1955 in music

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Pete Seeger in 1955 Pete Seeger NYWTS.jpg
Pete Seeger in 1955

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1955.

Contents

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

Albums released

In 1955, 1,615 albums and 4,542 pop singles were released in the US. [4]

Biggest hit singles

The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in the set of charts available for 1955.

#ArtistTitleYearCountryChart Entries
1 Bill Haley & His Comets Rock Around the Clock 1955USUK 1 – Jan 1955 (36 weeks), US Billboard 1 – May 1955 (24 weeks), US BB 1 of 1955, US CashBox 1 – Jul 1954 (31 weeks), Your Hit Parade 1 of 1955, Record Mirror 1 for 8 weeks – Nov 1955, Australia 1 for 6 weeks – Aug 1955, Germany 1 for 4 weeks – Jun 1956, UK sales 1 of the 1950s (1,390 k in 1955), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1982 (1954), DDD 1 of 1954, POP 1 of 1955, DZE 1 of 1955, Flanders 2 – Nov 1955 (14 months), RYM 2 of 1954, DMDB 2 (1954), Italy 3 of 1957, UKMIX 3, nuTsie 3 of 1950s, Brazil 4 of 1956, Europe 5 of the 1950s (1955), D.Marsh 7 of 1955, Scrobulate 8 of rock & roll, RIAA 12, Germany 17 – Jun 1968 (2 months), Holland 27 – Jun 1968 (5 weeks), Belgium 30 – Jun 1974 (1 week), 41 in 2FM list, Acclaimed 49 (1954), AFI 50, Rolling Stone 158, Global 4 (20 M sold) – 1954, one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 500, Party 180 of 1999
2 Tennessee Ernie Ford Sixteen Tons 1955USUK 1 – Jan 1956 (11 weeks), US Billboard 1 – Nov 1955 (22 weeks), US CashBox 1 – Nov 1955 (21 weeks), Record Mirror 1 for 5 weeks – Jan 1956, Australia 1 for 6 weeks – Feb 1956, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1955), DZE 2 of 1955, Flanders 3 – Jan 1956 (7 months), Brazil 7 of 1956, D.Marsh 12 of 1955, RYM 13 of 1955, US BB 20 of 1955, POP 20 of 1955, DDD 49 of 1955, RIAA 83, DMDB 88 (1955), Acclaimed 276 (1955), UKMIX 933
3 The Platters Only You (And You Alone) 1955USItaly 1 of 1957, France 1 for 13 weeks – Nov 1957, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (1955), US CashBox 3 – Aug 1955 (26 weeks), US BB 4 of 1955, Brazil 4 of 1957, POP 4 of 1955, UK 5 – Sep 1956 (16 weeks), US Billboard 5 – Sep 1955 (22 weeks), D.Marsh 10 of 1955, DDD 12 of 1955, RYM 15 of 1955, Europe 22 of the 1950s (1955), nuTsie 88 of 1950s, Acclaimed 643 (1955), Party 271 of 1999
4 Pérez Prado Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) 1955USUK 1 – Mar 1955 (17 weeks), US Billboard 1 – Mar 1955 (26 weeks), Australia 1 for 3 weeks – Jul 1955, Germany 1 for 7 weeks – Oct 1955, US CashBox 2 – Mar 1955 (29 weeks), Flanders 2 – Apr 1955 (5 months), Your Hit Parade 3 of 1955, Brazil 4 of 1955, US BB 7 of 1955, POP 7 of 1955, RYM 27 of 1955, DDD 68 of 1955, UKMIX 188
5 Four Aces Love is a Many Splendoured Thing 1955USUS Billboard 1 – Aug 1955 (21 weeks), US CashBox 1 – Aug 1955 (29 weeks), Radio Luxembourg sheet music 1 for 1 week – Jan 1956, Oscar in 1955 (film 'Love is a Many Splendored Thing'), UK 2 – Nov 1955 (13 weeks), Peel list 2 of 1955, Italy 3 of 1956, DZE 3 of 1955, US BB 9 of 1955, POP 9 of 1955, Flanders 13 – Dec 1955 (3 months), RYM 29 of 1955, UKMIX 550

US No. 1 hit singles

These singles reached the top of US Billboard magazine's charts in 1955.

First weekNumber of weeksTitleArtist
January 22, 19552"Let Me Go, Lover!" Joan Weber
February 5, 19551"Hearts of Stone" The Fontane Sisters
February 12, 19556"Sincerely" The McGuire Sisters
March 26, 19555"The Ballad of Davy Crockett" Bill Hayes
April 30, 195510"Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" Pérez Prado
July 9, 19558"Rock Around the Clock" Bill Haley & His Comets
September 3, 19555"The Yellow Rose of Texas" Mitch Miller
October 8, 19551"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" The Four Aces
October 15, 19551"The Yellow Rose of Texas" Mitch Miller
October 22, 19551"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" The Four Aces
October 29, 19554"Autumn Leaves" Roger Williams
November 26, 19557"Sixteen Tons" Tennessee Ernie Ford

Top hits on record

Top R&B and country hits on record

Other notable songs

Classical music

Premieres

Sortable table
ComposerCompositionDateLocationPerformers
Berio, Luciano Mimusique No. 2 1955-10-25Bergamo, Italy Albertini, Cacciari, Carpi, Chazalettes, Consonni, Nogara, Pistone, Ridoni, Tortorella, ZovianoffMaderna [5]
Blacher, Boris Viola Concerto 1955-03-14Cologne, Germany Wolf / ? – Sawallisch [6]
Bliss, Sir Arthur Meditation on a Theme by John Blow (orchestral)1955-12-13Birmingham, UK (Town Hall) City of Birmingham SymphonyRudolf Schwarz [7] [8]
Bliss, Sir Arthur Violin Concerto 1955-05-11London, UK London SymphonySargent [9] [10]
Boulez, Pierre Le Marteau sans maître 1955-08-16Baden-Baden, Germany Plate / members of SWF SymphonyRosbaud [11]
Boulez, Pierre Sonatine for flute and piano1955-06-01Darmstadt, Germany (Ferienkurse) Redel, Loriod [12]
Enescu, George Chamber Symphony, Op. 331955-01-23Paris Association of Chamber Music Concerts of ParisObradous [13]
Engelmann, Hans Ulrich Atlantische Balladefor soprano, baritone, and string quartet1955-06-01Darmstadt, Germany (Ferienkurse) Stix, Rehfuss, Drolc Quartet [14]
Finzi, Gerald Cello Concerto 1955-07-19Cheltenham, UK (Festival) Bunting / Hallé OrchestraBarbirolli [15]
Fricker, Peter Racine Three Movements for viola solo1955-06-01Darmstadt, Germany (Ferienkurse) Zug [14]
Gerhard, Roberto Symphony No. 1 1955-06-21Baden-Baden, Germany (ISCM Festival) SWF SymphonyRosbaud [16] [17]
Hanson, Howard Sinfonia sacra (Symphony No. 5) 1955-02-18Philadelphia, US Philadelphia OrchestraOrmandy [18]
Heiss, Hermann Sinfonia giocosa1955-06-04Darmstadt, Germany (Ferienkurse) Landestheater-Orchester DarmstadtSanzogno [19]
Helm, Everett B. Eight minutes for two pianos1955-06-01Darmstadt, Germany (Ferienkurse) Seemann, Schröter [14]
Hovhaness, Alan Symphony No. 2, Mysterious Mountain 1955-10-31Houston, US Houston SymphonyStokowski [20]
Klebe, Giselher Sonata No. 2 for solo violin, Op. 201955-06-01Darmstadt, Germany (Ferienkurse) Kolisch [12]
Leibowitz, René Concerto for viola and chamber orchestra1955-06-04Darmstadt, Germany (Ferienkurse) Mann / Landestheater-Orchester DarmstadtSanzogno [19]
Lutoslawski, Witold Dance Preludes for clarinet and piano [a] 1955-02-15Warsaw, Poland Kurkiewicz, Nadgryzowski [22]
Maderna, Bruno String Quartet 1955-06-01Darmstadt, Germany (Ferienkurse) Drolc Quartet [12]
Martinů, Bohuslav Fantaisies symphoniques (Symphony No. 6) 1955-01-05Boston, US Boston SymphonyMunch [23]
Milhaud, Darius Symphony No. 6 1955-10-07Boston, US Boston SymphonyMunch [24]
Milhaud, Darius Symphony No. 7 1955-09-13Venice, Italy (Biennale) INR OrchestraAndré [25]
Montsalvatge, Xavier Calidoscopi simfònic 1955-05-06Barcelona, Spain Barcelona Municipal OrchestraToldrà [26]
Nono, Luigi Canti per tredici 1955-03-26Paris Domaine MusicalBoulez [27]
Nono, Luigi Incontri 1955-05-30Darmstadt, Germany (Ferienkurse) SWF SymphonyRosbaud [28]
Piston, Walter Symphony No. 6 1955-11-25Boston, US Boston SymphonyMunch [24]
Rodrigo, Joaquín Pavana real , ballet1955-12-19Barcelona, Spain Liceu SymphonySardó [29]
Sauguet, Henri Symphony No. 3, I.N.R. 1955-09-13Venice, Italy (Biennale) Belgian Radio OrchestraAndré [25]
Schuman, William Credendum 1955-11-04Cincinnati, US Cincinnati SymphonyJohnson [30]
Shostakovich, Dmitri From Jewish Folk Poetry (1948)1955-01-15Leningrad, Russia Dorliak, Dolukhanova, Maslennikov, Shostakovich [31]
Shostakovich, Dmitri Violin Concerto No. 1 1955-10-29Leningrad, Russia Oistrakh / Leningrad PhilharmonicMravinsky [32]
Stockhausen, Karlheinz Klavierstücke VI–VIII [b] 1955-06-01Darmstadt, Germany (Ferienkurse) Mercenier [35]
Tansman, Alexandre Concerto for Orchestra 1955-09-13Venice, Italy (Biennale) Belgian Radio OrchestraAndré [25]
Tippett, Michael Sonata for Four Horns 1955-12-20London, UK Dennis Brain Wind Ensemble [36]
Toch, Ernst Symphony No. 3[1956 Pulitzer]1955-12-02Pittsburgh, US Pittsburgh SymphonySteinberg [37]
Togni, Camillo Helian for soprano and piano1955-06-01Darmstadt, Germany (Ferienkurse) Stix, Togni [12]
Tubin, Eduard Symphony No. 6 1955-09-30Stockholm, Sweden Swedish Radio SymphonyMann [38]
Villa-Lobos, Heitor Cello Concerto No. 2 1955-02-05New York City Parisot / New York PhilharmonicHendl [39]
Villa-Lobos, Heitor Harp Concerto 1955-01-14Philadelphia, US Zabaleta / Philadelphia OrchestraVilla-Lobos [40]
Waxman, Franz Sinfonietta for Strings and Timpani 1955-10-30Zürich, Switzerland Zurich Radio SymphonyLiebermann [41]
Xenakis, Iannis Metastaseis 1955-10-16Donaueschingen, Germany (Musiktage) SWF SymphonyRosbaud [42]
Zimmermann, Bernd Alois Perspektiven for two pianos1955-06-01Darmstadt, Germany (Ferienkurse) Rossmann, Maderna [14]
  1. A second version for clarinet and chamber orchestra is recorded this year by Alojcy Szulc and the Polish National Radio Symphony conducted by Jan Krenz, though it does not receive a concert premiere until the 1963 Aldeburgh Festival. [21]
  2. Official premieres. In fact, Klavierstücke VII and VIII had been performed already by David Tudor in New York on 15 December 1954. [33] Mercenier claimed not to have performed VI at all, though a recording of the performance in the Darmstadt archives includes a truncated version of it, as well as a failed attempt at VII disrupted by a sustained audience disturbance after three pages. After an intervention by Luigi Nono. Mercenier made a second attempt to perform the piece, but was once again obliged to stop when she could not hear what she was playing because of the audience uproar. [34]

Compositions

Opera

Film

Jazz

Musical theater

Composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein in 1955 Leonard Bernstein NYWTS 1955.jpg
Composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein in 1955

Musical films

Musical television

Births

Deaths

Related Research Articles

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References

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