Richard Ralf was a German composer who moved to Los Angeles in 1946. His music follows the florid and emotional trend of post-Wagnerian Romanticism. Among his compositions were Transcendental Ballet (1921), Violin Sonata (1923), String Quartet (1924), Violin Concerto (1925), Brothers Arise Cantata (1959), and Symphonic Songs for Mezzo-soprano and Orchestra (1968).

Richard Ralf was a German composer born in Karlsruhe, Germany on September 30, 1897. He showed interest in music at an early age and his older sister gave him his first piano lesson when he was six years old. Ralf's father, a singer and a choir master at the Court-Opera in Karlsruhe, took over his instruction and concentrated his studies on accompaniment and sight reading. By the age of 17, Ralf was already a professional musician and earned his first job as a coach and accompanist at a small city theater. Soon after, Ralf was awarded a scholarship by the Archduke of Mecklenburg which enabled Ralf to study in Berlin at the master classes of the Scharwenka Conservatory. However, with the outbreak of World War I, Ralf was forced to give up his studies. He spent three years in the army and suffered from severe shell shock while serving at the French front. Following the war and his recovery, Ralf resumed his studies in composition and studied with Professor Hugo Kaun. After his graduation, he stayed in Berlin and enjoyed much success in all fields of music. He created musical scores for a large number of movies, served as a composer for radio and television, and performed as a permanent conductor and advisor for large theaters and publishing concerns. In 1946, he moved to the United States where he eventually settled in Los Angeles. Ralf's music followed the florid and emotional trend of post-Wagnerian Romanticism. Among his compositions were Transcendental Ballet (1921), Violin Sonata (1923), String Quartet (1924), Violin Concerto (1925), Brothers Arise Cantata (1959), and Symphonic Songs for Mezzo-soprano and Orchestra.(1968). Ralf died in Los Angeles on June 22, 1977.

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