1961 in British music: Difference between revisions

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This is a summary of 1961 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.

Summary

Popular music in the UK was still dominated by American acts. Skiffle and traditional jazz were still popular.^[1]

Events

18 March - The Allisons represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest, held at Cannes in France. They finish second with "Are You Sure?", a song the duo wrote themselves. The song sells a million copies and goes to number 2 in the official UK singles chart (#1 in some charts).^[2]
21 March – The Beatles perform at the Cavern Club for the first time.
The Leeds International Pianoforte Competition is founded by Marion, Countess of Harewood and Fanny Waterman (first competition held in 1963).

The Official UK Singles Chart

See also List of UK top 10 singles in 1961

Classical music: new works

Malcolm Arnold – Symphony No. 5
Benjamin Britten – Cello Sonata
Alun Hoddinott – Concerto for Piano, Winds and Percussion
Nicholas Maw - Our Lady's Song
Alan Rawsthorne – Concerto for Ten Instruments^[3]

Opera

Grace Williams – The Parlour^[4]

Musical theatre

The London production of Do Re Mi opened at the Prince of Wales Theatre on October 12 and ran for 169 performances
The London production of The Music Man opened at the Adelphi Theatre on March 16. Starring Van Johnson, Patricia Lambert, Ruth Kettlewell and Dennis Waterman.
London revival of Salad Days (Julian Slade), at Prince's Theatre
The London production of The Sound of Music (Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse) opened at the Palace Theatre and ran for 2385 performances.
Stop the World – I Want to Get Off (Music, Lyrics and Book: Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse) opened at the Queen's Theatre on July 20 and ran for 485 performances.
Wildest Dreams (by Julian Slade) opened at the Vaudeville Theatre on August 3 and ran for 76 performances.

Musical films

The Young Ones, starring Cliff Richard

Births

13 January – Suggs, singer (Madness)
27 January – Gillian Gilbert (New Order)
16 February – Andy Taylor, guitarist (Duran Duran)
20 March – Slim Jim Phantom (The Stray Cats)
1 April
- Susan Boyle, Scottish singer
- Mark White (ABC)
28 April – Roland Gift, singer (Fine Young Cannibals)
7 May - Phil Campbell, (Motörhead)
18 May - Russell Senior, guitarist and violinist (Pulp)
20 May – Nick Heyward, singer-songwriter
14 June – Boy George, singer
18 June – Alison Moyet, singer
22 June – Jimmy Somerville, British singer
24 June – Curt Smith, singer (Tears for Fears)
25 June – Ricky Gervais, comedian and singer
23 July – Martin Gore, rock musician and songwriter
13 August - Stuart Maconie, DJ and music critic
15 August – Matt Johnson, singer-songwriter
22 August - Roland Orzabal (Tears for Fears)
23 August - Mark Bedford (Madness)
28 August – Kim Appleby, singer (Mel and Kim)
22 November - Stephen Hough, pianist
17 December – Sara Dallin, vocalist (Bananarama)
29 December – Jim Reid, vocalist (Jesus and Mary Chain)

Deaths

January – Margaret Balfour, mezzo-soprano, 69
26 February - Lee Lawrence, singer, 40 (heart attack)
6 March – George Formby, music hall comedian, singer & songwriter and ukulele player extraordinaire, 56 (heart attack)
8 March – Sir Thomas Beecham, conductor, 81
7 April - W. Arundel Orchard, organist, pianist, composer and conductor, 93
14 August - Heddle Nash, operatic tenor, 67
15 August - Katharine Emily Eggar, pianist, 87
23 November - York Bowen, pianist and composer, 77
25 November - Adelina de Lara, pianist and composer, 89
30 November - Winifred Lawson, opera and concert soprano, 69
30 December - Boris Ord, organist and choirmaster, 64

References

^ John Covach "What's That Sound?". Accessed 17 February 2013
^ Rees, Dafydd; Lazell, Barry; Osborne, Roger (1995). Forty Years of "NME" Charts (2nd ed.). Pan Macmillan. p. 99. ISBN 0-7522-0829-2.
^ "Classical Composers Database:Alan Rawsthorne". Retrieved May 15, 2009.
^ Boyd, Malcolm (1996). Grace Williams. University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-1372-8.

[1] John Covach "What's That Sound?". Accessed 17 February 2013

[2] Rees, Dafydd; Lazell, Barry; Osborne, Roger (1995). Forty Years of "NME" Charts (2nd ed.). Pan Macmillan. p. 99. ISBN 0-7522-0829-2.

[3] "Classical Composers Database:Alan Rawsthorne". Retrieved May 15, 2009.

[4] Boyd, Malcolm (1996). Grace Williams. University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-1372-8.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-This is a summary of '''1961 in music''' in the [[United Kingdom]], including the official charts from that year.
+This is a summary of '''1961 in music''' in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
 ==Summary==
@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 ==Events==
-*[[18 March]] - [[The Allisons]] represent the UK in the [[Eurovision Song Contest 1961|Eurovision Song Contest]], held at Cannes in France.  They finish second with "[[Are You Sure?]]", a song the duo wrote themselves.  The song sells a million copies and goes to number 2 in the official UK singles chart (#1 in some charts).<ref>{{cite book|last3=Osborne|first3=Roger|first=Dafydd|last=Rees|first2=Barry|last2=Lazell|title=Forty Years of "NME" Charts|edition=2nd|year=1995|publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers|Pan Macmillan]]|isbn=0-7522-0829-2|page=99}}</ref>
+*18 March - [[The Allisons]] represent the UK in the [[Eurovision Song Contest 1961|Eurovision Song Contest]], held at Cannes in France.  They finish second with "[[Are You Sure?]]", a song the duo wrote themselves.  The song sells a million copies and goes to number 2 in the official UK singles chart (#1 in some charts).<ref>{{cite book|last3=Osborne|first3=Roger|first=Dafydd|last=Rees|first2=Barry|last2=Lazell|title=Forty Years of "NME" Charts|edition=2nd|year=1995|publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers|Pan Macmillan]]|isbn=0-7522-0829-2|page=99}}</ref>
-*[[21 March]] – [[The Beatles]] perform at the [[Cavern Club]] for the first time.
+*21 March – [[The Beatles]] perform at the [[Cavern Club]] for the first time.
 *The [[Leeds International Pianoforte Competition]] is founded by [[Marion, Countess of Harewood]] and [[Fanny Waterman]] (first competition held in 1963).
@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 ==Musical theatre==
-*The London production of ''[[Do Re Mi (musical)|Do-Re-Mi]]'' opened at the [[Prince of Wales Theatre]] on October 12 and ran for 169 performances
+*The London production of ''[[Do Re Mi (musical)|Do Re Mi]]'' opened at the [[Prince of Wales Theatre]] on October 12 and ran for 169 performances
 *The London production of ''[[The Music Man]]'' opened at the [[Adelphi Theatre]] on March 16.  Starring [[Van Johnson]], [[Patricia Lambert]], [[Ruth Kettlewell]] and [[Dennis Waterman]].
 *London revival of ''[[Salad Days (musical)|Salad Days]]'' ([[Julian Slade]]), at [[Prince's Theatre]]
@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 ==Births==
-*[[13 January]] – [[Suggs (singer)|Suggs]], singer ([[Madness (band)|Madness]])
+*13 January – [[Suggs (singer)|Suggs]], singer ([[Madness (band)|Madness]])
-*[[27 January]] – [[Gillian Gilbert]] ([[New Order]])
+*27 January – [[Gillian Gilbert]] ([[New Order]])
-*[[16 February]] – [[Andy Taylor (guitarist)|Andy Taylor]], guitarist ([[Duran Duran]])
+*16 February – [[Andy Taylor (guitarist)|Andy Taylor]], guitarist ([[Duran Duran]])
-*[[20 March]] – [[Slim Jim Phantom]] ([[The Stray Cats]])
+*20 March – [[Slim Jim Phantom]] ([[The Stray Cats]])
-*[[1 April]]
+*1 April
 **[[Susan Boyle]], Scottish singer
 **[[Mark White (musician)|Mark White]] ([[ABC (band)|ABC]])
-*[[28 April]] – [[Roland Gift]], singer ([[Fine Young Cannibals]])
+*28 April – [[Roland Gift]], singer ([[Fine Young Cannibals]])
-*[[7 May]] - [[Phil Campbell (musician)|Phil Campbell]], ([[Motörhead]])
+*7 May - [[Phil Campbell (musician)|Phil Campbell]], ([[Motörhead]])
-*[[18 May]] - [[Russell Senior]], guitarist and violinist ([[Pulp (band)|Pulp]])
+*18 May - [[Russell Senior]], guitarist and violinist ([[Pulp (band)|Pulp]])
-*[[20 May]] – [[Nick Heyward]], singer-songwriter
+*20 May – [[Nick Heyward]], singer-songwriter
-*[[14 June]] – [[Boy George]], singer
+*14 June – [[Boy George]], singer
-*[[18 June]] – [[Alison Moyet]], singer
+*18 June – [[Alison Moyet]], singer
-*[[22 June]] – [[Jimmy Somerville]], British singer
+*22 June – [[Jimmy Somerville]], British singer
-*[[24 June]] – [[Curt Smith]], singer ([[Tears for Fears]])
+*24 June – [[Curt Smith]], singer ([[Tears for Fears]])
-*[[25 June]] – [[Ricky Gervais]], comedian and singer
+*25 June – [[Ricky Gervais]], comedian and singer
-*[[23 July]] – [[Martin Gore]], rock musician and songwriter
+*23 July – [[Martin Gore]], rock musician and songwriter
-*[[13 August]] - [[Stuart Maconie]], DJ and music critic
+*13 August - [[Stuart Maconie]], DJ and music critic
-*[[15 August]] – [[Matt Johnson (singer)|Matt Johnson]], singer-songwriter
+*15 August – [[Matt Johnson (singer)|Matt Johnson]], singer-songwriter
-*[[22 August]] - [[Roland Orzabal]] (Tears for Fears)
+*22 August - [[Roland Orzabal]] (Tears for Fears)
-*[[23 August]] - [[Mark Bedford]] ([[Madness (band)|Madness]])
+*23 August - [[Mark Bedford]] ([[Madness (band)|Madness]])
-*[[28 August]] – [[Kim Appleby]], singer ([[Mel and Kim]])
+*28 August – [[Kim Appleby]], singer ([[Mel and Kim]])
-*[[22 November]] - [[Stephen Hough]], pianist
+*22 November - [[Stephen Hough]], pianist
-*[[17 December]] – [[Sarah Dallin]], vocalist ([[Bananarama]])
+*17 December – [[Sara Dallin]], vocalist ([[Bananarama]])
-*[[29 December]] – [[Jim Reid]], vocalist ([[Jesus and Mary Chain]])
+*29 December – [[Jim Reid]], vocalist ([[Jesus and Mary Chain]])
 ==Deaths==
 *January – [[Margaret Balfour]], mezzo-soprano, 69
-*[[26 February]] - [[Lee Lawrence]], singer, 40 (heart attack)
+*26 February - [[Lee Lawrence]], singer, 40 (heart attack)
-*[[6 March]] – [[George Formby, Jr.|George Formby]], [[music hall]] comedian, singer & songwriter and [[ukulele]] player extraordinaire, 56 (heart attack)
+*6 March – [[George Formby]], [[music hall]] comedian, singer & songwriter and [[ukulele]] player extraordinaire, 56 (heart attack)
-*[[8 March]] – Sir [[Thomas Beecham]], conductor, 81
+*8 March – Sir [[Thomas Beecham]], conductor, 81
-*[[7 April]] - [[W. Arundel Orchard]], organist, pianist, composer and conductor, 93
+*7 April - [[W. Arundel Orchard]], organist, pianist, composer and conductor, 93
-*[[14 August]] - [[Heddle Nash]], operatic tenor, 67
+*14 August - [[Heddle Nash]], operatic tenor, 67
-*[[15 August]] - [[Katharine Emily Eggar]], pianist, 87
+*15 August - [[Katharine Emily Eggar]], pianist, 87
-*[[23 November]] - [[York Bowen]], pianist and composer, 77
+*23 November - [[York Bowen]], pianist and composer, 77
-*[[25 November]] - [[Adelina de Lara]], pianist and composer, 89
+*25 November - [[Adelina de Lara]], pianist and composer, 89
-*[[30 November]] - [[Winifred Lawson]], opera and concert soprano, 69
+*30 November - [[Winifred Lawson]], opera and concert soprano, 69
-*[[30 December]] - [[Boris Ord]], organist and choirmaster, 64
+*30 December - [[Boris Ord]], organist and choirmaster, 64
 ==References==