5 - Conducting in Bournemouth, London and Birmingham (1890s–1914): Dan Godfrey Junior and Landon Ronald

Summary

[T]he conductor is something more than an ornamental, gesticulating figure, and … his services, instead of being superfluous, are a vital necessity to the correct presentation of any piece of music. What appears simple to the uninitiated is really the result of hard and continuous training. A good conductor must possess much more than mere musical technique. His scholarship should be wide and his knowledge of orchestration profound; but, unless he can combine these with the spirit of the interpretative artist, all his efforts will be futile. A conductor of cold temperament will never give highly-coloured readings, neither will he arouse enthusiasm in his orchestra. But the man with the soul of a poet will conduct poetically and make his orchestra play like a body inspired.

Dan Godfrey, Memories and Music (1924)

Mr. Ronald has a keen sense of absolute pitch and a remarkably retentive and exact memory of music … Mr. Ronald does not indulge in much physical exercise in the act of conducting. He gains his control by the firmness of his manner and the certainty of his beat. He is not converted to the idea of conducting without a baton. A cool conductor inspires confidence. We are all familiar with the red and fussy conductor who uses his whole body to give an elaborate invitation to the first violins to make an obvious entry, and whose frantic beat to the horns soon after they have entered proves that he has lost his place in the score … Mr. Ronald has not yet reached the old age of his youth. He has the world before him, if not at his feet. His numerous friends will watch his progress with interest and goodwill.

‘Landon Ronald’, MT (1910)

The twentieth century had just begun when Henry Russell, the well-travelled popular entertainer and composer of many successful songs, including ‘A Life on the Ocean Wave’, died on 7 December 1900. Published on the day of his death, Russell's obituary in The Times highlighted his former popularity and glory, borne of strong melodic and dramatic gifts, and emphasized his music's direct appeal to the middle and working classes. His personal life was not mentioned. In January, the Musical Times closed its obituary of Russell by naming two of his sons: a novelist and a musician.