1951 in music

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

1951 in music
By location
By genre
By topic
List of years in music (table)
In radio
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1949
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1951
1952
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1954
In television
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1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
In film
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1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
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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 weekNumber of weeksTitleArtist
March 3, 19511"If"Perry Como
March 10, 19511"Be My Love"Mario Lanza
March 17, 19515"If"Perry Como
April 21, 19519"How High the Moon"Les Paul & Mary Ford
June 23, 19515"Too Young"Nat King Cole
July 28, 19516"Come On-a My House"Rosemary Clooney
September 8, 19518"Because of You"Tony Bennett
November 3, 19516"Cold, Cold Heart"Tony Bennett
December 15, 19512"(It's No) Sin"Eddy Howard
December 29, 195111"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
1Johnnie RayCry1951USUS 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
2Nat King ColeUnforgettable1951USUS 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
3Les Paul & Mary FordHow High the Moon1951USUS 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
4Nat King ColeToo Young1951USUS 1940s 1 – Apr 1951, US 1 for 5 weeks Jun 1951, POP 1 of 1951, DDD 5 of 1951, RYM 10 of 1951
5Mario LanzaBe My Love1951USUS 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

Classical music

Premieres
Sortable table
ComposerCompositionDateLocationPerformers
Arnold, MalcolmSymphony No. 1 in D minor1951-07-06Cheltenham (Festival), UKHallé Orchestra – Arnold[16][17]
Bal y Gay, JesúsConcerto Grosso1951-03-30Mexico CityMexico National Symphony – Chávez[18]
Berger, ArthurDuo for violin and piano1951-10-19New York, Town HallLack, [pianist][19]
Blomdahl, Karl-BirgerSymphony No. 3, Facetter1951-06-25Frankfurt, Germany (ISCM Festival)Bavarian Radio Symphony – Lehmann[20]
Boulez, PierrePolyphonie X1951-10-06Donaueschingen, Germany (Musiktage)SWF Radio Symphony – Rosbaud[21]
Britten, BenjaminSix Metamorphoses after Ovid1951-06-14Aldeburgh, UK (Festival)Boughton. [pianist unknown][22]
Cage, JohnImaginary Landscape No. 41951-05-10New York City[23]
Cooke, ArnoldViolin Sonata No. 21951-05-17LondonRapaport, Cross[24]
Dority, Bryan"How Sweet I Roamed", for soprano and piano1951-12-11New York City, Carnegie HallTurash, Garvey[25]
Dutilleux, HenriSymphony No. 11951-06-07ParisRTF National Orchestra – Désormière[26]
Ellington, DukeHarlem1951-06-20New York (Lewisohn Stadium)NBC Symphony Orchestra – Ellington[27]
Ferguson, HowardPiano Concerto in D1951-06-22Belfast, UKFerguson / City of Belfast Orchestra – Mulgan[28]
Foss, LukasPiano Concerto No. 21951-10-07Venice, Italy (Biennale)Foss / La Fenice Philharmonic – Sanzogno[29]
Fricker, Peter RacineSymphony No. 21951-07-26Liverpool, UKLiverpool Philharmonic – Rignold[30]
Fulton, NormanSinfonia pastorale1951-06-?Bournemouth, UKBournemouth Municipal Orchestra – [conductor unknown][31]
Gardner, JohnSymphony No. 1, Op. 21951-07-05Cheltenham, UK (Festival)Hallé Orchestra – Barbirolli[16][32]
Garūta, Lūcija/Skulte, BrunoGod, Thy Earth Is Aflame cantata, completed by Skulte[lower-alpha 1]1951-03-10Brooklyn (Brooklyn Academy of Music)[performers unknown][33]
Gerhard, RobertoPiano Concerto1951-06-16Aldeburgh, UK (Festival)Newton-Wood / Aldeburgh Festival Orchestra – Del Mar[22][34]
Giannini, VittorioA Canticle of Christmas, for baritone, chorus, and orchestra1951-12-10Charlotte, North CarolinaWhite / Charlotte Symphony – Pfohl[35]
Glière, ReinholdHorn Concerto1951-05-10Leningrad, Soviet UnionPolekh / Leningrad Radio Symphony – Glière[36]
Hartmann, Karl AmadeusSymphonie Concertante (Symphony No. 5)1951-04-21Stuttgart, GermanyStuttgart Radio Symphony – Müller-Kray[37]
Holst, ImogenSix Songs for women's voices and harp1951-06-[8–17]Aldeburgh, UK (Festival)[performers unknown] – Holst[22]
Hovhaness, AlanSaint Vartan Symphony (Symphony No. 9, Op. 180)1951-03-?New York Carnegie Hall[orchestra] – Hovhaness.[38]
Ibert, JacquesSymphonie Concertante for Oboe and Strings1951-02-23Basel, SwitzerlandShann / Basel Chamber Orchestra – Sacher[39]
Ifukube, AkiraDrumming of Japan1951-11-17TokyoTokyo Symphony – Ueda[40]
Ives, CharlesSymphony No. 2 (1901)1951-02-22New York Carnegie HallNew York Philharmonic – Bernstein[41]
Jacobson, MauriceSymphonic Suite for strings1951-07-04Cheltenham, UK (Festival)Hallé Orchestra – Barbirolli[16][42]
Jolivet, AndréPiano Concerto1951-06-19Strasbourg, France (Festival)Descaves / Strasbourg Radio Orchestra – Jolivet[43]
Jacob, GordonFlute Concerto1951-08-05LondonMorris / New London Orchestra – Sherman[44]
Jirak, KarelSymphony No. 51951-08-26Edinburgh, UK (Festival)Scottish National Orchestra – Susskind[45]
Kay, UlyssesShort Suite for concert band1951-05-08Waco, US (Baylor University)Baylor University Golden Wave Band – Moore[46][47]
Kay, UlyssesSinfonia in E (a.k.a. Symphony in E)1951-05-02Rochester, New YorkEastman-Rochester Orchestra – Hanson[46][48]
Koechlin, CharlesPrélude sur le nom de Fauré for strings1951-03-02London (French Institute)["a string orchestra"][49]
Landré, GuillaumeSymphony No. 31951-06-17AmsterdamConcertgebouw Orchestra – Kubelik[50]
Lutosławski, WitoldSilesian Triptych1951-12-02WarsawPolish National Radio Symphony – Fitelberg
Martinů, BohuslavConcerto for Two Violins and Orchestra No. 2 (1950)1951-01-14Dallas, USG. Beal, W. Beal / [unknown orchestra and conductor] [51]
Murrill, HerbertConcerto for cello and orchestra1951-03-03London (Royal Albert Hall)Canning / BBC Symphony Orchestra – Cameron[52]
Oldham, ArthurThe Commandment of Love song cycle1951-06-[8–17]Aldeburgh, UK (Festival)Pears, Britten[22]
Pettersson, AllanConcerto for Violin and String Quartet1951-03-10StockholmFrydén / Ridderstad, Nihlman, Jonsson, Ericson[53]
Piston, WalterSymphony No. 41951-03-30MinneapolisMinneapolis Symphony Orchestra, Doráti[54]
Prokofiev, SergeiPiano Sonata No. 9 (1947)1951-04-21MoscowRichter[55]
Rawsthorne, AlanPiano Concerto No. 21951-06-17London (Festival of Britain)Curzon / London Symphony – Sargent[56]
Reizenstein, FranzSerenade for Winds1951-07-[9–14]Cheltenham, UK (Festival)The London Wind Players[16]
Rodrigo, JoaquínSonatas de Castilla1951-11-08MadridRodrigo[57]
Rubbra, EdmundFestival Te Deum1951-06-30London Royal Festival Hall[unknown performers][58]
Rubbra, EdmundString Quartet [No. 1?]1951-07-[9–14]Cheltenham, UK (FestivalGriller String Quartet[16]
Sainton, PhilipSerenade Fantastique for oboe and strings1951-07-08Cheltenham, UK (Festival)Goosens / Boyd Neel Orchestra – Neel[59][60]
Schoenberg, Arnold"The Dance around the Golden Calf" from Moses und Aron1951-07-02Darmstadt, Germany (Ferienkurse)Orchester und Chor des Landestheaters Darmstadt – Scherchen[61]
Shebalin, VissarionSinfonietta1951-11-12MoscowUSSR Radio Symphony – Gauk[62]
Stevens, BernardSinfonietta1951-07-06Cheltenham, UK (Festival)[unknown oboist] / Boyd Neel Orchestra – Barbirolli[17][59]
Stockhausen, KarlheinzSonatine for violin and piano1951-08-24[lower-alpha 2]Cologne, GermanyMarschner, Stockhausen[64]
Talma, LouiseThe Leaden Echo and the Golden Echo, choral dialogue1951-12-14New York, Juilliard Concert HallJuilliard Chorus – Hufstader[65]
Villa-Lobos, HeitorFantasia for saxophone, three horns, and strings1951-11-17Rio de Janeiro, Auditório do Palácio de Cultura,Waldemar Szpilman, Orquestra de Câmara do Ministério da Educação e Cultura – Villa-Lobos[66]
van Wyk, ArnoldSymphony No. 1 in A minor1951-07-03[lower-alpha 3]Cheltenham, UK (Festival)Hallé Orchestra – Barbirolli[67][68]
Wigglesworth, FrankSummer Scenes for flute, oboe, and strings1951-11-05New York, Town HallLittle 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. Anon., "Contemporary Music: Cheltenham Festival of British Works", Times(6 March 1951): 7.
  17. 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. 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. 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.
  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. 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. 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. 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. 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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