music (0996-)

Music (0996-)Audible art from the classics to modern day music.

Copyright (c) 1999-2010, HistoryMole.com, All rights reserved.

0995Guido d'Arezzo (995-1049?), Italian monk and musical theorist, was born. He is generallycredited with developing current musical notation.

1260In China, musical productions known as Zaju became popular between 1260-1368 during theYuan Dynasty. Zaju, an early form of opera, combined music, dance, song and speech into4-act dramas with complex plots and characters.

1290Philippe de Vitry (circa 1290-1361), French music theorist, composer and poet, was born.

c. 1396The tabla, a 600-year-old invention, was evolved from Arabian drums to accompany a fusionof Islamic Qawali singing and Dhrupad music composed for Sanskrit couplets usuallyrecited in temples.

c. 1396The kirana style of Hindustani music began.

1400(1400-1500) Giovanni Spinetti of Venice built the first small piano called the spinet.

1505Thomas Tallis (1505-1585), English organist and vocal composer, especially of churchmusic, was born.

1511Sebastian Virdung, German musician, published the earliest manual for playing musicalinstruments.

1516Music printed from engraved plates was used for the first time in Italy.

26 Mar 1517Flemish composer Heinrich Issac, whose music fused Flemish, Italian and Germanic styles,died.



1523Hans Judenkonig published in Vienna the first manual of lute playing.

1526John Taverner, organist and composer, was appointed the Master of Choristers at OxfordUniversity.

1527Adrian Willaert, Flemish composer, was made maestro di capella at St. Mark's, in Venice.

1530Etienne Briard introduced round characters in musical engraving.

1536The first song book with lute accompaniment was published in Spain.

1537The first conservatories of music were founded for girls in Venice, and for boys inNaples.

1547The 'Dodekachordon' on the 12 church modes by Henricus Glareanus, Swiss music theorist,was published.

1550John Marbeck produced the first musical setting for the English liturgy.

1551Palestrina, Italian composer, was appointed director of music at St. Peter's in Rome.

1555Balthazar de Beaujoyeoux, violinist, introduced several fellow violinists to the court ofCatherine de Medici. Under his influence the lute was replaced by the violin as France'smost popular instrument.

1556Orlando di Lasso, Belgian composer, composed his first book of motets, among the earliestof 2,000 compositions.



1562Gasparo Bartolotti, Italian violin maker, began his career.

1563William Byrd is appointed organist at Lincoln Cathedral.

1563William Byrd, English composer, was appointed organist at Lincoln Cathedral.

1564Andrea Amati, Italian violin maker, made one of the first of his famous violins inCremona. Stradivari was one of his students.

1567Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1642), Italian musician and composer, was born. His work markedthe beginning of the Baroque Era in music.

1568Gasparo da Salo began making violins at Brescia.

1570Salamone Rossi (1570-1628), a Jewish court composer in Mantua, was born.

1572One of the earliest cellos was made by Andrea Amati in Cremona.

1575Thomas Tallis and William Byrd, English organists and composers, published theirCantiones, a collection of 34 motets, when they recieved a royal license to print andsell music giving them a monopoly on the printing of music.

1575The Dresden Court Orchestra undertook its first concert tour.

1577Javanese fled the spread of Islam and reached Bali where they kept alive early traditionsof Indonesian music.



1587An early collection of Jewish songs was published in Zeminoth, Israel.

1587Claudio Monteverdi, Italian composer, published his first book of madrigals.

1589Thoinot Arbeau published 'Orchesographie', an early treatise on dancing, with tunes.

1597Giovanni Gabrieli composed 'Sonata pian' e forte', a piece for two antiphonal brassquartets.

1600The Baroque Era in music began (until 1750), as practiced by its greatest figures, haspronounced mannerist qualities: mysticism, exuberance, complexity, decoration, allegory,distortion, the exploitation of the supernatural or grandiose, all commingled.

1607Claudio Monteverdi's opera 'Orfeo', premieres in Mantua in Italy.

1608Claudio Monteverdi's 'Arianna' premieres in Mantua.

1608Monteverdi wrote his opera 'Arianna'. It was based on a libretto by Ottavio Rinuccini.Only fragments survived into the 20th century when Alexander Goehr composed acontemporary version that premiered in 1998 in St. Louis.

1609The song 'Three Blind Mice' was published in London.

1610Baldassare Ferri (1610-1680), the first of the famous Castrato vocalists, was born. Someof them had ranges of four octaves, up to A or even B above high C in full voice. Some ofthem could sustain a note for well over a minute.



1623Avedis Zildjian, alchemist, noted that a particular combination of tin and copper rangvery nicely and began making musical cymbals in Constantinople.

1630Composer Pier Cavalli marries rich widow Maria Sosomeno.

1633M Rossi's opera 'Erminia sul Giordano', premieres in Rome.

1637Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707), German composer, was born. He was a transitional figurebetween early and later baroque. Bach and Handel both journeyed to see him. His worksinclude Jubilate Domino and the Trio Sonata for violin, gamba and continuo.

1638Monteverdi composed the madrigal 'Il Combattimento de Tanncredi e Corinda'.

c. 1640In Sweden the violin was introduced, possibly by French musicians at the court of QueenChristina.

1642Monteverdi composed 'L'Incoronazione di Poppea'.

1647'L'Orfeo' was produced in France. It was composed by Luigi Rossi who was imported byCardinal Mazarin who sought to bring the Italian operatic tradition to France and mate itwith the court orchestra, Les Vingt-Quatre Vuiolons du Roi.

1653Johan Pachelbel (1653-1706), German organist and composer, was born. He is best known forhis 'Canon in D'.

1660Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725), Italian musician and composer, father of Domenico, wasborn.



c. 1675Antonio Vivaldi (circa 1675-1741), Italian violinist and composer.

1680In Hamburg, Germany, a cymbal was used for the 1st time in an orchestra.

1681Johann Mattheson (1681-1764), German composer and friend of Handel, was born.

1682John Playford organized the Musick's Recreation on the Viol.

1685Domenico Scarlatti (1685-?), Italian musician and composer, son of Alessandro, was born.He composed over 550 short, keyboard sonatas or exercises.

1687In France Jean Baptiste Lully, Paris Opera director, stabbed himself in the foot with abaton and died of blood poisoning.

1690The clarinet is invented, in Nuremberg, Germany.

1697The play 'Le Distrait' by Regnard was written and later accompanied by the music JosephHaydn.

1697Johann Quantz (1697-1773), flutist-composer, was born.

1699Johann Adolph Hasse (1699-1783), popular composer of now-forgotten operas, was born.

1705Georg F Handel's first opera 'Almira', premieres in Hamburg.

1721Johann Sebastian Bach opens his Brandenburgse Concerts.



1723Georg Friedrich Handel's opera 'Ottone' premieres, London.

1725Georg F Handels opera 'Giulio Cesare in Egitto', premieres in London.

1726At the age of 16, Marie de Camargo premieres at the Opera of Paris.

1731Georg F Handel's opera 'Poro', premieres in London.

1743George Frideric Handel's oratorio 'Messiah' premieres in London.

1753Joseph Haydns 'Krumme Teufel' premieres.

1753Voltaire leaves the court of Frederik II of Prussia.

1761Franz Josef Haydn becomes court composer to Prince Esterhazy.

1762Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart performs at the Imperial court in Vienna at age 6.

1762The opera 'Orfeo Ed Euridice' is produced in Vienna.

1762Thomas Arnes opera 'Artaxerxes', premieres in London.

1765Frisia bans Voltaires 'Traité sur la tolérance'.

1769The Boston Gazette reports the first US piano (a spinet).



1785Mozart completes 'Dissonantenkwartet' (opus 10).

1786Mozart's opera 'Marriage of Figaro' premieres in Wien (Vienna).

1792In Vienna, Ludwig van Beethoven, aged 22, receives the first lesson in music compositionfrom Franz Joseph Haydn.

1792Joseph Haydn's 94th Symphony in G, premieres.

1794Joseph Haydn's 99th Symphony in E, premieres.

1794The first performance of Joseph Haydn's 100th Symphony in D.

1795Beethoven, at age 24, debuts as pianist in Vienna.

1795Joseph Haydn's 102nd Symphony in B, premieres.

1796James S McLean patents his piano.

1796Johann Wolfgang von Goethes 'Egmont', premieres in Weimar.

1797In Vienna, Haydn's song 'Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser' is first performed.

1799Friedrich von Schiller's 'Die Piccolomini', premieres in Weimar.



1799Joseph Haydn's 'Die Schopfung', premieres in Vienna.

1801German composer Ludwig van Beethoven completed his Moonlight Sonata.

1804Johann von Schiller's 'Wilhelm Tell', premieres.

1805Beethoven Eroica Symphony was first perfomed.

1805The opera 'Fidelio' is produced in Vienna.

1807The first performance of Ludwig von Beethoven's 4th Symphony in B.

1813The first concerto of Royal Philharmonic.

1814Francis Scott Key inspired to write 'The Star-Spangled Banner'.

1814Ludwig von Beethoven's 8th Symphony in F, premieres.

1815Austrian composer Franz Shubert in 1815 produces two symphonies two masses twenty waltzesans 145 songs.

1816Rossini's opera 'The Barber of Seville' premieres in Rome.

1818The first US performance of Handel's Messiah took place in Boston.



1818The song 'Silent Night' by Franz Joseph Gruber and Joseph Mohr was sung for the firsttime.

1819The first public performance of a Schubert song, 'Schäfers Klageleid'.

1822Composer Gioacchino Rossini marries Spanish soprano

1822Gioacchino Rossini marries Isabella Colbran in Bologna.

1824Beethoven's 9th (Chorale) Symphony, premieres in Vienna.

1825The first Italian opera produced in the US, the Barber of Seville, is performed in NewYork City.

1826Beethoven's Quartet number 13 in B flat major (Opus 130) premieres in Vienna.

1826In London, the opera 'Oberon' is first produced.

182720,000 attend Ludwig von Beethoven's burial in Vienna.

1828Italian violinist Niccolo Paganini redefined the limits of instrumental virtuososity withhis Vienna debut.

1830Hector Berlioz's avant-garde and programmatic 'Symphonie Fantastique' starltled Parisconcert-goers.



1830The children's rhyme 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' was written.

1831German composer Giacomo Meyerbeer inaugerated grand opera with 'Robert elle Diable'.

1832Felix Mendelssohn's 'The Hebrides Ovature' premieres, Symphony No 5.

1833Boston Academy of Music, the first US music school, is established.

1837Felix Mendelssohn marries Cecile Jeanrenaud.

1841The first performance of Robert Schumann's The first Symphony in B.

1842The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra gave its first concert.

1842New York Philharmonic's first concert.

1843Gaetano Donizetti's opera 'Don Pasquale', premieres in Paris.

1846The Saxophone is patented by Antoine Joseph Sax.

1847In Florence, Dmitri Shostakovich's opera 'Macbeth' is produced.

1847In Vienna, the opera 'Die Fledermaus' is produced.

1848The ballet 'Faust' premieres in Milan.



1851Giuseppe Verdi's opera 'Rigoletto', premieres in Venice.

1851Robert Schumann's 3rd Symphony 'Rhenisch', premieres in Düsseldorf.

1853Giuseppe Verdi's Opera 'La Traviata', premieres in Venice.

1854In Weimar in Germany, Hungarian pianist Franz Liszt conducted the premieres of his firstsymphonic poems.

1854Anthony Foss patents the accordion.

1854Composer Robert Schumann is saved from a suicide attempt in the Rhine.

1854Franz Liszts symphony 'Orpheus', premieres.

1858Charles Hallé founds Hallé Orchestra in Manchester.

1858Leoncavallo's opera 'I Pagliacci' is produced in Naples.

1858Mendelssohn's 'Wedding March' is first played, at the wedding of Queen Victoria'sdaughter Princess Victoria, to the crown prince of Prussia.

1858Royal Italian Opera opens in Covent Garden, London.

1858The first performance of the New York Symphony Orchestra.



1859Brahms' first piano concerto (in D minor) premieres in Hanover.

1859Charles François Gounod's opera 'Faust' premieres in Paris.

1864Rossini's 'Petite Messe Solennelle', premieres in Paris France.

1865German composer Richard Wagner's opera 'Tristan and Isolde' scaled new heights usingunprecedented chromaticism.

1865Schubert's 'Unfinished Symphony' (1822) was premiered in Vienna.

1865Wagner's 'Tristan und Isolde' first performance Munchen in Germany.

1866Bedrich Smetana's 'Verkaufte Braut' (Sold Bride), premieres.

1866Bedrich Smetana's opera 'Branibori vs Cechach', premieres in Prague.

1867Johann Strauss' 'Blue Danube' waltz premieres in Vienna.

1867The opera 'Romeo et Juliette' is produced in Paris.

1868Arrigo Boito's opera 'Mefistofele', premieres in Milan.

1868Bedrich Smetana's opera 'Dalibor' premieres in Prague.



1868The opera 'Hamlet' premieres in Paris France.

1870The 'Coppelia' ballet presented in France by French composer Leo Delibes.

1871Giusseppi Verdi's 'Aida' premieres in Cairo, at the opening of the Suez canal.

1874The first performance of 'Die Fledermaus' in Vienna.

1875Georges Bizet's opera 'Carmen' premieres in Paris.

1876Henrik Ibsen's 'Peer Gynt', premieres in Oslo.

1877The opera 'Samson et Dalila' is produced in Rouen.

1878Gilbert & Sullivans opera 'HMS Pinafore' premieres in London.

1878Peter Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony in F, premieres.

1878The Phonograph (gramophone) is shown for first time at the Grand Opera House.

1879Antonin Dvorák's 'Slavic Dancing' premieres.

1879Gilbert & Sullivan's 'HMS Pinafore' debuts at Bowery Theatre New York City.

1879The opera 'The Pirates of Penzance' is produced in New York.



1880Steele MacKay's 'Hazel Kirke', premieres in New York.

1881Bedrich Smetana's opera 'Libusa' premieres in Prague.

1881Johannes Brahms' 'Academic Festival Overture' premieres, Breslau.

1882Richard Wagner completes his opera 'Parsifal'.

1882Rimski-Korsakov's opera 'Snyegurochka', premieres in St Petersburg.

1885The opera 'Le Cid' is produced in Paris.

1885Vincent d'Indy's 'Saugefleurie', premieres.

1886The introduction the graphophone wax cylinder and sapphire stylus.

1888Edison's phonograph is manufactured for sale to the public.

1888Vincent d'Indy's Wallenstein-trilogy, premieres.

1890The opera 'Robin Hood' is produced in Chicago.

1891Carnegie Hall opens in New York City with Tchaikovsky as the guest conductor.

1891The first jazz concert was held at Carnegie Hall.



1892The first public appearance of John Philip Sousa's band (NJ)

1893Anton Dvorak's 'New World Symphony' premieres.

1893Hermann Sudermanns 'Heimat', premieres in Berlin.

1893Richard Drigo's ballet 'The Magic Flute' premieres, St Petersburg.

1893The opera 'Falstaff' is produced in Berlin.

1893The opera 'Hansel und Gretel' is produced (Weimar).

1893Verdi's opera 'Falstaff' premieres in Milan

1894Berliner's flat phonograph disc starts to compete with the cylinder.

1894Georges Feydeau's 'Un à la Patte', premieres in Paris.

1895Gustav Mahler's 2nd Symphony premieres in Berlin.

1895Tchaikovsky/Petipa's 'Swan Lake', premieres in St Petersburg.

1896Edward Macdowell's 2nd Suite in E, premieres.

1896Georges Feydeaus' 'Le Dindon', premieres in Paris.



1896Giacomo Puccini's Opera 'La Boheme', premieres in Turin.

1896Gilbert and Sullivan's last operette 'Grand Duke', premieres in London.

1896John Philip Sousa led his band's first performance in Plainfield, New Jersey.

1896Premiere of Mahler's 'Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen'.

1896Umberto Giordano's opera 'Andrea Chénier', premieres in Milan.

1897The Irish Music Festival is first held, in Dublin.

1897Premiere of (parts of) Gustav Mahler's 3rd Symphony took place in Berlin.

1897Vincent d'Indy's 'Istar' premieres in Amsterdam and Brussels.

1897Vincent d'Indy's opera 'Fervaal', premieres in Brussels.

1898Richard Straus' 'Don Quixote', premieres in Keulen.

1899The loudspeaker is invented.

1899Sound is recorded magnetically by Poulsen of Denmark.

1899American Marconi Company is incorporated, the forerunner of RCA.



1899The first jukebox is installed at Palais Royal Hotel, San Francisco.

1900E Verlinger begins manufacturing 7 inch single-sided records in Montreal.

1900Edwin S Votey patents the pneumatic piano player.

1901The phonograph disc (the first 'record') made of hard resinous shellac goes on sale.

1901George Cohan's musical 'Governor's Son', premieres in New York City.

1902Composer Gustav Mahler marries Alma Schindler in Vienna.

1902Enrico Caruso becomes the first well-known performer to make a record.

1903Enrico Caruso's US debut at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, in 'Rigoletto'.

1903The 'Wizard of Oz' premieres in New York City.

1904The double-sided phonograph disc comes into use.

1904Giacomo Puccini's opera 'Madama Butterfly', premieres in Milan.

1904Maurice Ravel's 'Shéhérazade' premieres in Paris.

1904US blues singer Gertrude Pridgett marries comic William Rainey.



1905The juke box is introduced. It had just 24 choices.

1905The first published blues composition goes on sale, WC Handy Memphis Blues.

1907DeForest begins regular radio music broadcasts.

1908Arturo Tuscanini begins conducting New York's Metropolitan Opera.

1909Gerhart Hauptmann's 'Griselda', premieres in Vienna.

1909Gustav Mahler conducts New York Philharmonic for his first time.

1909John Galsworthy's 'Strife', premieres in London.

1910Luisa Tetrazzini sings to 250,000 people at Lotta's Fountain.

1910The first opera by an US composer (Converse) performed at the Met, New York City.

1911Gustav Mahler conducts his last concerto (Berceuse élégique).

1911The Society of Dutch Composers forms in Amsterdam.

1913The portable phonograph is first manufactured.

1915The electric loudspeaker is invented.



1916Baltimore Symphony Orchestra presented its first concert.

1916Enrico Caruso recorded 'O Sole Mio' for the Victor Talking Machine Company.

1916The first published reference to 'jazz' appears in Variety.

1917The first jazz record "Dixie Jazz Band One Step", recorded by Nick LaRocca OriginalDixieland Jazz Band, released by RCA Victor in Camden NJ

1917The first jazz record released (Dark Town Strutters Ball)

1918Kern, Bolton & Wodehouse's musical premieres in New York NY

1919The Radio Corporation of America (RCA) is created.

1920In New York City, Enrico Caruso gives his last public performance.

1922The song 'April Showers' by Al Jolson becomes a US number one.

1923Frank Silver and Irving Conn release 'Yes, We Have No Bananas'.

1923Jean Sibelius' 6th Symphony, premieres.

1924The song 'Happy Birthday To You' is published by Claydon Sunny.



1924George Gershwin's 'Rhapsody In Blue' premieres at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

1925Louis Armstrong records the first of Hot Five & Hot Seven recordings

1926Dmitri Sjostakovitch's 1st Symphony, premieres in Leningrad

1927"Ain't She Sweet?" hits #1 on the pop singles chart by Ben Bernie

1927Dmitri Shostakovitch' Octet opus 11, premieres in Moscow

1927Dmitri Sjostakovitch' 1st Symphony, premieres in Berlin

1927Duke Ellington opens at the Cotton Club in Harlem

1927The first automatic record changer introduced by His Master's Voice

1928"Bolero" by Maurice Ravel, 1st performed publicly, in Paris

1929Dmitri Shostakovitch's 'The New Babylon', premieres in Leningrad.

1929Rudy Vallee recorded 'Deep Night'.

1931"Star Spangled Banner" officially becomes US national anthem

1932Irving Berlin's musical "Face the Music", premieres in New York NY



1933Dmitri Shostakovitch's Preludes, premieres in Moscow

1934"Cocktails For Two" by Duke Ellington hits #1

1934Dmitri Sjostakovitsj' opera "Lady MacBeth", premieres in Leningrad

1934The first 33 1/3 rpm recording released (Beethoven's 5th)

1936Benny Goodman & orchestra record "Stompin' at the Savoy" on Victor Records

1938Benny Goodman refuses to play Carnegie Hall when black members of his band were barredfrom performing

1939Benny Goodman records "Let's Dance"

1939BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated) formed

1939Dmitri Shostakovitch appointed professor at conservatory of Leningrad

1940In The Mood by Glenn Miller hits #1

11 Dec 1941US declares war on Germany and Italy

1941Dmitri Shostakovitch receives the Stalin Prize.



1941Duke Ellington 1st records "Take the A Train"

1941Glenn Miller records "Chattanooga Choo Choo" for RCA

1941Sergei Rachmaninov's "Symphonic Dances" premieres in Philadelphia

1941Xavier Cugat & his Orchestraestra record "Babalu"

1942Bing Crosby records "White Christmas" one of the greatest selling records ever.

1942Capitol Record Co opens for business

1942Count Basie records "One O'Clock Jump"

1942Dmitri Shostakovitch' 7th Symphony, premieres in Siberia

1942Musical "Star & Garter", premieres in New York City NY

1942Stravinsky's "Danses Concertantes", premieres in Los Angeles

1942The first broadcast of Roy Plomley's "Desert Island Discs" on BBC

1943Rodgers & Hammerstein musical "Oklahoma!" opens on Broadway

1943Singer Frank Sinatra debuts on radio's 'Your Hit Parade'.



1943The first telecast of a complete opera (Hansel & Gretel), Schenectady NY

1944Bandleader, Major Glenn Miller, lost over English Channel

1944Bing Crosby records "Swinging on a Star" for Decca Records

1945Billboard publishes its 1st album chart (King Cole Trio is #1)

1945Ella Fitzgerald & Delta Rhythm Boys record "It's Only a Paper Moon"

1947Dmitri Shostakovitch named professor at conservatory of Leningrad

1949Dmitri Shostakovitch' "Song of the Woods", premieres in Leningrad

1949RCA releases 1st single record ever (45 rpm)

1950Rag Mop by The Ames Brothers hit number 1.

1950Richard Strauss' '4 Last Songs' (4 letzte Lieder) premiers in London.

1951Frank Sinatra recorded "I'm a Fool to Want You"

1952Dmitri Shostakovitch completes his 5th string quartet

1953Elvis Presley graduates from LC Humes High School in Memphis, Tenn



1954Billy Haley records "Rock Around the Clock"

1954Dmitri Shostakovich's "Concertino opus 94" premieres

1954Elvis Presley pays $4 to a Memphis studio & records his 1st two songs, "Casual Love" &"I'll Never Stand in Your Way"

1954Elvis Presley records a 10 minute demo in Nashville

1954Elvis Presley records his debut single, "That's All Right"

1954Joe Turner releases "Shake, Rattle & Roll"

1955Music is recorded on tape in stereo

1955Barbra Streisand's 1st recording "You'll Never Know" at age 13

1955Bill Haley & Comets, "Rock Around the Clock" hits #1

1955Elvis Presley makes his 1st TV appearance

1955Elvis Presley's 1st TV appearance on "Louisiana Hayride" show

1955Perez Prado's "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White" goes #1 for 10 weeks



1955RCA demonstrates 1st music synthesizer

1956Buddy Holly records "Blue Days Black Night" in Nashville

1956Buddy Holly's 1st formal recording session

1956Elvis Presley appears on national TV for 1st time (Ed Sullivan)

1956Elvis Presley records "Heartbreak Hotel"

1956Elvis Presley records "Heartbreak Hotel" for RCA

1956Elvis Presley records Heartbreak Hotel for RCA in Nashville

1956Elvis Presley records his version of "Blue Suede Shoes"

1956Elvis Presley releases "Don't Be Cruel"

1956Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog", single goes to #1 & stays #1 for a record 11weeks (for a single)

1956Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" goes #1

1956Elvis Presley's 1st hit in Billboard's top 10 "Heartbreak Hotel"



1956Elvis Presley's 1st TV appearance (Dorsey Brothers Stage Show)

1956Elvis Presley's releases "Heartbreak Hotel"

1956Elvis records "Heartbreak Hotel"

1956Guy Mitchell's "Singing the Blues", single goes #1 for 10 weeks

1956John Lennon (15) & Paul McCartney (13) meet for the 1st time as Lennon's rock group TheQuarrymen perform at a church dinner

1956Little Richard releases "Tutti Frutti"

1957Buddy Holly & the Crickets record "That'll Be the Day"

1957Cavern Club (home of Beatles' 1st appearance) opens on Mathew Street in England

1957Dmitri Shostakovitch completes his 2nd Piano Concert

1957Dmitri Sjostakovitsch 2nd Piano concert, premieres in Moscow

1957Elvis Presley makes his 7th & final appearance on Ed Sullivan Show

1958Stereo recording is introduced



1958"South Pacific" soundtrack album goes to #1 & stays #1 for 31 weeks

1958CBS Labs announce new stereophonic records

1958Dmitri Shostakovitch' 2nd Piano concert, premieres in NY

1958Elvis Presley joins the army (serial number 53310761)

1958Gibson patents the Flying V Guitar

1958Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire" reaches #1 on the country and r&b charts, #2 onthe pop chart

1958RIAA (Recording Industry Association of American)is created and certifies 1st gold record(Perry Como's Catch A Falling Star)

1958Royal Teens' "Short Shorts" enters Top 40 chart & peaks at #3

1959Buddy Holly releases his last record "It Doesn't Matter"

1959Buddy Holly's last performance

1959Coasters's "Charlie Brown" peaks at #2

1959Dmitri Shostakovich's "Moscow-Tsjerjomoesjki" premieres in Moscow



1959Dmitri Shostakovitch's comedy "Cheryomushk", premieres in Moscow

1959Elvis Presley's 1st entry on UK charts with "Heartbreak Hotel"

1959Everly Brothers record "Let It Be Me"

1960Chubby Checker releases "The Twist"

1960Dmitri Shostakovitch's 7th String quartet, premieres in Leningrad

1960Elvis Presley ends 2-year tour of duty in US Army.

1960Everly Brothers "Cathy's Clown" hits #1.

1960Johnny Cash plays 1st of many free concerts behind bars

1960Roy Orbison releases "Only the Lonely"

1961The Beatles' first appearance at the Cavern Club.

1961Bob Dylan's first New York performance.

1961Chuck Berry's amusement park, Berryland in St Louis, opens.

1961Frank Sinatra launches Reprise label under Warner Brothers Records.



1961Supremes signed with Motown Records.

1961The first performance of the Beach Boys.

1962The 'West Side Story' soundtrack album goes to #1 & stays #1 for 54 weeks which is morethan 20 weeks longer than any other album.

1962Barbra Streisand signs her first recording contract (with Columbia).

1962Beach Boys introduced a new musical style with their hit 'Surfin'.

1962The Beatles made their broadcasting debut on BBC radio.

1962Beatles meet their producer George Martin for the first time Beatles record 'BesameMucho' with Peter Best on drums.

1962Beatles replaces Pete Best with Ringo Starr.

1962Beatles, with Pete Best, TV debut (perform 'Dream Baby' on BBC).

1962Benjamin Britten's 'War Requiem' premieres.

1962Bishop Burke of Buffalo Catholic dioceses declares Chubby Checker's 'Twist' is impure &bans it from all Catholic schools.

1962Brian Epstein signs a contract to manage the Beatles through 1977.



1962Dmitri Shostakovitch becomes member of Supreme Soviet of USSR.

1962Isley Brothers release 'Twist & Shout'.

1962Peter, Paul & Mary release their first hit 'If I Had a Hammer'.

1962The first recording session under the name 'Beatles'.

1963Beatles final performance at the Cavern Club in Liverpool

1963Beatles form "Beatles Ltd" to handle their income

1963Beatles meet Rolling Stones for 1st time

1963Beatles recieve their 1st silver disc (Please Please Me)

1963Bill J Kramer & Dakotas record Lennon & McCartney "I Call Your Name"

1963Bob Dylan walks off Ed Sullivan Show

1963Brian Epstein & Ed Sullivan sign a 3 show contract for the Beatles

1963Decca signs the Rolling Stones on advice of Beatle George Harrison

1963Dmitri Shostakovitch' Katharina Ismailova, premieres in Riga



1963Ringo admits he wrote a song "Don't Pass Me By"

1963The first million copy record prior to release "I Want to Hold Your Hand"

1964Barbra Streisand appears on the cover of New York Times Magazine section

1964Davie Jones & King Bees debut "I Can't Help Thinking About Me", group disbands but DavieJones goes on to success as David Bowie

1964Dmitri Shostakovitch completes his 9th String quartet

1964George Harrison changes his company's name from Mornyork to Harrisongs

1964George Harrison forms Mornyork Ltd music publishing company

1964John Lennon is reunited with his father Freddie after 17 years

1964John Lennon's "In His Own Write" is published in the US

1964Ringo forms Brikley Building Company Ltd

1964Supremes release "Baby Love"

1965Beatle Ringo Starr marries Maureen Cox



1965Beatles receive MBEs at Buckingham Palace

1965Righteous Brothers "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" hits #1

1965Rock group The Who releases 1st album "I Can't Explain"

1965Temptations' "My Girl" reaches #1

1965The Beatles are awarded the MBE

1965The Byrds record "Mr Tambourine Man"

1965The Who make their 1st appearance on British TV

1966Barry Sadlers' "Ballad of the Green Berets" becomes #1 (13 weeks)

1966BBC opens a relay radio station on Ascension Island

1966Beatle George Harrison marries model Patti Boyd

1966David Bowie releases his 1st record (Can't Help Thinking About Me)

1966Dmitri Shostakovitch's 11th String quartet, premieres in Leningrad

1966Dmitri Sjostakovitsj completes his 11th string quartet



1966John Lennon meets Yoko Ono at an avante-garde art exposition

1966John Lennon, says "We (Beatles) are more popular than Jesus"

1966Last Beatle concert tour of the US begins

1966Last British concert by the Beatles (Empire Pool in Wembley)

1966Mamas & Papas "Monday Monday" hits #1

1966Monkee's "I'm a Believer" hits #1 & stays there for 7 weeks

1966Simon & Garfunkel's "Sounds of Silence" reaches #1

1967Aretha Franklin releases "Respect"

1967BBC bans Beatle's "A Day in the Life" (drug references)

1967BBC unofficially bans "I am the Walrus" by the Beatles

1967Beatles' Apple Music signs its 1st group-Grapefruit

1967Beatles sign a 9 year worldwide contract with EMI records

1967Beatles sign a contract to stay together for 10 years (they don't)



1967Dmitri Shostakovitch completes his 2nd Violin concerto

1967Elvis Presley & Pricilla Beaulieu wed in Las Vegas

1967John Lennon takes delivery of his psychedelic painted Rolls Royce

1967Paul McCartney & Jane Asher get engaged

1967Paul McCartney admits on TV that he took LSD

1967Pink Floyd release their 1st single "Arnold Layne"

1967Pink Floyd releases their 1st song (Arnold Layne)

1967Purple Haze recorded by Jimi Hendrix

1967Who & Cream make US debut at Murray the K's Easter Show

1967Wild Thing hits #20 on the pop singles chart by Senator Bobby

1968Beatles announce formation of Apple Corp

1968Beatles form Python Music Ltd

1968Beatles George Harrison & John Lennon & wives fly to India for transcendental meditationstudy with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi



1968Beatles open 2nd Apple Boutique at 161 New Kings Road, London

1968Cynthia Lennon sues John Lennon for divorce on adultry

1968Dmitri Shostakovitch completes his 12nd string quartet

1968George Harrison forms Singsong Ltd

1968John Lennon & Yoko One fined œ150 for marijuana possession

1968John Lennon & Yoko Ono plant an acorn at Conventry Cathedral

1968LIFE magazine calls Jimi Hendrix "most spectacular guitarist in the world"

1968Mick Jagger & Marianne Faithfull arrested for drug possession

1968Ringo quits the Beatles over a disagreement, temporarily

1968Rock group Genesis release their 1st record "The Silent Sun"

1968Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs Robinson" hits #1

1968The first record under Apple label (Beatle's Hey Jude)

1968Yoko Ono announces she is having John Lennon's baby



1969300,000 attend the Altamont CA, rock concert feature Rolling Stones

1969After 88 weeks Sergeant Pepper drops off the charts

1969Beatle John Lennon marries Yoko Ono in Gibraltar

1969Beatles appoint Eastman & Eastman, as general counsel to Apple

1969Beatles perform their last gig together, a free concert on the roof of Apple

1969Brian Jones quits the Rolling Stones

1969Creams' final concert (Royal Albert Hall)

1969David Bowie releases "Space Oddity"

1969Debut album of Led Zeppelin released in US

1969Dmitri Shostakovitch completes his 14th Symphony

1969John & Yoko begin their 2nd bed-in (Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montréal)

1969John & Yoko stage their 1st bed-in for peace (Amsterdam Hilton)

1969John Lennon & Yoko Ono record "Give Peace a Chance"



1969John Lennon is offered role of Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar

1969John Lennon returns his MBE

1969John Lennon's "2 Virgins" album declared pornographic in New Jersey

1969Paul McCartney marries Linda Louise Eastman in London

1969Stevie Wonder releases "My Cherie Amour"

1969The Who release the rock opera "Tommy"

1969Woodstock Music & Art Fair opens in NY State (Max Yasgur's Dairy Farm)

1969Zager & Evans release "In the Year 2525"

1970Beatles last recording session at EMI studios

1970Decca awards Bing Crosby a 2nd platinum disc for selling 300 million

1970Jackson 5 make TV debut on "American Bandstand"

1970John Lennon pays £1,344 fines for 96 protesting the South African rugby team playing inScotland



1970Paul McCartney announces official split of the Beatles

1970Paul McCartney files a lawsuit to dissolve the Beatles

1971Benjamin Britten's opera "Owen Wingrave" premieres in Aldwych

1971John & Yoko release "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" in US

1971John Lennon leaves the UK for NYC, never to return

1971John Lennon meets Yoko Ono's parents in Japan

1971John Lennon releases the "Imagine" album

1971Paul McCartney announces the formation of his group Wings

1971The Rolling Stones leave England for France to escape taxes

1972BBC bans "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" by Wings

1972BBC bans Wings "Hi, Hi, Hi"

1972David Bowie releases "Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust"

1972Dmitri Shostakovitch' 15th Symphony, premieres in Moscow



1972John & Yoko are served with deportation papers

1972John Lennon says his phone is tapped by the FBI on Dick Cavett Show

1972Moody Blues release "Nights in White Satin"

1972Official Beatles Fan Club closes down

1972Ringo releases "Back off Bugaloo" in UK

1973Dr Hook's "Cover of "Rolling Stone"" enters Top 40 & peaks at #6

1973Elvis & Priscilla Presley divorce after 6 years

1973John Lennon sues US govt to admit the FBI is tapping his phone

1973Stevie Wonder releases "You are the Sunshine of my Life"

1973Yoko Ono is granted permanent residence in US

1974"Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield hits #7

1974Barbra Streisand's 1st #1 hit, "The Way We Were"

1974Cher files for separation from husband Sonny Bono



1974Dmitri Shostakovitch completes his 15th String quartet

1974Keyboardist Rick Wakeman quits the rock group "Yes"

1974Steely Dan releases "Rikki Don't Lose that Number"

197510cc releases "I'm Not in Love"

1975Apple records closes down

1975Barry Manilow's "Mandy" goes gold

1975Cher, just 4 days after divorcing Sonny Bono marries Gregg Allman

1975David Bowie's "Fame", single goes #1 for 2 weeks

1975Led Zeppelin fans riot before Boston concert, causing $30,000 damage

1976George Harrison sings the lumberjack song with Monty Python

1976Queen's Bhoemian Rhapsody goes gold

1976The first quadrophonic movie track: "Ladies & Gentlemen the Rolling Stones"

1977ELO releases "Telephone Line"



1977Elvis Costello releases his 1st record "Less Than Zero"

1977EMI records drop punk rock group Sex Pistols

1977Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" album released

1977George & Patti Harrison divorce

1977In The Mood by Henhouse 5 Plus Too (Ray Stevens) peaks at #40

1977The first quadraphonic concert (Pink Floyd in London)

1978Bee Gees' "Saturday Night Fever" album goes #1 for 24 weeks

1978George Harrison marries Olivia

1978Sex Pistols' final concert (Winterland, San Francisco)

1979Da Ya Think I'm Sexy? by Rod Stewart peaks at #1

1979Elton John becomes 1st pop star to perform in Israel

1979Elton John becomes 1st western rocker to perform live in the USSR

1979Emerson, Lake & Palmer disband after 10 years together



1979Guinness Book of Records presents Paul McCartney with a rhodium disc

1979Guitarist Eric Clapton marries Patti Boyd

1979Pink Floyd premiered their live version of "The Wall" in Los Angeles

1979Rock group "Little Feat" disbands

1979Rock group, Emerson, Lake & Palmer break up

1979YMCA by Village People peaks at #2 on pop singles chart

1979YMCA files libel suit against Village People's YMCA song

1980At 2 PM EST there is 10 minutes of silence in memory of John Lennon

1980Bob Marley's last concert

1980Bombay gets its 1st rock concert in 10 years (The Police)

1980Brian May of rock group Queen collapses on stage with hepatitis

1980Capitol Records releases some rare Beatles tracks

1980Debut of the Pretenders



1980Former Buggles members Geoff Downes & Trevor Horn replace Jon Anderson & Rick Wakeman inYes

1980John & Yoko sign a recording contract with Geffen Records

1980Paul McCartney jailed in Tokyo for 10 days on marijuana possession, later deported

1980Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in Wall (Part II)" is banned in South Africa

1980Pink Floyd's "The Wall" hits #1

1980Ringo & Barbara Bach are involved in a car crash

1981Beatle Ringo Starr marries actress Barbara Bach

1981Beatles McCartney, Starr & Harrison record a tribute to John Lennon

1981Duke Ellington-musical "Sophisticated Ladies", premieres in New York NY

1981Olivia Newton-John's "Physical", single goes #1 & stays for 10 weeks

1982Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" is on the charts for 402nd week

1982Rock group Doobie Brothers split up



1983Compact Disc recordings developed by Phillips & Sony introduced

1983Weird Al Yankovic gives live performance at Wax Museum in Washington DC

1983Weird Al Yankovic records "Ricky" & "Buckingham Blues" debut LP

1984Bruce Springsteen releases "Born in the USA"

1984Cyndi Lauper's 1st #1 "Time After Times"

1984Madonna's "Like a Virgin", single goes #1 for 6 weeks

1984Michael Jackson awarded a 4-foot-high platinum disc by CBS

1984Michael Jackson is burned during filming for Pepsi commercial

1984Rock group Wings disbands

1985"Born In The USA" by Bruce Springsteen peaked at #9

1985"We are the World" is recorded

1985Billy Joel weds supermodel Christie Brinkley

1985Heart's "Heart", album goes #1



1985Michael Jackson buys ATV Music (every Beatle songs) for $47« million

1985Singer Madonna weds actor Sean Penn

1986AIDS charity record "That's What Friends are For", hits #1

1986Barbra Streisand's 1st live concert in 20 years

1986Geffen records signs Guns & Roses

1986Heart's "These Dreams", single goes #1

1986The "Chicken Song" by Spitting Image hit #1 on the UK pop chart

1987BB King donates his 7,000 record collection to University of Mississippi

1987Geffen records sign their 1st artist (Donna Summer)

1987Michael Jackson attempts to buy Elephant Man's remains

1987Weird Al Yankovic performs live at 72nd National Orange Show

1989Rocker Carol King gets a star in Hollywood's walk of fame

1989Weird Al Yankovic records "She Drives Like Crazy"



1990Michael Jackson hospitalized for chest pains

1990Producers confirm that Milli Vanilli didn't sing on their album

1990Radio Berlin International's final transmission final song is 'The End' by the Doors. Ithad links to Deutsche Welles of West Germany.

1990Rocker Rod Stewart marries super model Rachel Hunter

1991Michael Jackson signs $65M six album deal with Sony records

1991Singer James Brown is released from prison

1992I'm Too Sexy by Right Said Fred peaks at #1

1992Weird Al Yankovic begins his Off The Deep End tour

1993Bill Wyman announces he will leave Rolling Stones

1994Barbra Streisand's begins 1st concert tour in 30 years

1994Michael Jackson (35) weds Elvis' daughter Lisa Marie Presley (26)

1996Radio Canada International's final shortwave broadcast.



1997Beatle Paul McCartney knighted Sir Paul by Queen Elizabeth II

1997Bob Dylan hospitalized in England with histoplasmosis

1997Heart attacks sends Frank Sinatra back to hospital

1998Elton John is knighted.

1998Lyrics to 'Candle in the Wind 1997', auctioned for $442,500.

1998Spice Girl Victoria Adams (Posh) & soccer David Beckham gets engaged.

music (0996-)

Documents