1951 in music

About 13 pages (3,888 words)

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1 Events
2 Albums released
3 US No. 1 hit singles
4 Biggest hit singles
5 Top hits on record
6 Top R&B hits on record
7 Published popular music
8 Classical music
9 Opera
10 Musical theater
11 Musical films
12 Births
13 Deaths

Events

Johnnie Ray has his first hit record with "Cry." Some music historians consider this to be the first rock and roll record.
Teresa Brewer leaves the London label for Coral
Georgia Gibbs leaves Coral to sign with Mercury, where she will experience all of her biggest hits
Frankie Laine is signed by Columbia Records, becoming the highest paid vocalist of his day. He immediately justifies his new contract with the double-sided megahit "Jezebel"/"Rose, Rose, I Love You."
July 11 - Disc jockey and music promoter Alan Freed broadcasts his first Rhythm and blues radio programme from station WJW in Cleveland, Ohio
September 11 - The Rake's Progress, an opera by Igor Stravinsky with libretto by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman, premieres in Venice, conducted by the composer
November - Popular songstress Dinah Shore begins her first tv show, The Dinah Shore Show, which will run for 5 1/2 years
Disc jockey Alan Freed uses the term rock and roll to describe R&B, in an effort to introduce the music to a broader white audience.
Both Jackie Brentson and the Delta Cats and Bill Haley and His Saddlemen release versions of "Rocket 88". The Haley version, recorded on June 14, combines the original's rhythm and blues arrangement with country music trappings, and is considered by many musical historians to be the first true rock and roll record. Other historians contend that Brentson's RnB recording deserves this honor.
The Suk Trio is founded, consisting of Josef Suk, Julius Katchen and Janos Starker.
Ray Charles' musical career begins
Charlie Rich's musical career begins
Big Mama Thornton's musical career begins
Bobby Blue Bland's musical career begins

Albums released

Ballin' the Jack - Georgia Gibbs
Beloved Hymns - Bing Crosby
Bing and the Dixieland Bands - Bing Crosby
Bing Sing Victor Herbert - Bing Crosby
Country Style - Bing Crosby
Down Memory Lane - Bing Crosby
Folksong Favorites - Patti Page
Go West, Young Man - Bing Crosby
Historically Speaking - Gerry Mulligan
Hoop-De-Doo - The Ames Brothers
I'll See You in My Dreams - Doris Day
In the Evening by the Moonlight - The Ames Brothers
Lullaby of Broadway - Doris Day
Music, Maestro Please - Frankie Laine
On Moonlight Bay - Doris Day
One for My Baby - Frankie Laine
Popo - Art Pepper and Shorty Rogers
Porgy and Bess - Various Artists
Sentimental Me - The Ames Brothers
Sweet Leilani - The Ames Brothers
Teresa Brewer - Teresa Brewer
Two Tickets to Broadway - Dinah Shore
Way Back Home - Bing Crosby
Wonderful Words - The Mills Brothers

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
February 23, 1951	6	"If"	Perry Como
March 2, 1951	1	"Be My Love"	Mario Lanza
April 13, 1951	9	"How High the Moon"	Les Paul & Mary Ford
June 15, 1951	5	"Too Young"	Nat King Cole
July 20, 1951	6	"Come On-a My House"	Rosemary Clooney
August 31, 1951	8	"Because of You"	Tony Bennett
October 26, 1951	6	"Cold, Cold Heart"	Tony Bennett
December 7, 1951	2	"(It's No) Sin"	Eddy Howard
December 21, 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	Chart Entries
1	Johnnie Ray	Cry	1951	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 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 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 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 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

"Aba Daba Honeymoon" - Debbie Reynolds & Carleton Carpenter
"Because" - Mario Lanza
"Because Of You" - Tony Bennett
"Belle, Belle, My Liberty Belle" - Guy Mitchell
"Blue Tango" - Leroy Anderson & his Orchestra
"Charmaine" - Mantovani & his Orchestra
"Cold, Cold Heart" - Tony Bennett
"Come On-A My House" - Rosemary Clooney
"Cry" - Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads
"Detour" - Patti Page
"Down The Trail Of Achin' Hearts" - Patti Page
"Down Yonder" recorded by:
- Del Wood
- Champ Butler
"Flamenco" - Frankie Laine
"Gambella (The Gamblin' Lady)" - Frankie Laine & Jo Stafford
"The Gang That Sang Heart Of My Heart" - Frankie Laine
"Get Happy" - Frankie Laine
"Get Out Those Old Records" - Guy Lombardo (The Lombardo Trio vocals)
"The Girl In The Wood" - Frankie Laine
"Give Me Time" - Johnnie Ray
"Gone Fishin'" - Bing Crosby & Louis Armstrong
"Got Him Off My Hands" - Georgia Gibbs
"Hello, Young Lovers" recorded by:
- Perry Como
- Guy Lombardo (Kenny Martin vocals)
"Hey, Good Lookin'" - Frankie Laine & Jo Stafford
"The Hot Canary" - Florian Zabach
"How High The Moon" - Les Paul and Mary Ford
"I Tawt I Taw A Puddy Tat" - Mel Blanc
"If" - Perry Como
"It Is No Secret" - Bill Kenny & The Song Spinners
"It's All In the Game" - Tommy Edwards
"It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" - Perry Como & The Fontane Sisters
"Jealousy (Jalousie)" - Frankie Laine
"Jezebel" - Frankie Laine
"The Little White Cloud That Cried" - Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads
"The Loveliest Night Of The Year" - Mario Lanza
"Lullaby of Broadway" - Doris Day
"Mister And Mississippi" - Patti Page
"Mockin' Bird Hill" - Patti Page
"My Heart Cries For You" recorded by:
- Vic Damone
- Guy Mitchell
- Dinah Shore
"My Truly, Truly Fair" - Guy Mitchell
"On Top Of Old Smoky" - The Weavers with Terry Gilkyson
"Once Upon A Nickel" - Georgia Gibbs
"One For My Baby" - Frankie Laine
"Paths Of Paradise" - Johnnie Ray
"Pretty-Eyed Baby" - Jo Stafford & Frankie Laine
"Red Sails In The Sunset" - Nat King Cole
"Rose, Rose, I Love You" - Frankie Laine
"Shanghai" - Doris Day
"Sin" - Eddy Howard & his Orchestra
"Sound Off (The Duckworth Chant)" - Vaughn Monroe
"The Sparrow In The Treetop" - Guy Mitchell
"A Sunday Kind Of Love" - Jo Stafford
"Sweet Violets" - Dinah Shore
"The Syncopated Clock" - Leroy Anderson & his Orchestra
"Tell Me" - Doris Day
"Tell Me Why" - The Four Aces featuring Al Alberts
"Tell The Lady I Said Goodbye" - Johnnie Ray
"Tom's Tune" - Georgia Gibbs
"Too Young" - Nat King Cole
"Undecided" - The Ames Brothers
"Vanity" - Don Cherry
"When It's Sleep Time Down South" - Frankie Laine
"While You Danced, Danced, Danced" - Georgia Gibbs
"The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise" - Les Paul and Mary Ford
"Would I Love You (Love You, Love You)" - Patti Page

Top R&B hits on record

"Rocket 88" - Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats
"Sixty-Minute Man" - Dominoes
"The Glory Of Love" - Five Keys
"The Thrill Is Gone" - Roy Hawkins

Published popular music

"Alice In Wonderland" w. Bob Hilliard m. Sammy Fain
"All In The Golden Afternoon" w. Bob Hilliard m. Sammy Fain
"Allentown Jail" w.m. Irving Gordon
"And So To Sleep Again" w.m. Joe Marsala & Sunny Skylar
"Anywhere I Wander" w.m. Frank Loesser
"A-Round The Corner" trad arr. Josef Marais
"Asia Minor" w.m. Roger King Mozian
"A-Sleepin' At The Foot Of The Bed" Happy Wilson, Luther Patrick
"Be My Life's Companion" w.m. Bob Hilliard & Milton De Lugg
"Beautiful Brown Eyes" trad arr. Arthur Smith & Alton Delmore
"Because of You" w.m. Arthur Hammerstein & Dudley Wilkinson
"Belle, Belle, My Liberty Belle" w.m. Bob Merrill
"Bermuda" w.m. Cynthia Strother & Eugene R. Strother
"The Blacksmith Blues" w.m. Jack Holmes
"Blue Velvet" w.m. Bernie Wayne & Lee Morris
"Christopher Columbus" w.m. Terry Gilkyson
"Come On-A My House" w.m. Ross Bagdasarian & William Saroyan
"Cry" w.m. Churchill Kohlman
"Dance Me Loose" w. Mel Howard m. Lee Erwin
"Domino" w. (Eng) Don Raye (Fr) Jacques Plante m. Louis Ferrari
"Getting To Know You" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
"Good Morning Mister Echo" w.m. Bill Putman & Belinda Putman
"Half As Much" w.m. Curly Williams
"He Had Refinement" w. Dorothy Fields m. Arthur Schwartz
"Hello, Young Lovers" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
"Hey, Good Lookin"' w.m. Hank Williams
"How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You When You Know I've Been A Liar All My Life?" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Burton Lane
"I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)" w.m. Hank Williams
"I Get Ideas" w. Dorcas Cochran m. Lenny Sanders
"I Have Dreamed" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
"I Love Lucy theme song" m. Eliot Daniel
"I Love The Sunshine Of Your Smile" w. Jack Hoffman m. Jimmy MacDonald
"I Still See Elisa" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe
"I Talk To The Trees" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe
"I Whistle A Happy Tune" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
"I Wish I Wuz" w.m. Sid Kuller & Lyn Murray. Introduced in the film Slaughter Trail
"I Won't Cry Anymore" w. Fred Wise m. Al Frisch
"I'm A Fool To Want You" w.m. Jack Wolf, Joel Herron & Frank Sinatra
"I'm Late" w. Bob Hilliard m. Sammy Fain
"In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening" w. Johnny Mercer m. Hoagy Carmichael. Introduced by Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman in the film Here Comes The Groom.
"It's All In The Game" w. Carl Sigman m. Charles Gates Dawes Based on "Melody" by Dawes 1912.
"It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" w.m. Meredith Willson
"Jezebel" w.m. Wayne Shanklin
"A Kiss To Build A Dream On" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Harry Ruby
"Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" w. Paul Campbell m. Joel Newman
"The Little White Cloud That Cried" w.m. Johnnie Ray
"The March Of The Siamese Children" m. Richard Rodgers
"Mister And Mississippi" w.m. Irving Gordon
"Misto Cristofo Columbo" w.m. Jay Livingston & Ray Evans
"Mockin' Bird Hill" w.m. Vaughn Horton
"The Morningside Of The Mountain" w.m. Dick Manning & Larry Stock
"My Truly, Truly Fair" w.m. Bob Merrill
"No Two People" w.m. Frank Loesser
"Sail Away" w.m. Noël Coward
"Shall We Dance?" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
"Somewhere Along The Way" w. Sammy Gallop m. Kurt Adams
"Shanghai" w.m. Bob Hilliard & Milton De Lugg
"Shrimp Boats" w.m. Paul Mason Howard & Paul Weston
"(It’s No) Sin" w. Chester R. Shull m. George Hoven
"Slow Poke" w.m. Pee Wee King, Redd Stewart & Chilton Price
"So Far, So Good" w. Betty Comden & Adolph Green m. Jule Styne from the revue Two On The Aisle
"Something Wonderful" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
"Sound Off" w.m. Willie Lee Duckworth, B. Lentz
"Sparrow In The Tree Top" w.m. Bob Merrill
"Suzy Snowflake" w.m. Sid Tepper & Roy C. Bennett
"Sweet Violets" arr. Cy Coben & Charles Grean
"Tell Me Why" w. Al Alberts m. Marty Gold
"They Call The Wind Maria" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe
"The Thrill Is Gone" w.m. Rick Darnell & Roy Hawkins
"Thumbelina" w.m. Frank Loesser
"Too Young" w. Sylvia Dee m. Sidney Lippman
"Top Banana" w.m. Johnny Mercer from the musical Top Banana (musical)
"The Typewriter" m. Leroy Anderson
"Unforgettable" w.m. Irving Gordon
"Vanity" w. Jack Manus & Bernard Bierman m. Guy Wood
"Very Good Advice" w. Bob Hilliard m. Sammy Fain
"A Very Merry Un-Birthday To You" w.m. Mack David, Al Hoffman & Jerry Livingston
"Wand'rin' Star" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe
"We Kiss In A Shadow" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
"When The World Was Young" w. (Eng) Johnny Mercer (Fr) Angela Vannier m. M. Philippe-Gerard
"Wonderful Copenhagen" w.m. Frank Loesser
"Would I Love You (Love You, Love You)" w. Bob Russell m. Harold Spina

Classical music

Malcolm Arnold - English Dances for Orchestra, op. 33
Pierre Boulez - Polyphonie X
John Cage - Imaginary Landscape No. 4
Elliott Carter - String Quartet No. 1
George Crumb - Prelude and Toccata for piano
Mario Davidovsky - String Quartet No. 1
Henri Dutilleux - Symphony No. 1
George Enescu - String Quartet No. 2
Morton Feldman - Structures
Howard Ferguson - Piano Concerto in D
Gerald Finzi - All This Night
Lukas Foss - Piano Concerto No. 2
Roberto Gerhard - Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
Reinhold Glière - Concerto for Horn and Orchestra
Vagn Holmboe - Symphony No. 8
Gordon Jacob - Concerto for Flute and Strings
György Ligeti - Concert românesc for Orchestra
Peter Mennin - String Quartet No. 2
Vincent Persichetti - Symphony No. 4 completed
Allan Pettersson - Seven Sonatas for Two Violins
Joseph Guy Ropartz - String Quartet No. 6 in F
Edmund Rubbra - String Quartet No. 2 in E-flat Op. 73
Mátyás Seiber - Concertino for Clarinet and String Orchestra
Roger Sessions - String Quartet No. 2
Dmitri Shostakovich - Twenty-Four Preludes and Fugues for Piano op. 87 finished
Eduard Tubin - Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Heitor Villa-Lobos - Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra

Opera

Benjamin Britten - Billy Budd, with libretto by E. M. Forster and Eric Crozier
Marcel Landowski - Le Rire de Nils Halerius
Gian-Carlo Menotti - Amahl and the Night Visitors
Igor Stravinsky - The Rake's Progress, with libretto by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman

Musical theater

And So To Bed (Vivian Ellis)London production opened at the New Theatre on October 17 and ran for 323 performances
Borscht Capades
Flahooley Broadway production
Gay's The Word London production opened at the Saville Theatre on February 16 and ran for 504 performances
It's About Time Broadway production
The King And I (Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II) - Broadway production
Kiss Me, Kate (Cole Porter) - London production opened at the Coliseum on March 8 and ran for 501 performances
The Lyric Revue London production
Make A Wish Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on April 18 and ran for 102 performances
A Month Of Sundays Broadway production
Paint Your Wagon (Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe) - Broadway production opened at the Shubert Theatre on November 12 and ran for 289 performances
Penny Plain London production
See You Later (Sandy Wilson) London production opened at the Watergate Theatre on October 3.
Seventeen Broadway production opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on June 21 and ran for 182 performances
South Pacific (Rodgers & Hammerstein) - London production
Top Banana Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on November 1 and ran for 350 performances.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Broadway production opened at the Alvin Theatre on April 19 and ran for 267 performances
Two On The Aisle Broadway production opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on July 19 and ran for 279 performances
Zip Goes A Million London production opened at the Palace Theatre on October 20 and ran for 544 performances