramatist, librettist, lyricist and poet, who found his greatest fame in a memorable musical partnership with the actor and composer Ivor Novello after working together in the same touring company...
. Binge is also known for Sailing By
Sailing By
Sailing By is a short piece of light music composed by Ronald Binge in 1963, which is used before the late Shipping Forecast on BBC Radio 4...
(1963), the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
Shipping Forecast
Shipping Forecast
The Shipping Forecast is a four-times-daily BBC Radio broadcast of weather reports and forecasts for the seas around the coasts of the British Isles. It is produced by the Met Office and broadcast by BBC Radio 4 on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The forecasts sent over the Navtex...
theme. Other well-known pieces include Miss Melanie, Like Old Times, The Watermill
The Watermill
The Watermill is a piece of music which was written by Ronald Binge for a BBC adaptation of The Secret Garden. It was originally written for the oboe and a string orchestra but may be played on other instruments such as the clarinet. It has placed high in polls of the British public, such as those...
(1958) for oboe and strings, and his Concerto
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
for Alto Saxophone
Alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
in E-flat major (1956). His largest, longest and most ambitious work is the four-movement Symphony
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
in C ("Saturday Symphony") which was written during his retirement c. 1970 and performed in England and Germany.
Less well-known is a piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
piece known as Vice Versa, a musical palindrome which was not only a front-to-back palindrome
Palindrome
A palindrome is a word, phrase, number, or other sequence of units that can be read the same way in either direction, with general allowances for adjustments to punctuation and word dividers....
, but also exploited the two staves used for writing for piano. The music reads the same, whatever way it is turned. He later extended this theme, composing a piece known as Upside/Downside for his son, who was learning to play the recorder
Recorder
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
at Downside School
Downside School
Downside School is a co-educational Catholic independent school for children aged 11 to 18, located in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, between Norton Radstock and Shepton Mallet in Somerset, south west England. It is attached to Downside Abbey...
. This musical palindrome was for piano, recorder and cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
and again was universally reversible - two players could therefore play from the same sheet of music reading from opposite ends.