Events in Music History in 1945

Prokofiev's 5th Symphony

Jan 13 Sergei Prokofiev's 5th Symphony premieres by the USSR State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Prokofiev, in the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory

Jan 27 S Romberg, H&D Fields' musical premieres in NYC
Feb 10 "Rum and Coca-Cola" by the Andrews Sisters hits #1

17th Academy Awards

Mar 15 17th Academy Awards: "Going My Way", Bing Crosby & Ingrid Bergman win

Mar 15 Billboard publishes its 1st album chart (King Cole Trio is #1)

It's Only a Paper Moon

Mar 27 Ella Fitzgerald and Delta Rhythm Boys record the Harold Arlen-Yip Harburg-Billy Rose song "It's Only a Paper Moon"

Metamorphosen

Apr 12 Richard Strauss completes his "Metamorphosen"

Carousel

Apr 19 Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's musical "Carousel" opens at the Majestic Theatre, NYC; runs for 890 performances

Rubberlegs

Apr 24 Miles Davis makes recording debut with the Herbie Fields Orchestra, backing singer "Rubberlegs" Wilson, at Savoy Records Studio, Newark, New Jersey

Peter Grimes

Jun 5 Benjamin Britten's opera "Peter Grimes" premieres in London

Music History

Aug 22 Noël Coward's revue "Sigh no More" premieres in London

Playwright, Director and Singer Noël Coward

Music History

Aug 30 Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 9th Symphony

Cavalcade of Jazz

Sep 23 First Cavalcade of Jazz outdoor concert held at Wrigley Field, Los Angeles with Count Basie, Valaida Snow and others

Jazz Pianist, Bandleader, and Composer Count Basie

Sep 27 Baldwin Bergerson's musical "Carib Song" opens at Adelphi Theater, NYC; runs for 36 performances

Elvis Comes Fifth in Talent Show

Oct 3 Elvis Presley's 1st public performance, at age of 10, singing "Old Shep" in youth talent contest at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show, in Tupelo, Mississippi; contest is broadcast over WELO Radio, he wins fifth prize - $5.00 in fair ride tickets

Ten-year-old Elvis, second from right and wearing glasses, with talent show winners

Music Premiere

Oct 6 Frédéric Chopin (as adapted by Bronislaw Kaper) and John LaTouche's musical "Polonaise", based on the life of Polish-American patriot Tadeusz Kościuszko, opens at the Alvin Theatre, later transferring to the Adelphi, NYC; runs for 113 performances

Military Leader and Statesman Tadeusz Kościuszko

Oct 18 Paul Robeson wins Spingarn Medal for singing and acting achievements
Oct 27 Baldwin Bergerson's musical "Carib Song" closes at Adelphi Theater, NYC, after 36 performances
Nov 3 Dmitri Shostakovich's 9th Symphony premieres in 25th season opening concert of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, under Yevgeny Mravinsky
Nov 8 Jacques Belasco and Kay Twomey's musical "The Girl from Nantucket" opens at Adelphi Theater, NYC; runs for 12 performances
Nov 10 Harry Revel and Arnold B. Horwitt's musical comedy "Are You with It?" opens at Century Theater, NYC, later moving to the Shubert Theatre; runs for 264 performances
Nov 17 "Girl from Nantucket" closes at Adelphi Theater NYC after 12 performances
Nov 17 Jacques Belasco and Kay Twomey's musical "The Girl from Nantucket" closes at Adelphi Theater, NYC, after 12 performances

Schoenberg's Prelude

Nov 18 Arnold Schoenberg's Prelude for orchestra & mixed choir, premieres

Nov 21 Benjamin Britten's String Quartet No. 2 premieres at the Wigmore Hall, London, played by the Zorian Quartet

Music History

Nov 22 Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe.'s musical "The Day Before Spring" opens at National Theater, NYC; runs for 167 performances

Brief Encounter

Nov 26 "Brief Encounter", based on Noël Coward's one-act play "Still Life", directed by David Lean and starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard is released

Greatest Jazz Session Ever

Nov 26 Charlie "Bird" Parker leads recording session for the Savoy label marketed as the "greatest Jazz session ever" with Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis