Ronald Binge

British Light Music Composer

Ronald Binge was an English composer and arranger, born in Derby in 1910. He is best known for his light music compositions and for pioneering the "cascading strings" effect, which became a hallmark of the "Mantovani sound" after he arranged for the famous conductor and orchestra leader Annunzio Paolo Mantovani. Binge's most famous composition is probably "Elizabethan Serenade," which won an Ivor Novello Award in 1957. Another notable piece by Binge is "Sailing By," which is familiar to many as the theme music for the BBC Radio 4's Shipping Forecast. Throughout his career, Ronald Binge contributed significantly to the genre of British light music, both through his original compositions and his arrangements. He passed away in 1979, leaving behind a legacy of charming and evocative music that continues to be enjoyed by listeners around the world.