This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1950.
Specific locations 1950 in British music 1950 in Norwegian music
Specific genres 1950 in country music 1950 in jazz
Events January 3 – Sam Phillips launches Sun Records at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee. March 14 – Pablo Casals terminates his recording contract with RCA Records and signs with their chief competitor, Columbia Records.Anon., "Columbia Records Acquires Casals", The New York Times (14 March): 21. June 26 – Louis Armstrong records the first American version of C'est si bon with the English lyrics by Jerry Seelen. August 29 – The first American Music Competition of the Sigma Alpha Iota music fraternity is won by Richard Winslow for Huswifery, a choral composition for women's voices. August – Herbert Howells' Hymnus Paradisi is premiered at the Three Choirs Festival. September 24 – Alan Lomax sets sail from the United States for London and spends until 1959 recording in Europe for the Columbia World Library of Folk and Primitive Music. October 1 – Italian composer Luciano Berio marries American mezzo-soprano Cathy Berberian. October 11 – On temporary release from Ellis Island pending a deportation decision from U. S. immigration authorities, 20-year-old Friedrich Gulda makes his Carnegie Hall debut. November – The Eleanor Steber Award is won by soprano Willabelle Underwood. Johann Sebastian Bach is reburied in St. Thomas Church, Leipzig. Malcolm Sargent becomes chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.Ronald Crichton, "Sargent, Sir (Harold) Malcolm (Watts)", The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (London: Macmillan, 2001). Isaak Dunayevsky is named People's Artist of the USSR. Mitch Miller signs as A&R man with Columbia Records. Patti Page becomes the first (and only) artist to have a Number One record on the Pop, R&B and Country charts concurrently. Al Cernick is signed to Columbia by Mitch Miller, who changes the singer's name to Guy Mitchell. Columbia Records lures Jo Stafford away from Capitol. Georgia Gibbs leaves the Majestic label and scores her first charting single with Coral. Bandleader Les Baxter founds the school of "Outer Space" exotica. Sam Cooke replaces R. H. Harris as lead singer of The Soul Stirrers.
Albums released American Folks Songs – Jo Stafford Auld Lang Syne – Bing Crosby Autumn in New York – Jo Stafford Barber Shop Ballads – The Mills Brothers Blue of the Night – Bing Crosby The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert – Benny Goodman Christmas Greetings – Bing Crosby Cole Porter Songs – Bing Crosby Country Feelin – Dinah Shore Dedicated to You – Frank Sinatra Drifting and Dreaming – Bing Crosby Dulce Patria – Jorge Negrete Ella Sings Gershwin – Ella Fitzgerald Frankie Laine – Frankie Laine Going My Way – Bing Crosby Historical America in Song – Burl Ives King Cole Trio – King Cole Trio King Cole Trio Volume 2 – King Cole Trio Live at Carnegie Hall – Benny Goodman Oh! Susanna – Al Jolson Patti Page – Patti Page Popular Classics for Four Pianos – Philharmonic Piano Quartet Porgy and Bess – Various Artists Sing a Song of Christmas – The Ames Brothers Sing and Dance with Frank Sinatra – Frank Sinatra Songs By Gershwin – Bing Crosby Songs of Faith – Jo Stafford Songs for Sunday Evening – Jo Stafford Tea for Two – Doris Day Two Loves Have I – Frankie Laine Voice of the Xtabay – Yma Sumac Young Man with a Horn – Doris Day
No. 1 hit singles These singles reached the top of Billboard magazine's charts in 1950.
First weekNumber of weeksTitleArtistJanuary 7, 19501"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"Gene Autry, 7,000,000 sold by 1969January 14, 19504"I Can Dream, Can't I?"The Andrews SistersFebruary 11, 19501"Rag Mop"The Ames BrothersFebruary 18, 19504"Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy"Red FoleyMarch 18, 19504"Music! Music! Music!"Teresa BrewerApril 15, 19502"If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake"Eileen BartonApril 29, 195011"The Third Man Theme"Anton Karas, 4,000,000 soldJuly 15, 19505"Mona Lisa"Nat King ColeAugust 19, 195013"Goodnight, Irene"Gordon Jenkins & The Weavers, 2,000,000 soldNovember 18, 19502"Harbor Lights"Sammy KayeDecember 2, 19504"The Thing"Phil HarrisDecember 30, 19509"The Tennessee Waltz"Patti Page
Biggest hit singles The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the limited set of charts available for 1950.
# Artist Title Year Country Chart entries 1 Nat King Cole Mona Lisa 1950 US US 1940s 1 – Jun 1950, US 1 for 5 weeks Jul 1950, Oscar in 1950, US BB 2 of 1950, POP 2 of 1950, DDD 4 of 1950, Italy 48 of 1951, RIAA 109, Acclaimed 1292 2 Patti Page Tennessee Waltz 1950 US US 1940s 1 – Nov 1950, US 1 for 9 weeks Dec 1950, US BB 4 of 1950, 6,000,000 sold by 1967 3 Phil Harris The Thing 1950 US US 1940s 1 – Nov 1950, US 1 for 4 weeks Dec 1950, Peel list 1 of 1950, US BB 12 of 1950, POP 12 of 1950 4 Red Foley Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy 1950 US US 1940s 1 – Jan 1950, US 1 for 4 weeks Feb 1950, DDD 17 of 1950, US BB 18 of 1950, POP 25 of 1950 5 Teresa Brewer Music! Music! Music! 1950 US US 1940s 1 – Feb 1950, US 1 for 4 weeks Mar 1950, US BB 3 of 1950, POP 3 of 1950
Top hit records
Top R&B hits on record "Double Crossing Blues" – Johnny Otis with Little Esther & The Robins
Published popular music "Adelaide's Lament" words and music: Frank Loesser "African Bolero" m. John Serry Sr. "American Beauty Rose" w.m. Hal David, Redd Evans & Arthur Altman "Be My Love" w. Sammy Cahn m. Nicholas Brodszky "The Best Thing For You" w.m. Irving Berlin "Blind Date" w.m. Sid Robin "A Bushel And A Peck" w.m. Frank Loesser "Candy And Cake" w.m. Bob Merrill "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" w.m. Harry Stone & Jack Stapp "Choo'n Gum" w. Mann Curtis m. Vic Mizzy "Cold, Cold Heart" w.m. Hank Williams "The Cry of the Wild Goose" w.m. Terry Gilkyson "Dearie" w.m. Bob Hilliard & David Mann "Domino" w. (Eng) Don Raye (Fr) Jacques Plante m. Louis Ferrari "Freight Train" w. Paul James & Fred Williams m. trad arr. Elizabeth Cotton "The French Can-Can Polka" w. Jimmy Kennedy m. Jacques Offenbach "From This Moment On" w.m. Cole Porter "Frosty the Snowman" w.m. Steve Nelson & Jack Rollins "Fugue For Tinhorns" w.m. Frank Loesser "Get Out Those Old Records" w.m. Carmen Lombardo & John Jacob Loeb "Gone Fishin'" w.m. Nick Kenny & Charles Kenny "Guys and Dolls" w.m. Frank Loesser "Home Cookin"' w.m. Jay Livingston & Ray Evans "Hoop-Dee-Doo" w. Frank Loesser m. Milton De Lugg "The Hostess With The Mostes' On The Ball" w.m. Irving Berlin. Introduced by Ethel Merman in the musical Call Me Madam "I Almost Lost My Mind" w.m. Ivory Joe Hunter "I Didn't Slip, I Wasn't Pushed, I Fell" w.m. Edward Pola & George Wyle "I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine" w.m. Mack David "I Leave My Heart in an English Garden" w.m. Harry Parr-Davies and Christopher Hassall from the musical Dear Miss Phoebe "I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat" w.m. Alan Livingston, Billy May & Warren Foster "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked A Cake" w.m. Al Hoffman, Bob Merrill & Clem Watts "If I Were A Bell" w.m. Frank Loesser "I'll Know" w.m. Frank Loesser "I'll Never Be Free" w.m. Bennie Benjamin & George David Weiss "I'm Movin' On" w.m. Hank Snow "It Is No Secret" w.m. Stuart Hamblen "It's A Lovely Day Today" w.m. Irving Berlin "I've Never Been In Love Before" w.m. Frank Loesser "Ivory Rag" Lou Busch, Jack Elliott "Little White Duck" w.m. Walt Barrows & Bernard Zaritsky "The Loveliest Night of the Year" w. Paul Francis Webster m. Juventino P. Rosas "Luck Be a Lady" w.m. Frank Loesser "Lucky Lucky Lucky Me" Berle, Arnold "Marry The Man Today" w.m. Frank Loesser "Marrying For Love" w.m. Irving Berlin "More I Cannot Wish You" w.m. Frank Loesser "My Heart Cries For You" w.m. Carl Sigman & Percy Faith "My Time Of Day" w.m. Frank Loesser "No Other Love" adaptation from Chopin's Étude No. 3 in E major, Op. 10. w.m. Bob Russell & Paul Weston "The Old Piano Roll Blues" w.m. Cy Coben "The Oldest Established" w.m. Frank Loesser "Orange Colored Sky" w.m. Milton De Lugg & William Stein "Patricia" w.m. Benny Davis "(Remember Me) I'm the One Who Loves You" w.m. Stuart Hamblen "The Roving Kind" adapt. w.m. Jessie Cavanaugh & Arnold Stanton "Sam's Song" w. Jack Elliott m. Lew Quadling "Shot Gun Boogie" w.m. Tennessee Ernie Ford "Silver Bells" w.m. Jay Livingston & Ray Evans. Introduced by Bob Hope in the 1951 Musical film The Lemon Drop Kid. "Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat" w.m. Frank Loesser. Introduced by Stubby Kaye in the musical Guys and Dolls. "Sixty Minute Man" w.m. Billy Ward & Rose Marks "Sleigh Ride" w. Mitchell Parish m. Leroy Anderson "Sue Me" w.m. Frank Loesser "The Syncopated Clock" w. Mitchell Parish m. Leroy Anderson "Take Back Your Mink" w.m. Frank Loesser. Introduced by Vivian Blaine in the musical Guys and Dolls. "The Thing" w.m. Charles R. Grean "Tzena, Tzena, Tzena" adapt. trad Hebrew w. (Eng) Mitchell Parish m. Issachar Miron & Julius Grossman "You Don't Have to Be a Baby to Cry" w.m. Bob Merrill & Terry Shand "You're Just In Love" w.m. Irving Berlin
Classical music
Premieres Composer Composition Date Location Performers Andriessen, Hendrik Organ Concerto 1950-11-01 Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra – Monteux Boulez, Pierre Le Soleil des eaux (2nd version, subsequently withdrawn) 1950-07-18 Paris Joachim, Mollet, Peyron / RTF National Orchestra – Désormière Boulez, Pierre Piano Sonata No. 2 (1948) 1950-04-29 Paris GrimaudEncyclopedia Universalis Benjamin Britten Five Flower Songs 1950-07-23 Darlington Hall, England Imogen Holst conducting a student choir Cage, John String Quartet in Four Parts 1950-08-12 Black Mountain, North Carolina Summer Session QuartetBlack Mountain Studies Journal Foss, Lukas Song of Anguish 1950-03-10 Boston Boston Symphony – Foss Guridi, Jesús String Quartet No. 2 1950-05-14 Madrid National Chamber Music AssociationDoce Notas Hartmann, Karl Amadeus Adagio (Symphony No. 2) 1950-09-10 Donaueschingen Festival, Germany SWF Symphony – RosbaudSchott Music Howells, Herbert Hymnus Paradisi (1938) 1950-09-07 Gloucester, UK (Three Choirs Festival) Baillie, William Herbert / London Symphony – HowellsNaxosThesis by Martin John Ward for the University of Birmingham, p.75 Jolivet, André Concerto for Flute and Strings 1950-01-24 Paris Rampla / [unknown orchestra and conductor] Khachaturian, Aram Triumphal Poem 1950-12-09 Moscow USSR Radio Symphony – Gauk Martinu, Bohuslav Intermezzo for Large Orchestra 1950-12-29 New York City Louisville Orchestra – WhitneyNaxos Records Martinu, Bohuslav Piano Trio No. 2 1950-05-19 Cambridge, Massachusetts Liepmann, Finckel, Tucker Martinu, Bohuslav Sinfonietta La Jolla 1950-08-13 San Diego, California Orchestra of the Musical Arts Society of La Jolla – SokoloffBoosey & Hawkes Nono, Luigi Variazioni canoniche sulla serie dell'op. 41 di Schoenberg 1950-08-27 Darmstädter Ferienkurse, Germany Darmstadt Landestheater Orchestra – Scherchen Prokofiev, Sergei Cello Sonata (1949) 1950-03-01 Moscow Rostropovich, RichterClassical Connect Searle, Humphrey Poem for 22 Strings 1950-08-27 Darmstädter Ferienkurse, Germany Darmstadt Landestheater Orchestra – ScherchenDarmstädter Ferienkurse, 1946–1966 Strauss, Richard (d. 1949) Four Last Songs (1948) 1950-05-22 Royal Albert Hall, London Flagstad / Philharmonia Orchestra – FurtwänglerMusicweb International Villa-Lobos, Heitor Montanhas de Brasil (Symphony No. 6) (1944) 1950-04-29 Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theatre Symphony – Villa-Lobos Historia de la sinfonía Villa-Lobos, Heitor Piano Concerto No. 2 (1948) 1950-04-21 Rio de Janeiro / Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theatre Symphony – Villa-LobosVilla-Lobos, sua obra , Version 1.0. (MinC / IBRAM, and the Museu Villa-Lobos, 2009; based on the third edition, 1989): 56–57.
Compositions Hendrik Andriessen – Concerto for Organ and Orchestra Malcolm Arnold – English Dances for orchestra, Op. 27 Alexander Arutiunian – Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra Arno Babajanian – Heroic Ballade