1920 in music
Overview of the events of 1920 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1920.
Specific locations
Specific genres
Events
Publications
Published popular music
The Japanese Sandman "After You Get What You Want, You Don't Want It" w.m. Irving Berlin
"All She'd Say Was "Umh Hum"" w.m. King Zany, Mac Emery, Gus Van & Joe Schenck
"All The Boys Love Mary" Gus Van & Joe Schenck
"Aunt Hagar's Blues" w.m. W. C. Handy
"Avalon " w.m. B. G. DeSylva , Al Jolson & Vincent Rose
"Blue Jeans " w. Harry D. Kerr , m. Lou Traveller
"Bright Eyes" w. Harry B. Smith m. Otto Motzan & M. K. Jerome
"Broadway Rose" w. Eugene West m. Martin Fried & Otis Spencer
"Chanson" m. Rudolf Friml
"Chili Bean" w. Lew Brown m. Albert Von Tilzer
"Crazy Blues " w.m. Percy Bradford
"The Cuckoo Waltz" w. Arthur Kingsley m. J. E. Jonasson
"Daddy, You've Been A Mother To Me" w.m. Fred Fisher
"Do You Ever Think Of Me?" w. John Cooper & Harry D. Kerr m. Earl Burtnett
"Down By The O-HI-O (I've Got The Sweetest Little O, My ! O ! )" w. Jack Yellen m. Abe Olman
"Feather Your Nest" w.m. James Kendis, James Brockman & Howard Johnson
"The Gipsy Warned Me" w.m. R. P. Weston & Bert Lee
"Great Camp Meeting Day" w. Noble Sissle
"He Went In Like A Lion (And Came Out Like A Lamb)" w. Andrew B. Sterling m. Harry von Tilzer
"Home Again Blues" w.m. Harry Akst & Irving Berlin
"I Belong to Glasgow " w.m. Will Fyffe
"I Never Knew I Could Love Anybody Like I'm Loving You" w.m. Tom Pitts, Raymond B. Egan & Roy Marsh
"I Used To Love You, But It's All Over Now" w. Lew Brown m. Albert Von Tilzer
"I'd Love To Fall Asleep And Wake Up In My Mammy's Arms" w. Sam M. Lewis & Joe Young m. Fred E. Ahlert
"I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time " w. Neville Fleason m. Albert Von Tilzer
"I'll See You In C-U-B-A " w.m. Irving Berlin
"In a Persian Market " m. Albert William Ketèlbey
"The Japanese Sandman " w. Raymond B. Egan m. Richard A. Whiting
"Jellybean " by Jimmie Dupre, Sam Rosen, and Joe Verges Jellybean
Top Popular Recordings 1920
The following songs achieved the highest positions in Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954 and record sales reported on the "Discography of American Historical Recordings " website during 1920:[ 3]
Rank
Artist
Title
Label
Recorded
Released
Chart Positions
1
Selvin's Novelty Orchestra "Dardanella "[ 4]
Victor 18633
November 20, 1919 (1919-11-20 )
January 1920 (1920-01 )
US Billboard 1920 #1, US #1 for 13 weeks, 24 total weeks, 1-6 million sold[ 5]
2
Paul Whiteman and His Ambassador Orchestra "Whispering "[ 6]
Victor 18690
August 23, 1920 (1920-08-23 )
November 1920 (1920-11 )
US Billboard 1920 #2, US #1 for 11 weeks, 20 total weeks, National Recording Registry 2019 , 2,000,000 sales[ 5]
3
Al Jolson "Swanee "[ 7]
Columbia 2884
January 9, 1920 (1920-01-09 )
April 1920 (1920-04 )
US Billboard 1920 #3, US #1 for 9 weeks, 18 total weeks, National Recording Registry 2004
4
Ted Lewis and His Band "When My Baby Smiles at Me "
Columbia 2908
January 12, 1920 (1920-01-12 )
April 1920 (1920-04 )
US Billboard 1920 #4, US #1 for 7 weeks, 18 total weeks
5
John Steel "The Love Nest"
Victor 24871
November 9, 1920 (1920-11-09 )
November 24, 1920 (1920-11-24 )
US Billboard 1920 #5, US #1 for 7 weeks, 12 total weeks
6
Art Hickman and His Orchestra "Hold Me"[ 8]
Columbia 2899
September 25, 1919 (1919-09-25 )
May 1920 (1920-05 )
US Billboard 1920 #6, US #1 for 3 weeks, 14 total weeks
7
Marion Harris "St. Louis Blues "
Victor 24871
February 15, 1920 (1920-02-15 )
April 1920 (1920-04 )
US Billboard 1920 #7, US #1 for 3 weeks, 14 total weeks
8
Paul Whiteman and His Ambassador Orchestra
"The Japanese Sandman "
Victor 18690
August 23, 1920 (1920-08-23 )
November 1920 (1920-11 )
US Billboard 1920 #8, US #1 for 3 weeks, 14 total weeks
9
Al Jolson
"I've Got My Captain Working for Me Now "
Columbia 2794
September 15, 1919 (1919-09-15 )
December 1919 (1919-12 )
US Billboard 1920 #9, US #1 for 2 weeks, 7 total weeks
10
Art Hickman and His Orchestra
"The Love Nest"
Columbia 2955
June 11, 1920 (1920-06-11 )
September 1920 (1920-09 )
US Billboard 1920 #10, US #1 for 2 weeks, 6 total weeks
11
Edith Day (Rosario Bourdon Orchestra )"Alice Blue Gown "
Victor 45176
January 26, 1920 (1920-01-26 )
April 1920 (1920-04 )
US Billboard 1920 #11, US #1 for 1 weeks, 9 total weeks
34
Isham Jones Rainbo Orchestra "Kismet"
Brunswick 5021
June 1, 1920 (1920-06-01 )
September 1920 (1920-09 )
US Billboard 1920 #34, US #4 for 1 weeks, 5 total weeks
Classical music
Opera
Births
January 1
January 3 – Renato Carosone , Italian musician and singer (d. 2001 )January 5 – Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli , pianist (d. 1995 )[ 10] January 8 – Josef Josephi , Polish-born singer and actor (b. 1852 )January 14
January 16 – Claude Abadie , French jazz clarinetist (died 2020)January 18 – Jan Van Halen , musician, father of Eddie and Alex Van Halen (d. 1986)January 24 – Hilario González , Cuban composer, pianist, musicologist, music educator, and music critic (d. 1999)[ 12] February 2
February 7 – Oscar Brand , Canadian-born American folk singer, songwriter and author (d. 2016 )February 12 – Yoshiko Yamaguchi , Chinese-Japanese actress and singer (d. 2014 )[ 13] February 13
February 14 – Albert J. McNeil , American choral conductor, ethnomusicologist and author (d. 2022)February 18 – Rolande Falcinelli , organist, pianist and composer (d. 2006)February 23 – Hall Overton , composer, jazz pianist and music teacher (d. 1972)February 26 – Henri Crolla , jazz guitarist and film composer (d. 1960)February 28 – Albert Elms , light music composer (d. 2009 )[ 14] March 10 – Boris Vian , French writer, poet, singer and musician (d. 1959 )[ 15] March 16 – John Addison , British film composer (d. 1998 )[ 16] March 17 – John La Montaine , American composer (d. 2013 )March 22 – Fanny Waterman , pianist and music educator (d. 2020)March 23 – Geoffrey Bush , British composer, writer and broadcaster (d. 1998 )April 7 – Ravi Shankar , Indian sitarist (d. 2012)[ 17] April 12
April 21 – Bruno Maderna , conductor and composer (d. 1973)April 23 – Louis Barron , film composer (d. 1989 )[ 19] April 27 – Guido Cantelli , Italian conductor (d. 1956 )[ 20] April 29 – Harold Shapero , composer (d. 2013)May 2 – Jean-Marie Auberson , violinist and conductor (d. 2004)May 4 – Ronald Chesney , harmonica player and comedy scriptwriter (d. 2018)May 13 – Gareth Morris , flautist (d. 2007 )[ 21] May 18 – Lucia Mannucci , Italian singer (Quartetto Cetra ) (d. 2012)May 20 – Betty Driver , British singer and actress (d. 2011 )[ 22] May 21 – Bill Barber , jazz musician (d. 2007)May 23 – Helen O'Connell , American big band singer (d. 1993 )[ 23] May 26 – Peggy Lee , singer and songwriter (d. 2002)[ 24] June 6
June 10 – Bonnie Davis , R&B singer (d. 1976)June 11 – Hazel Scott , jazz/classical pianist and singer (d. 1981)June 19 – Johnny Douglas , film composer and conductor (d. 2003)June 20 – Danny Cedrone , American guitarist and bandleader (d. 1954 )June 25 – Ozan Marsh , American concert pianist (d. 1992)June 26 – Leonid Hambro , pianist (d. 2006)July 1 – Amália Rodrigues , Portuguese singer and actress (d. 1999)July 13
July 14 – Marijohn Wilkin , American country and gospel songwriter (d. 2006)July 19 – Robert Mann , American violinist (d. 2018)[ 26] July 20
July 21
July 23 – Amália Rodrigues , Portuguese fado singer and actress (d. 1999 )[ 28] July 31 – Walter Arlen , Austrian-born American composer (d. 2023 )August 7 – Françoise Adret , French ballet dancer, choreographer (d. 2018 )August 8
August 26 – Emil Cadkin , film composer (d. 2020 )August 29 – Charlie Parker , jazz musician (d. 1955)[ 29] September 3 – Chabuca Granda , Peruvian singer and composer (d. 1983 )September 7 – Al Caiola , American guitarist, composer, arranger (d. 2016 )[ 30] September 14 – Cascarita [a.k.a. Orlando Guerra ], Cuban music singer (d. 1975 )September 17 – Jean Perrin , composer (d. 1989)September 23
September 25 – Anne Triola , American actress, singer and musician (d. 2012 )September 28 – Irma Baltuttis , singer and entertainer (d. 1958)October 5 – Vincent DeRosa , American musician (d. 2022 )October 9 – Yusef Lateef , American jazz musician and composer (d. 2013 )[ 32] October 13 – Albert Hague , songwriter (d. 2001)October 24 – Steve Conway , British singer (d. 1952)[ 33] October 27 – Nanette Fabray , actress and singer (d. 2018)October 31 – Joseph Gelineau , French composer (d. 2008 )November 23 – Enrico De Angelis , Italian singer and entrepreneur (d. 2018 )December 6 – Dave Brubeck , jazz pianist (d. 2012)[ 34] December 13 – Teo Usuelli , Italian film composer (d. 2009 )December 14 – Clark Terry , American jazz musician and composer (d. 2015 )[ 35] December 19 – Little Jimmy Dickens , American country music singer-songwriter (d. 2015 )[ 36] December 31 – Rex Allen , American actor, singer and songwriter (d. 1999 )[ 37]
Deaths
January 8 – Maud Powell , violinist (b. 1867; heart attack)January 16 – Reginald De Koven , US music critic and composer (b. 1859 )[ 38] January 18 – Giovanni Capurro , poet, co-writer of "O Sole Mio" (b. 1859)January 21 – John Henry Maunder , composer (b. 1858)January 24 – William Percy French , songwriter (b. 1854; pneumonia)February 2 – Theo Marzials , singer and composer (b. 1850)February 11 – Gaby Deslys , dancer and actress (b. 1881; Spanish flu)February 12 – Émile Sauret , violinist and composer (b. 1852)February 23 – Alexander Ilyinsky , music teacher and composer (b. 1859)March 20 – Eva Mylott , operatic contralto (b. 1875; domestic accident)April 4 – Carl Bohm , pianist and composer (b. 1844 )April 8 – Charles Griffes , composer (b. 1884 ; Spanish flu)[ 39] April 19 – Mathilde Mallinger , lyric soprano (b. 1847)May 6 – Hortense Schneider , operatic soprano (b. 1833)May 25 – Georg Jarno , composer of operettas (b. 1868)May 28 – Hardwicke Rawnsley , hymn-writer (b. 1851; heart attack)June 27 – Adolphe-Basile Routhier , lyricist (b. 1839)June 28 – Pauline Rita , singer and actress (b. c.1842; long illness)July 17 – Dorothy Goetz , first wife of Irving Berlin (b. 1892; typhoid)July 26 – Carlos Troyer , composer (b. 1837)August 13 – Carlos Hartling , German-born composer of the Honduras national anthem (b. 1869)August 29 – Gustav Jenner , composer and conductor (b. 1865)October 1 – Vladimir Rebikov , Russian pianist and composer (b. 1866 )October 2 – Max Bruch , composer (b. 1838 )[ 40] October 16 – Alberto Nepomuceno , composer and conductor (b. 1864)November 6 – Maria Waldmann , operatic mezzo-soprano associated with Verdi (b. 1844)December 14 – George J. Gaskin , singer (b. 1863)December 31 – Paloke Kurti , Albanian composer (b. 1860 )[ 41]
References
^ Christopher Fifield (1993). True Artist and True Friend: A Biography of Hans Richter ISBN 978-0-19-816157-8 ^ Arnold Shaw (1989). The Jazz Age: Popular Music in the 1920's ISBN 978-0-19-506082-9 ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954 . Record Research. ^ "Victor matrix B-23344. Dardanella / Selvin's Novelty Orchestra - Discography of American Historical Recordings" . adp.library.ucsb.edu . Retrieved 2022-06-26 .^ a b Murrells, Joseph (1978). The book of golden discs ISBN 978-0-214-20512-5 ^ "Victor matrix B-24393. Whispering / Ambassador Orchestra ; Paul Whiteman - Discography of American Historical Recordings" . adp.library.ucsb.edu . Retrieved 2022-06-26 .^ "Columbia A2884 (10-in. double-faced) - Discography of American Historical Recordings" . adp.library.ucsb.edu . Retrieved 2021-08-14 .^ "Columbia matrix 78694. Hold me / Art Hickman's Orchestra - Discography of American Historical Recordings" . adp.library.ucsb.edu . Retrieved 2022-06-26 .^ Otero, Ana María (1999). Diccionario de la Música Española e Hispanoamericana (PDF) . Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina: Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (SGAE). p. 661. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2011-11-11 . ^ Bryce Morrison (20 January 2001). "Michelangeli, Arturo Benedetti". Grove Music Online Oxford University Press . doi :10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.18592 . ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0 ^ "Chava Flores's 97th Birthday" . Google . 14 January 2017.^ Victoria Eli Rodríguez (2001). "González, Hilario". Grove Music Online . Oxford University Press . doi :10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.46050 . ^ Yoshiko Yamaguchi; Sakuya Fujiwara (28 February 2015). Fragrant Orchid: The Story of My Early Life ISBN 978-0-8248-5404-1 Fragrant Orchid: The Story of My Early Life ^ "Albert Elms: light music composer" . The Times . Retrieved 17 February 2020 .^ Alfred Cismaru (1974). Boris Vian ISBN 978-0-8057-2951-1 ^ Randel, Don Michael, ed. (1996). "Addison, John" The Harvard biographical dictionary of music . Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap Press of Harvard Univ. Press. pp. 5 . ISBN 0-674-37299-9 ^ Ram Avtar (1987). History of Indian Music and Musicians ISBN 978-81-87155-64-5 ^ Roger D. Kinkle (1997). Leading Musical Performers (popular Music and Jazz) 1900-1950: 2150 Biographies Updated to 1996 with Additions and Corrections ^ "Louis Barron; Made Music Electronically". The New York Times . November 17, 1989. ^ Walter Legge (1998). Walter Legge: Words and Music ISBN 978-0-415-92108-4 ^ "Gareth Morris" . The Daily Telegraph . London. 10 March 2007.[dead link ] ^ Betty Driver; Daran Little (2000). Betty: The Autobiography ISBN 978-0-233-99780-3 ^ The Annual Obituary - Louise Mooney Collins, Roland Turner - 1993 Page 693 "HELEN O'CONNELL American Singer Born Lima, Ohio, 23 May 1920 Died San Diego, California, 9 September 1993 A ... O'Connell was also the affable host of the Miss Universe Pageant for nine years, and was the longtime television ... "
^ Robert Strom (2005). Miss Peggy Lee: A Career Chronicle ISBN 978-0-7864-1936-4 ^ John A. Willis (1997). John Willis' Theatre World ISBN 978-1-55783-250-4 ^ New York Philharmonic (1956). Programs ^ Bambarger, Bradley (6 October 2001). "Isaac Stern: Artist And Leader" . Billboard . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 8. ^ Harris M. Lentz (1998). Obituaries in the Performing Arts ISBN 978-0-7864-0748-4 ^ Johnson Publishing Company (January 1989). Ebony ^ Norm N. Nite; Wolfman Jack (1982). Rock on: The solid gold years ISBN 978-0-06-181642-0 ^ Overture: The Magazine of the Baltimore Symphony ^ Jack Salzman; David L. Smith; Cornel West (1996). Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History ISBN 978-0-02-897365-4 ^ "Steve Conway Biography, Songs, & Albums" . AllMusic . Retrieved 2021-09-23 .^ The Book of Golden Discs ISBN 978-0-214-20480-7 ^ Neela Debnath (February 22, 2015). "Clark Terry dead: Grammy-winning trumpet player dies aged 94" The Independent Archived from the original on 2022-05-01. Retrieved February 23, 2015 . ^ Kurt Wolff (2000). Country Music: The Rough Guide ISBN 978-1-85828-534-4 ^ Michael McCall; John Rumble; Paul Kingsbury (1 February 2012). The Encyclopedia of Country Music ISBN 978-0-19-992083-9 ^ David Mason Greene; Constance Green (1985). Greene's Biographical Encyclopedia of Composers ISBN 978-0-385-14278-6 ^ University of Michigan. School of Music (1945). School of Music Programs ^ Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1947). Program Notes ^ Eno Koço (2004). Albanian Urban Lyric Song in the 1930s ISBN 978-0-8108-4889-4
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