1951 in music
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This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1951.

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

Albums released

US No 1 hit singles

These singles reached the top of US Billboard magazine's charts in 1951.

First week Number of weeks Title Artist
March 3, 1951 1 "If" Perry Como
March 10, 1951 1 "Be My Love" Mario Lanza
March 17, 1951 5 "If" Perry Como
April 21, 1951 9 "How High the Moon" Les Paul & Mary Ford
June 23, 1951 5 "Too Young" Nat King Cole
July 28, 1951 6 "Come On-a My House" Rosemary Clooney
September 8, 1951 8 "Because of You" Tony Bennett
November 3, 1951 6 "Cold, Cold Heart" Tony Bennett
December 15, 1951 2 "(It's No) Sin" Eddy Howard
December 29, 1951 11 "Cry" Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads

Biggest hit singles

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the limited set of charts available for 1951.

# Artist Title Year Country Chart entries
1 Johnnie Ray Cry 1951 US US 1940s 1 – Dec 1951, US 1 for 11 weeks Dec 1951, US BB 2 of 1951, DDD 4 of 1951, RYM 5 of 1951, POP 6 of 1952, Italy 68 of 1955, Acclaimed 1084
2 Nat King Cole Unforgettable 1951 US US BB 1 of 1952, POP 1 of 1952, RYM 4 of 1951, US 1940s 14 – Nov 1951, DDD 25 of 1951, Europe 63 of the 1950s, Scrobulate 78 of vocal, WXPN 500
3 Les Paul & Mary Ford How High the Moon 1951 US US 1940s 1 – Mar 1951, US 1 for 9 weeks Apr 1951, DDD 10 of 1951, US BB 12 of 1951, POP 12 of 1951, RYM 19 of 1951, RIAA 317, Acclaimed 514
4 Nat King Cole Too Young 1951 US US 1940s 1 – Apr 1951, US 1 for 5 weeks Jun 1951, POP 1 of 1951, DDD 5 of 1951, RYM 10 of 1951
5 Mario Lanza Be My Love 1951 US US 1940s 1 – Dec 1950, US 1 for 1 weeks Mar 1951, US BB 9 of 1951, POP 9 of 1951, Europe 79 of the 1950s, RYM 137 of 1951

Top hits on record

Top R&B hits on record

Published popular music

Classical music

Premieres

Sortable table
Composer Composition Date Location Performers
Arnold, Malcolm Symphony No. 1 in D minor 1951-07-06 Cheltenham (Festival), UK Hallé Orchestra – Arnold[16][17]
Bal y Gay, Jesús Concerto Grosso 1951-03-30 Mexico City Mexico National Symphony – Chávez[18]
Berger, Arthur Duo for violin and piano 1951-10-19 New York, Town Hall Lack, [pianist][19]
Blomdahl, Karl-Birger Symphony No. 3, Facetter 1951-06-25 Frankfurt, Germany (ISCM Festival) Bavarian Radio Symphony – Lehmann[20]
Boulez, Pierre Polyphonie X 1951-10-06 Donaueschingen, Germany (Musiktage) SWF Radio Symphony – Rosbaud[21]
Britten, Benjamin Six Metamorphoses after Ovid 1951-06-14 Aldeburgh, UK (Festival) Boughton. [pianist unknown][22]
Cage, John Imaginary Landscape No. 4 1951-05-10 New York City[23]
Cooke, Arnold Violin Sonata No. 2 1951-05-17 London Rapaport, Cross[24]
Dority, Bryan "How Sweet I Roamed", for soprano and piano 1951-12-11 New York City, Carnegie Hall Turash, Garvey[25]
Dutilleux, Henri Symphony No. 1 1951-06-07 Paris RTF National Orchestra – Désormière[26]
Ellington, Duke Harlem 1951-06-20 New York (Lewisohn Stadium) NBC Symphony Orchestra – Ellington[27]
Ferguson, Howard Piano Concerto in D 1951-06-22 Belfast, UK Ferguson / City of Belfast Orchestra – Mulgan[28]
Foss, Lukas Piano Concerto No. 2 1951-10-07 Venice, Italy (Biennale) Foss / La Fenice Philharmonic – Sanzogno[29]
Fricker, Peter Racine Symphony No. 2 1951-07-26 Liverpool, UK Liverpool Philharmonic – Rignold[30]
Fulton, Norman Sinfonia pastorale 1951-06-? Bournemouth, UK Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra – [conductor unknown][31]
Gardner, John Symphony No. 1, Op. 2 1951-07-05 Cheltenham, UK (Festival) Hallé Orchestra – Barbirolli[16][32]
Garūta, Lūcija/Skulte, Bruno God, Thy Earth Is Aflame cantata, completed by Skulte[a] 1951-03-10 Brooklyn (Brooklyn Academy of Music) [performers unknown][33]
Gerhard, Roberto Piano Concerto 1951-06-16 Aldeburgh, UK (Festival) Newton-Wood / Aldeburgh Festival Orchestra – Del Mar[22][34]
Giannini, Vittorio A Canticle of Christmas, for baritone, chorus, and orchestra 1951-12-10 Charlotte, North Carolina White / Charlotte Symphony – Pfohl[35]
Glière, Reinhold Horn Concerto 1951-05-10 Leningrad, Soviet Union Polekh / Leningrad Radio Symphony – Glière[36]
Hartmann, Karl Amadeus Symphonie Concertante (Symphony No. 5) 1951-04-21 Stuttgart, Germany Stuttgart Radio Symphony – Müller-Kray[37]
Holst, Imogen Six Songs for women's voices and harp 1951-06-[8–17] Aldeburgh, UK (Festival) [performers unknown] – Holst[22]
Hovhaness, Alan Saint Vartan Symphony (Symphony No. 9, Op. 180) 1951-03-? New York Carnegie Hall [orchestra] – Hovhaness.[38]
Ibert, Jacques Symphonie Concertante for Oboe and Strings 1951-02-23 Basel, Switzerland Shann / Basel Chamber Orchestra – Sacher[39]
Ifukube, Akira Drumming of Japan 1951-11-17 Tokyo Tokyo Symphony – Ueda[40]
Ives, Charles Symphony No. 2 (1901) 1951-02-22 New York Carnegie Hall New York Philharmonic – Bernstein[41]
Jacobson, Maurice Symphonic Suite for strings 1951-07-04 Cheltenham, UK (Festival) Hallé Orchestra – Barbirolli[16][42]
Jolivet, André Piano Concerto 1951-06-19 Strasbourg, France (Festival) Descaves / Strasbourg Radio Orchestra – Jolivet[43]
Jacob, Gordon Flute Concerto 1951-08-05 London Morris / New London Orchestra – Sherman[44]
Jirak, Karel Symphony No. 5 1951-08-26 Edinburgh, UK (Festival) Scottish National Orchestra – Susskind[45]
Kay, Ulysses Short Suite for concert band 1951-05-08 Waco, US (Baylor University) Baylor University Golden Wave Band – Moore[46][47]
Kay, Ulysses Sinfonia in E (a.k.a. Symphony in E) 1951-05-02 Rochester, New York Eastman-Rochester Orchestra – Hanson[46][48]
Koechlin, Charles Prélude sur le nom de Fauré for strings 1951-03-02 London (French Institute) ["a string orchestra"][49]
Landré, Guillaume Symphony No. 3 1951-06-17 Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra – Kubelik[50]
Lutosławski, Witold Silesian Triptych 1951-12-02 Warsaw Polish National Radio Symphony – Fitelberg
Martinů, Bohuslav Concerto for Two Violins and Orchestra No. 2 (1950) 1951-01-14 Dallas, US G. Beal, W. Beal / [unknown orchestra and conductor] [51]
Murrill, Herbert Concerto for cello and orchestra 1951-03-03 London (Royal Albert Hall) Canning / BBC Symphony Orchestra – Cameron[52]
Oldham, Arthur The Commandment of Love song cycle 1951-06-[8–17] Aldeburgh, UK (Festival) Pears, Britten[22]
Pettersson, Allan Concerto for Violin and String Quartet 1951-03-10 Stockholm Frydén / Ridderstad, Nihlman, Jonsson, Ericson[53]
Piston, Walter Symphony No. 4 1951-03-30 Minneapolis Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, Doráti[54]
Prokofiev, Sergei Piano Sonata No. 9 (1947) 1951-04-21 Moscow Richter[55]
Rawsthorne, Alan Piano Concerto No. 2 1951-06-17 London (Festival of Britain) Curzon / London Symphony – Sargent[56]
Reizenstein, Franz Serenade for Winds 1951-07-[9–14] Cheltenham, UK (Festival) The London Wind Players[16]
Rodrigo, Joaquín Sonatas de Castilla 1951-11-08 Madrid Rodrigo[57]
Rubbra, Edmund Festival Te Deum 1951-06-30 London Royal Festival Hall [unknown performers][58]
Rubbra, Edmund String Quartet [No. 1?] 1951-07-[9–14] Cheltenham, UK (Festival Griller String Quartet[16]
Sainton, Philip Serenade Fantastique for oboe and strings 1951-07-08 Cheltenham, UK (Festival) Goosens / Boyd Neel Orchestra – Neel[59][60]
Schoenberg, Arnold "The Dance around the Golden Calf" from Moses und Aron 1951-07-02 Darmstadt, Germany (Ferienkurse) Orchester und Chor des Landestheaters Darmstadt – Scherchen[61]
Shebalin, Vissarion Sinfonietta 1951-11-12 Moscow USSR Radio Symphony – Gauk[62]
Stevens, Bernard Sinfonietta 1951-07-06 Cheltenham, UK (Festival) [unknown oboist] / Boyd Neel Orchestra – Barbirolli[17][59]
Stockhausen, Karlheinz Sonatine for violin and piano 1951-08-24[b] Cologne, Germany Marschner, Stockhausen[64]
Talma, Louise The Leaden Echo and the Golden Echo, choral dialogue 1951-12-14 New York, Juilliard Concert Hall Juilliard Chorus – Hufstader[65]
Villa-Lobos, Heitor Fantasia for saxophone, three horns, and strings 1951-11-17 Rio de Janeiro, Auditório do Palácio de Cultura, Waldemar Szpilman [pt], Orquestra de Câmara do Ministério da Educação e Cultura – Villa-Lobos[66]
van Wyk, Arnold Symphony No. 1 in A minor 1951-07-03[c] Cheltenham, UK (Festival) Hallé Orchestra – Barbirolli[67][68]
Wigglesworth, Frank Summer Scenes for flute, oboe, and strings 1951-11-05 New York, Town Hall Little Orchestra – Scherman[69]
  1. ^ The cantata was written in 1944 by poet Andrejs Eglitis and composer Lucija Garuta. During the Nazi occupation of the Baltic state [Latvia] only small portions of the work could be performed. Eglitis later escaped to Sweden, but of Garuta nothing was ever heard. A new musical score was written by Bruno Skulte while he was in a German displaced persons camp.[33]
  2. ^ Broadcast date of radio recording, NWDR Cologne. First public performance did not occur until 22 October 1971, by Saschko Gawriloff and Aloys Kontarsky at a concert of the SMIP in Paris.[63]
  3. ^ Although previously performed in a radio broadcast in 1943, this was the first public performance.[67]

Compositions

Opera

Jazz

Main article: 1951 in jazz

Musical theater

Musical films

Births

Deaths

Notes

  1. ^ Anon. "Riviera Dei Fiori"; Anon. "Sanremo 1951 Archived March 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine", Sanremo Festival Website (Accessed November 30, 2009).
  2. ^ Cowell, Henry (July 1951). "Current Chronicle: New York". The Musical Quarterly. 37 (3): 396–402 (399–400). doi:10.1093/mq/XXXVII.3.396.
  3. ^ Everett Helm, "Current Chronicle: Berlin" (Subscription Access), The Musical Quarterly 37, no. 4 (October): 590–97.
  4. ^ "Queen Elisabeth Competition 1951–2008 Archived October 8, 2018, at the Wayback Machine", p. 3.
  5. ^ Anonymous, "First Performance of a Haydn Opera", The Times, issue 52024 (June 10, 1951): p. 4, col G.
  6. ^ A. J., "Cheltenham Festival", The Musical Times 92, no. 1303 (September 1951): 416–417.
  7. ^ Anon., "The Haslemere Festival", The Musical Times 92, no. 1301 (July 1951): 312.
  8. ^ Adolf Aber, "Tradition and Revolution at Bayreuth", The Musical Times 92, no. 1304 (October 1951): 453–457.
  9. ^ David Cherniavsky, "The Salzburg Festival", The Musical Times 92, no. 1305 (November 1951): 517–518.
  10. ^ Anonymous, "Berlin Festival of the Arts: Turn of Western Culture", The Times, issue 52091 (August 28, 1951): p. 3, col G.
  11. ^ Margaret Reece-Evans, "The Swansea Festival", The Musical Times 92, no. 1305 (November): 516.
  12. ^ Donaueschinger Musiktage: Programme seit 1921 Archived March 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  13. ^ Anonymous, "Royal Opera House: Turandot", The Times, issue 52139 (October 23, 1951): p. 6, col F.
  14. ^ Anonymous, 'Visit of Hamburg Radio Orchestra: Series of Concerts', The Times, issue 52164 (November 21, 1951): p. 2, col F.
  15. ^ Anonymous, "Opening of the Season at La Scala: Two First Performances", The Times, issue 52179 (December 8, 1951): p. 5, col C.
  16. ^ a b c d e Anon., "Contemporary Music: Cheltenham Festival of British Works", Times(6 March 1951): 7.
  17. ^ a b Anon., "Cheltenham Festival: Arnold's Symphony", Times 7 July 1951: 8.
  18. ^ La Quinta de Mahler
  19. ^ H[arold] C S[chonberg], "Miss Lack Heard in Violin Recital: Saint-Saens Concerto Is Chief Work on Town Hall Program—Berger Duo Presented", The New York Times (20 October): 23.
  20. ^ Svensk Musik
  21. ^ To Boulez and Beyond, page 149
  22. ^ a b c d Anon., "Aldeburgh Festival: Purcell's Dido and Aeneas" The Times (28 February 1951): 8.
  23. ^ John Cage official website
  24. ^ Musicweb International
  25. ^ Anon., "Turash, Soprano, Bows: Otto Luening's Emily Dickinson Song Cycle on Her Program", The New York Times (12 December): 50.
  26. ^ Radio France
  27. ^ Anon., "Runyon Fund Concert: Ellington and N.B.C. Symphony to Appear at Stadium June 20", The New York Times (9 June): 12.
  28. ^ Boosey & Hawkes
  29. ^ "Venice Bienna official website" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 3, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  30. ^ University of California, Santa Barbara
  31. ^ Anon., "Music Proze Awarded", The Times (23 February 1951): 8.
  32. ^ Anon., "Cheltenham Festival: An Adventurous Symphony", Times (6 July 1951): 2.
  33. ^ a b Anon., "Ex-D.P.s to Give Cantata", The New York Times (3 March): 14.
  34. ^ http://sites.google.com/site/robertgerhardvalls18961970/
  35. ^ Anon., "Giannini Canticle Bows: Work by New York Professor Introduced in Charlotte, N.C.", The New York Times (10 December): 32.
  36. ^ "Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  37. ^ Schott Music
  38. ^ Cowell 1951, p. 396.
  39. ^ All the conducting masterclasses
  40. ^ Akira Ifukube official website
  41. ^ Cowell 1951, pp. 399–400.
  42. ^ Anon., "Cheltenham Festival: Maurice Jacobson", The Times (5 July 1951): 8.
  43. ^ Guide de la Musique Symphonique, p. 387.[full citation needed]
  44. ^ Gordon Jacob official website
  45. ^ Howard Taubman, "Edinburgh Hears Jirak's Symphony: Prize-Winning Work by Chicago Music Teacher Has World Premiere at Festival", The New York Times (27 August): 15.
  46. ^ a b Aaron Horne, Brass Music of Black Composers: A Bibliography (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1996): 160. ISBN 0-313-29826-2
  47. ^ Constance Tibbs Hobson and Deborra A. Richardson, Ulysses Kay: A Bio-Bibliography, Bio-Bibliographies in Music 53 (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1994): 43. ISBN 978-0-313-25546-5.
  48. ^ Constance Tibbs Hobson and Deborra A. Richardson, Ulysses Kay: A Bio-Bibliography, Bio-Bibliographies in Music 53 (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1994): 44. ISBN 978-0-313-25546-5.
  49. ^ "French Institute Concert: Fugues and Concertos", Times (3 March 1951): 8.
  50. ^ Daniel L. Schorr, "The Hague Opens Fifth Music Fete: Royal Court, Diplomatic Corps Represented a Concert in Medieval Hall of Knights", The New York Times (15 June): 27.
  51. ^ Hyperion Records
  52. ^ Anon., "Henry Wood Birthday Concert: New Cello Concerto", Times (5 March 1951): 2.
  53. ^ Allan Pettersson Society
  54. ^ Steven Lowe, Liner notes Archived February 23, 2019, at the Wayback Machine to Walter Piston: Symphony No. 4, Capriccio for Harp and String Orchestra, Three New England Sketches. Seattle Symphony Orchestra; Gerard Schwarz, conductor. Naxos CD 8.559162. [Hong Kong]: Naxos, 2002.
  55. ^ Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas
  56. ^ BBC
  57. ^ Joaquín Rodrigo official website
  58. ^ W[ilfred] H. Mellers, "Current Chronicle: England", The Musical Quarterly 37, no. 4 (October 1951): 580–585. Citation on 582.
  59. ^ a b Paul Hamburger, "Cheltenham Festival". The Music Review 12 (1951): 317–319. Citation on 317 and 319.
  60. ^ Anon., "Cheltenham Festival: Three Serenades", Times (9 July 1951): 2.
  61. ^ Imke Misch and Markus Bandur (eds.), Karlheinz Stockhausen bei den Internationalen Ferienkursen für Neue Musik in Darmstadt 1951–1996: Dokumente und Briefe (Kürten: Stockhausen Stiftung für Musik, 2001): 9. ISBN 3-00-007290-X.
  62. ^ "Le Chant du Monde" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 17, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
  63. ^ Rudolf Frisius, Karlheinz Stockhausen II: Die Werke 1950–1977; Gespräch mit Karlheinz Stockhausen, "Es geht aufwärts" (Mainz, London, Berlin, Madrid, New York, Paris, Prague, Tokyo, Toronto: Schott Musik International, 2008): 30.
  64. ^ Karlheinz Stockhausen, "Sonatine für Violine und Klavier (1951)", in his Texte zur Musik 4 (1970–1977), edited by Christoph von Blumröder, 46–47, DuMont Dokumente (Cologne: DuMont Buchverlag, 1978), 46, ISBN 3-7701-1078-1; Michael Kurtz, Stockhausen: A Biography, translated by Richard Toop (London and Boston: Faber and Faber, 1992): 31. ISBN 0-571-14323-7 (cloth); ISBN 0-571-17146-X (pbk).
  65. ^ Anon., "Choral to Have Premiere", The New York Times (14 December): 28.
  66. ^ Villa-Lobos, sua obra Archived October 16, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Version 1.0. MinC (Rio de Janeiro: IBRAM, and the Museu Villa-Lobos, 2009): 63.
  67. ^ a b Anon., "Cheltenham Festival", Times (4 July 1951): 8.
  68. ^ Paul Hamburger, "Cheltenham Festival". The Music Review 12 (1951): 317–319. Citation on 317–318.
  69. ^ a b Olin Downes, "Little Orchestra Gives 3 Premieres: Concertos by Martinu and Vivaldi and a Novelty by Wigglesworth Offered", The New York Times (5 November): 34
  70. ^ Stephen Williams, "Premiere of Britten's Billy Budd Stirs London", The New York Times (9 December): 133.
  71. ^ Everett Helm, "Current Chronicle: Berlin", The Musical Quarterly 37, no. 4 (October): 590–97. Citation on p. 594.
  72. ^ Anon., "Holland Hears 2 French Operas: Premiere of L'Apostrophe Is Given in Amsterdam—Work by Milhaud on Program" (2 July): 15.
  73. ^ Howard Taubman, "Florence Stages Haydn's Orpheus: World Premiere of 160-year-old Opera Is Presented at Music Festival in Italy", The New York Times (10 June): 22.
  74. ^ Anon., "New American Opera Unveiled in Detroit", The New York Times (17 November): 10.
  75. ^ Olin Downes, "Menotti Opera, the First for TV, Has Its Premiere; Boy, 12, Is Star", The New York Times (25 December): 1.
  76. ^ Anon., "Hardy Novel As An Opera", Times (16 January 1951): 6.
  77. ^ Wilfrid H. Mellers, "Current Chronicle:London" (Subscription Access), The Musical Quarterly 37, no. 4 (October): 580–8.
  78. ^ Andrew Porter, "New Wellesz Opera: 'Incognita,' Based on Congreve Story, Has Its First Performance at Oxford", The New York Times (16 December): 117.
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