1956 in music

Encyclopedia : 1 : 19 : 195 : 1956 in music

See also: 1955 in music, other events of 1956, 1957 in music, 1950s in music and the list of 'years in music'

Contents

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

13.1

14 External Charts

Events

January 1 - Blue Suede Shoes is released by Carl Perkins on the Sun Records label.
Cameo-Parkway Records formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Kal Mann & Bernie Lowe.
Foundation of the Korean piano brand Young Chang.
1^st Warsaw Autumn International Festival of Contemporary Music (see [link])
January 26 - Buddy Holly's first recording sessions for Decca Records take place in Nashville, Tennessee
Roy Orbison signs with Sun Records
January 28 - Elvis Presley makes his national television debut on The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show
March 10 - Carl Perkins' single "Blue Suede Shoes" enters the R&B charts, marking the first time a Country music artist has made it on the R&B charts.
March 22 - Carl Perkins is injured in a car accident near Wilmington, Delaware and spends several months in the hospital. Perkins had been on his way to New York City to make an appearance on the Ed Sullivan show.
March 31 - Elvis Presley films a screen test for Paramount Pictures.
April 3 - Elvis Presley makes his first appearance on The Milton Berle Show
April 6 - Paramount Pictures signs Elvis Presley to a three picture deal.
April 7 - The first regularly scheduled nationally broadcast rock & roll show, Rock 'n Roll Dance Party, with Alan Freed as host, premieres on the CBS Radio Network.
April 10 - A group of racial segregationists (followers of Asa Earl Carter) rush the stage at a Nat King Cole concert in Birmingham, Alabama, but are quickly captured.
May 2 - For the first time in Billboard magazine history, five singles appear in both the pop and R&B Top Ten charts. They are Elvis Presley's "Heatbreak Hotel" (#1 pop, #6 R&B), Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes" (#4 pop, #3 R&B), Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" (#9 pop, #1 R&B), the Platters' "Magic Touch" (#10 pop, #7 R&B) and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers' "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" (#7 pop, #4 R&B). Presley's and Perkins' singles also appeared on the country and westernTop Ten chart at #1 and #2 respectively
May 6 - Elvis Presley appears on the Milton Berle show
May 24 - First ever Eurovision Song Contest
June 5 - Elvis Presley introduces his new single, Hound Dog, on The Milton Berle Show, scandalizing the audience with his suggestive hip movements.
July 1 - Elvis Presley appears on the Steve Allen show
July 9 - Dick Clark hosts American Bandstand for the first time
September 9 - Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Nat King Cole becomes the first major black performer to host a variety show on national television. The Nat King Cole Show was first broadcast on November 5, 1956
December 4 - Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash record together at Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. The sessions are later released under the name, the "Million Dollar Quartet"
December 19 - Breaking the record for the highest number of concurrent singles by a single artist, Elvis Presley holds 9 positions on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Presley would hold the record until 1964 when the Beatles held 14 positions on the chart.
Elvis Presley emerges as one of the world's first rock stars.
Aretha Franklin's musical career begins
Gene Vincent's musical career begins
The Coasters' musical career begins
Charlie Rich's musical career begins
Bobby Darin's musical career begins
Willie Nelson's musical career begins
Dalida's musical career begins on Barclay Records in Europe as (one of) the first biggest "world pop star" and sex symbol and she is the first artist to have her photo on a single in France. 175 000 copies of her big hits "Bambino" are sold in a few weeks.
Chrysler Corporation provides an in-car turntable 16⅔ rpm record player with 7-inch ultramicrogroove records in its luxury model, the "Imperial". The machine was developed by Peter Carl Goldmark — the man who invented the 33⅓ rpm long playing (LP) record format

Albums released

The Ames Brothers - The Ames Brothers
Ames Brothers Concert - The Ames Brothers
The Ames Brothers With Hugo Winterhalter - The Ames Brothers & Hugo Winterhalter
Dinner Music For People Who Aren't Very Hungry - Spike Jones
Do You Remember When? - McGuire Sisters
The East Side - Patti Page
Ella and Louis - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook - Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook - Ella Fitzgerald
Elvis (1956 album) - Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley (album) - Elvis Presley
The Four Aces - The Four Aces
Frank Sinatra Conducts Tone Poems Of Color - Frank Sinatra
Frankie Laine & The Four Lads - Frankie Laine
A Girl Named Jo - Jo Stafford
High Society - Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong & Celeste Holm
Holding Hands At Midnight - Dinah Shore
Howdy! - Pat Boone
In The Land Of Hi Fi - Patti Page
Kay Starr Country - Kay Starr
Latin Kick - Cal Tjader
Listen To The Hi-Lo's - The Hi-Lo’s
Love Songs Sung - Dinah Shore
Love's Old Sweet Song - The Ames Brothers
Lullaby Time - Bing Crosby
Manhattan Tower - Patti Page
Most Happy Fella - Doris Day
Music And Memories - Georgia Gibbs
New Jazz Conceptions - Bill Evans
Pat Boone - Pat Boone
On Hand - The Hi-Lo’s
On The Sunny Side Of The Street - The Four Lads
Shillelaghs And Shamrocks - Bing Crosby
Singin' And Swingin' - The Mills Brothers
Ski Trails - Jo Stafford
Song Favorites - Georgia Gibbs
Songs By Kay Starr - Kay Starr
Squeeze Play - JOHN SERRY SR
Swingin' With Her Nibs - Georgia Gibbs
Swingin' With Kay Starr - Kay Starr
The Best Of - The Eisenhowers
This Is Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
Two For Tonight - Bing Crosby
Under Glass - The Hi-Lo’s

No. 1 hit singles

These singles reached the top of Billboard magazine's charts in 1956.

First week Number of weeks Title Artist
January 14, 1956 5 "Memories Are Made Of This" Dean Martin
February 18, 1956 2 "Great Pretender" The Platters
March 3, 1956 3 "Rock And Roll Waltz" Kay Starr
March 24, 1956 6 "Poor People Of Paris" Les Baxter
May 3, 1956 7 "Heartbreak Hotel" Elvis Presley
June 16, 1956 7 "Wayward Wind" Gogi Grant
August 4, 1956 2 "I Almost Lost My Mind" Pat Boone
August 18, 1956 5 "My Prayer" The Platters
September 15, 1956 7 "Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog" Elvis Presley
November 3, 1956 3 "Green Door" Jim Lowe
November 17, 1956 3 "Love Me Tender" Elvis Presley
December 8, 1956 2 "Singing The Blues" Guy Mitchell
December 22, 1956 1 "Love Me Tender" Elvis Presley
December 29, 1956 7 "Singing The Blues" Guy Mitchell

First week	Number of weeks	Title	Artist
January 14, 1956	5	"Memories Are Made Of This"	Dean Martin
February 18, 1956	2	"Great Pretender"	The Platters
March 3, 1956	3	"Rock And Roll Waltz"	Kay Starr
March 24, 1956	6	"Poor People Of Paris"	Les Baxter
May 3, 1956	7	"Heartbreak Hotel"	Elvis Presley
June 16, 1956	7	"Wayward Wind"	Gogi Grant
August 4, 1956	2	"I Almost Lost My Mind"	Pat Boone
August 18, 1956	5	"My Prayer"	The Platters
September 15, 1956	7	"Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog"	Elvis Presley
November 3, 1956	3	"Green Door"	Jim Lowe
November 17, 1956	3	"Love Me Tender"	Elvis Presley
December 8, 1956	2	"Singing The Blues"	Guy Mitchell
December 22, 1956	1	"Love Me Tender"	Elvis Presley
December 29, 1956	7	"Singing The Blues"	Guy Mitchell

Top hits on record

"(Heigh, Ho) Addison Road" - The Eisenhowers
"Ain't Got No Home" - Clarence Frogman Henry
"All The Way" - Frank Sinatra
"Allegheny Moon" - Patti Page
"And This Is My Beloved" - Mario Lanza
"Any Way You Want Me" - Elvis Presley
"Bambino" - Dalida
"Be-Bop-A-Lula" - Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps
"Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins
"Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino
"Can I Steal A Little Love" - Frank Sinatra
"Che bambola" - Fred Buscaglione(Italy)
"Don't Be Cruel" - Elvis Presley
"Don't Forbid Me" - Pat Boone
"Friendly Persuasion (Thee I Love)" - Pat Boone
"Glad Rag Doll" - Kay Starr
"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - Patience & Prudence
"The Great Pretender" - The Platters
"The Green Door" - Jim Lowe
"Happiness Is Just A Thing Called Joe" - Georgia Gibbs
"Happiness Street" - Georgia Gibbs
"Heartbreak Hotel" - Elvis Presley
"Hell Hath No Fury" - Frankie Laine
"Hey! Jealous Lover" - Frank Sinatra
"Hound Dog" - Elvis Presley
"(How Little It Matters) How Little We Know" - Frank Sinatra
"I Almost Lost My Mind" - Pat Boone
"I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" - Georgia Gibbs
"I Remember You" - Doris Day
"I Want To Be Loved" - Johnnie Ray
"I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" - Elvis Presley
"I Was The One" - Elvis Presley
"I'll Be Home" - Pat Boone
"Innamorata" - Dean Martin
"It's Almost Tomorrow" - The Dream Weavers
"I've Got You Under My Skin" - Frank Sinatra
"Ivory Tower" - Cathy Carr
"Just Walkin' In The Rain" - Johnnie Ray
"Lonesome Road" - Georgia Gibbs
"Long Tall Sally" - Little Richard
"Lotus Blossom" - Johnnie Ray
"Love Is A Golden Ring" - Frankie Laine & The Easy Riders
"Love Me Tender" - Elvis Presley
"(You've Got) The Magic Touch" - The Platters
"Mama From The Train" - Patti Page
"The Man That Got Away" - Georgia Gibbs
"Memories Are Made Of This" - Dean Martin
"My Blue Heaven" - Fats Domino
"My Prayer" - The Platters
"No, Not Much" - The Four Lads
"On The Road To Mandalay" - Frankie Laine
"On The Street Where You Live" - Vic Damone
"Picnic" - The McGuire Sisters
"Rock Right" - Georgia Gibbs
"Roll Over Beethoven" - Chuck Berry
"See You Later Alligator" - Bill Haley and His Comets
"Shake A Hand" - Johnnie Ray
"Singing The Blues" - Guy Mitchell
"Standing On The Corner" - The Four Lads
"Suddenly There's A Valley" - Gogi Grant
"Sweet Old Fashioned Girl" - Teresa Brewer
"A Tear Fell" - Teresa Brewer
"Tonight You Belong to Me" - Patience and Prudence
"Tra La La" - Georgia Gibbs
"Tutti-Frutti" - Little Richard
"The Wayward Wind" - Gogi Grant
"Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)" - Doris Day
"Why Do Fools Fall in Love" - The Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon
"Without Him" - Frankie Laine
"You Don't Know Me" - Jerry Vale

Top R&B and Country hits on record

"Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins
"In The Still Of The Night" - Five Satins
"I've Loved And Lost Again" - Patsy Cline
"Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" - Brenda Lee
"My Pink Cadillac" - Hal Willis
"Ooby Dooby" - Roy Orbison
"I Walk The Line" - Johnny Cash

Published popular music

"11th Hour Melody" w. Carl Sigman m. King Palmer
"Abbondanza" w.m. Frank Loesser
"After The Lights Go Down Low" w.m. Alan White & Leroy Lovett
"Ain't Got No Home" w.m. Clarence Henry
"Allegheny Moon" w.m. Al Hoffman & Dick Manning
"Anastasia" w. Paul Francis Webster m. Alfred Newman
"Anyway You Want Me (That's How I Will Be)" w.m. Aaron Schroeder & Cliff Owens
"Around The World" w. Harold Adamson m. Victor Young
"The Banana Boat Song" trad arr. Alan Arkin, Bob Carey & Erik Darling
"Be-Bop-A-Lula" w.m. Tex Davis & Gene Vincent
"Bells Are Ringing" w. Betty Comden & Adolph Green m. Jule Styne
"The Best Of All Possible Worlds" w. Richard Wilbur m. Leonard Bernstein
"Big D" w.m. Frank Loesser
"The Birds And The Bees" Mack David, Harry Warren
"Bloodnock's Rock And Roll Call" T. Carbone
"Bluebottle Blues" Spike Milligan, Carbone
"Bo Weevil" w.m. Dave Bartholomew & Antoine "Fats" Domino
"Boppin' The Blues" w.m. Carl Perkins & Howard Griffin
"Born To Be With You" w.m. Don Robertson
"Brown Eyed Handsome Man" Chuck Berry
"The Bus Stop Song" (aka "A Paper Of Pins") w.m. Ken Darby
"Can I Steal A Little Love" w.m. Phil Tuminello
"Canadian Sunset" w. Norman Gimbel m. Eddie Heywood
"Chain Gang" w.m. Sol Quasha & Herb Yakus
"Cindy, Oh Cindy" w.m. Bob Barron & Burt Long
"Don't Be Cruel" w.m. Otis Blackwell & Elvis Presley
"Don't Forbid Me" w.m. Charles Singleton
"Eddie My Love" A. Collins, M. Davis, S. Ling
"Fever" w.m. Eddie Cooley & John Davenport
"Flying Saucer" w. Bill Buchanan & Dickie Goodman
"Fools Fall In Love" Leiber, Stoller
"Friendly Persuasion" w. Paul Francis Webster m. Dimitri Tiomkin
"The Garden Of Eden" w.m. Dennise Haas Norwood
"Get Me To The Church On Time" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe. Introduced by Stanley Holloway in the musical My Fair Lady and also performed by Holloway in the 1964 film.
"Glendora" w.m. Ray Stanley
"Glitter And Be Gay" w. Richard Wilbut m. Leonard Bernstein
"The Gnu" Michael Flanders & Donald Swann
"Good Golly, Miss Molly" w.m. John Marascalco & Robert Blackwell
"Goodnight My Love" G. Motola, J. Marascalco
"The Green Door" w. Marvin Moore m. Bob Davie
"Happy To Make Your Acquaintance" w.m. Frank Loesser
"The Happy Whistler" m. Don Robertson
"Heartbreak Hotel" w.m. Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden & Elvis Presley
"Hey! Jealous Lover" w.m. Sammy Cahn, Kay Twomey & Bee Walker
"High Society Calypso" w.m. Cole Porter
"The Hippopotamus" Michael Flanders & Donald Swann
"Honky Tonk" w. Henry Glover m. Bill Doggett, Billy Butler, Shep Shephard & Clifford Scott
"Hot Diggity" w. m.(adapt) Al Hoffman & Dick Manning
"A House With Love In It" w. Sylvia Dee m. Sid Lippman
"(How Little It Matters) How Little We Know(1)" w. Carolyn Leigh m. Philip Springer
"I Could Have Danced All Night" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe. Introduced by Julie Andrews in the musical My Fair Lady. Performed in the 1964 film by Marni Nixon dubbing for Audrey Hepburn.
"I Love You, Samantha" w.m. Cole Porter Introduced by Bing Crosby in the film High Society.
"I Walk The Line" w.m. Johnny Cash
"I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" w. George Mysels m. Ira Kosloff
"I Was The One" w.m. Claude Demetrius, Bill Peppers, Hal Blair, Aaron Schroeder
"If I Had My Druthers" w. Johnny Mercer m. Gene De Paul
"I'm An Ordinary Man" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe Introduced by Rex Harrison in the musical My Fair Lady
"I'm Walkin"' w.m. Antoine "Fats" Domino & Dave Bartholomew
"I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas" Spike Milligan, T. Carbone
"In The Still Of The Nite" w.m. Fred Parris
"It Only Hurts For A Little While" w. Mack David m. Fred Spielman
"It's Not For Me To Say" w. Al Stillman m. Robert Allen
"I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe. Introduced by Rex Harrison in the musical My Fair Lady.
"Ivory Tower" w.m. Jack Fulton & Lois Steele
"Joey, Joey, Joey" w.m. Frank Loesser
"Jubilation T. Cornpone" w. Johnny Mercer m. Gene De Paul. Introduced by Stubby Kaye in the musical Li'l Abner.
"Juke Box Baby" w. Noel Sherman m. Joe Sherman
"Just In Time" w. Betty Comden & Adolph Green m. Jule Styne. Introduced by Judy Holliday and Sydney Chaplin in the musical Bells Are Ringing
"Knee Deep In The Blues" w.m. Melvin Endsley
"Lay Down Your Arms" w.(Eng) Paddy Roberts (Swed) Ake Gerhard m. Ake Gerhard & Leon Land
"Let The Good Times Roll" w.m. Leonard Lee
"Long Before I Knew You" w. Betty Comden & Adolph Green m. Jule Styne. Introduced by Judy Holliday and Sydney Chaplin in the musical Bells Are Ringing
"Long Tall Sally" w.m. Enotris Johnson, Richard Penniman & Robert A. Blackwell
"Look Homeward Angel" w.m. Wally Gold
"Love Me Tender" w. Elvis Presley & Vera Matson m. George R. Poulton
"Love Me" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
"Lucky Lips" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
"The Magic Touch" w.m. Buck Ram
"Mama From The Train" w.m. Irving Gordon
"Mama, Teach Me To Dance" w.m. Al Hoffman & Dick Manning
"Mangos" w.m. Sid Wayne & Dee Libbey
"Maria" w. Stephen Sondheim m. Leonard Bernstein
"Marianne" w.m. Terry Gilkyson, Frank Miller & Richard Dehr
"Married I Can Always Get" w.m. Gordon Jenkins
"Mary's Boy Child" w.m. Jester Hairston
"Mind If I Make Love To You" w.m. Cole Porter. Introduced by Frank Sinatra in the film High Society
"The Money Tree" w. Cliff Ferre m. Mark McIntyre
"Moonlight Gambler" w. Bob Hilliard m. Philip Springer
"More" w. Tom Glazer m. Alex Alstone
"The Most Happy Fella" w.m. Frank Loesser
"Mutual Admiration Society" w. Matt Dubey m. Harold Karr. Introduced by Ethel Merman and Virginia Gibson in the musical Happy Hunting
"My Heart Is So Full Of You" w.m. Frank Loesser
"My Lucky Charm" Sammy Cahn & Nicholas Brodszky
"Namely You" w. Johnny Mercer m. Gene De Paul
"Now You Has Jazz" w.m. Cole Porter. Introduced by Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong in the film High Society.
"Oh What A Nite" w.m. Marvin Junior & John Funches
"On The Street Where You Live" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe. Introduced by Michael King in the musical My Fair Lady.
"Our Language Of Love" w.m. Monte Norman, David Heneker, Julian More, Alexander Breffort & Marguerite Monnot
"The Party's Over" w. Betty Comden & Adolph Green m. Jule Styne. Introduced by Judy Holliday in the musical Bells Are Ringing.
"The Portuguese Washerwomen" (Original title "Las Lavanderas De Portugal") m. André Popp & Roger Lucchesi
"Que Sera, Sera" w.m. Jay Livingston & Ray Evans
"The Rain In Spain" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe. Introduced by Julie Andrews, Rex Harrison and Robert Coote in the musical My Fair Lady.
"Rock With The Caveman" Steele, Pratt, Lionel Bart, Frank Chacksfield
"Roll Over Beethoven" w.m. Chuck Berry
"A Rose And A Baby Ruth" w.m. John D. Loudermilk
"Round And Round" w.m. Lou Stallman & Joe Shapiro
"Shape Of Things" w.m. Sheldon Harnick
"Show Me" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe. Introduced by Julie Andrews in the musical My Fair Lady
"Singing The Blues" w.m. Melvin Endsley
"(A Little Boy Called) Smiley" Clyde Collins
"Soft Summer Breeze" w. Judy Spencer m. Eddie Heywood
"Somebody Up There Likes Me" w. Sammy Cahn m. Bronislau Kaper
"Somebody Somewhere" w.m. Frank Loesser
"Song For A Summer Night" w.m. Robert Allen
"Standing On The Corner" w.m. Frank Loesser. Introduced by Shorty Long, Alan Gilbert, John Henson and Roy Lazarus in the musical The Most Happy Fella.
"Sweet Heartaches" w.m. Nat Simon & Jimmy Kennedy
"A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl" w.m. Bob Merrill
"A Tear Fell" w.m. Eugene Randolph & Dorian Burton
"Teen Age Crush" w.m. Audrey Allison & Joe Allison
"Theme From Picnic" w. Steve Allen m. George Duning
"There's Never Been Anyone Else But You" w. Paul Francis Webster m. Dimitri Tiomkin
"This Could Be The Start Of Something" w.m. Steve Allen
"This Is What I Call Love" w. Matt Dubey m. Harold Karr
"A Thousand Miles Away" J. Shephard, N. H. Miller
"Too Close For Comfort" w. Larry Holofcener & George David Weiss m. Jerry Bock
"Too Much" w.m. Lee Rosenberg & Bernard Weinman
"A Town Like Alice" w.m. Letty Katts
"Transfusion" w.m. Jimmy Drake
"True Love" w.m. Cole Porter. Introduced by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly in the film High Society.
"Two Different Worlds" w. Sid Wayne m. Al Frisch
"Walk Hand In Hand" w.m. Johnny Cowell
"Warm All Over" w.m. Frank Loesser
"The Wayward Wind" w.m. Stan Lebowsky & Herb Newman
"When Sunny Gets Blue" w. Jack Segal m. Marvin Fisher
"Who Needs You" w. Al Stillman m. Robert Allen
"Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" w.m. Cole Porter. Introduced by Celeste Holm and Frank Sinatra in the film High Society.
"With A Little Bit Of Luck" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe. Introduced by Stanley Holloway in the musical My Fair Lady.
"Without You" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe. Introduced by Julie Andrews in the musical My Fair Lady.
"Wouldn't It Be Loverly?" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe. Introduced by Julie Andrews in the musical My Fair Lady. Performed in the 1964 film by Marni Nixon dubbing for Audrey Hepburn.
"Wringle, Wrangle" w.m. Stan Jones. Introduced by Fess Parker in the film Westward Ho, The Wagons!
"Written on the Wind" w.m. Sammy Cahn & Victor Young
"Ying Tong Song" w.m. Spike Milligan
"Young Love" w.m. Carole Joyner & Ric Cartey

Classical music

Samuel Barber - Summer Music for wind quintet
Reginald Smith Brindle - El Polifemo de Oro
Mario Davidovsky - Three Pieces for Woodwind Quartet
Mario Davidovsky - Noneti for Nine Instruments
Armstrong Gibbs - Threnody
Karl Amadeus Hartmann - Symphony No. 1 Versuch eines Requiems
Lars-Erik Larsson - Concertino for Violin
Peter Mennin - Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, Sonata Concertante, for Violin and Piano
Luigi Nono - Il Canto Sospeso
Vincent Persichetti - Symphony No. 6 for Band
Francis Poulenc - Dernier poème
Ned Rorem - Symphony No. 2
Miklós Rózsa - Concerto for Violin
Edmund Rubbra - Piano Concerto in G Op. 85
Roger Sessions - Piano Concerto
Dmitri Shostakovich - String Quartet No.6 in G major Op. 101
Sándor Szokolay - Violin Concerto Op. 13
Mieczyslaw Weinberg - Piano Sonata No. 5 in A minor op. 58
William Walton - Cello Concerto

Opera

Douglas Moore - The Ballad of Baby Doe
Robert Ward - He Who Gets Slapped; libretto by Bernard Stambler

At The Drop Of A Hat     London revue opened at the New Lindsey Theatre on December 31 and transferred to the Fortune Theatre on January 24, 1957 for a total run of 808 performances
Bells Are Ringing     Broadway production opened at the Shubert Theatre on November 29 and ran for 924 performances
Candide (Leonard Bernstein) - Broadway production opened at the Martin Beck Theatre on December 1 and ran for 73 performances
Fanny     London production opened at the Drury Lane Theatre on November 15 and ran for 347 performances
Happy Hunting Broadway production opened at the Majestic Theatre on December 6 and ran for 412 performances
Irma La Douce     Paris production opened at the Théâtre Gramont on November 12
Li'l Abner (Gene De Paul and Johnny Mercer) - Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre on November 15 and ran for 693 performances
The Most Happy Fella     Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on May 3 and ran for 676 performances
Mr Wonderful     Broadway production opened at the Broadway Theatre on March 22 and ran for 383 performances
My Fair Lady (Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe) - Broadway production opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on March 15 and ran for 2717 performances
Plain And Fancy     London production opened at the Drury Lane Theatre on January 25

Carousel
The Court Jester
High Society
The King and I
King's Rhapsody
The Vagabond King

Births

January 3 - Julie Miller, singer
January 4 - Bernard Albrecht/Summer, Joy Division, New Order
January 17 - Paul Young
January 25 - Andy Cox, The Beat, Fine Young Cannibals
January 31 - Johnny Rotten, The Sex Pistols
February 3 - Lee Renaldo, Sonic Youth
February 13 - Peter Hook, Joy Division, New Order
March 2 - John Cowsill, The Cowsills
March 12 - Steve Harris, Iron Maiden
May 9 - John Jay Ruskin, fiddle player
May 25 - Sugar Minott, singer
June 6 - Kenny G
June 23 - Glenn Danzig, leader of Danzig
July 15 - Ian Curtis, Joy Division
July 20 - Paul Cook, The Sex Pistols
August 27 - Glen Matlock, The Sex Pistols
September 10 - Siobhan Fahey
September 22 - Debby Boone
September 30 - Basia
October 2 - Freddie Jackson
October 23 - Dwight Yoakam
October 25 - Matthias Jabs, The Scorpions
November 4 – Igor Talkov, Russian singer/songwriter (d. 1991)
December 6 - Peter Buck, R.E.M.
December 8 - Warren Cuccurullo of Missing Persons, Duran Duran
December 23 - Dave Murray, Iron Maiden
December 28 - Nigel Kennedy, violinist

Deaths

January 4 - Alexander Gretchaninoff, composer
January 5 - Mistinguett
January 27 - Erich Kleiber, conductor
February 18 - Gustave Charpentier, composer
March 11 - Sergei Vasilenko, Russian composer
June 11 - Frankie Trumbauer, US saxophonist, bandleader and sometime singer
June 23 - Reinhold Glière, composer
September 27 - Gerald Finzi, composer
October 1 - Albert Von Tilzer
October 19 - Isham Jones, US bandleader and composer
November 24 - Guido Cantelli, conductor
November 26 - Tommy Dorsey
December 7 - Henry Fillmore

Awards

Eurovision Song Contest 1956

External Charts

[Pop Culture Madness 1956 Pop Music Chart]

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