Role

:

Composer Conductor Performer

Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

July 15, 1910 in Derby, Derbyshire, England

Death

:

September 6, 1979 in Ringwood, England

Genre

:

Orchestral

 

Ronald Binge was a British composer and arranger who was born on July 15, 1910, in Derby, England. He was the youngest of three children and grew up in a musical family. His father was a violinist and conductor, and his mother was a pianist. Binge began playing the piano at a young age and showed a natural talent for music. Binge attended the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he studied composition and orchestration. After graduating, he worked as a freelance arranger and composer for various orchestras and bands. In the 1930s, he joined the Mantovani Orchestra as a pianist and arranger. He quickly became one of the orchestra's most important arrangers, and his arrangements helped to define the Mantovani sound. Binge's most famous composition is "Sailing By," which was written in 1963 as a theme for the BBC's Shipping Forecast. The piece is a gentle, nostalgic melody that has become an iconic part of British culture. It is played every night on BBC Radio 4 before the Shipping Forecast, and it has become a beloved part of the British national identity. Binge's other compositions include a number of light orchestral pieces, such as "Elizabethan Serenade," "Miss Melanie," and "The Watermill." These pieces are characterized by their lush, romantic melodies and their use of strings and woodwinds. Binge's music is often described as "easy listening," but it is also notable for its technical sophistication and its use of complex harmonies and counterpoint. Binge's music was popular in the 1950s and 1960s, and he was one of the most successful composers of his time. His music was played on radio and television, and it was also used in films and advertisements. Binge's music was particularly popular in the United States, where it was played on easy listening radio stations and used in television shows and commercials. Binge continued to compose and arrange music throughout his life, and he remained active in the music industry until his death in 1979. His music has continued to be popular in the years since his death, and it has been recorded by a number of orchestras and ensembles. Binge's legacy as a composer and arranger is a testament to his talent and his contribution to the world of classical music.

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