1934 in music

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

List of years in music (table)
In radio
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
In television
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
+...

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1934.

Specific locations[edit]

Specific genres[edit]

Events[edit]

Published popular music[edit]

Cole Porter in 1934

Top Popular Recordings[edit]

The Great Depression continued to wreak havoc on the American record industry in 1934. The Grigsby-Grunow Company, owner of Columbia Phonograph Company, failed, and Columbia was put up for sale. Columbia operations, catalogue and trademarks, as well as Okeh Records, were purchased by the American Record Corporation (ARC) for $70,000 in July 1934. Columbia's pressing and warehouse facilities, along with equipment and machines, were absorbed by ARC, but for the next four years, both labels were dormant. Decca Records, Ltd., London, UK, formed Decca Records, Inc. in the United States, and began operations in August 1934. Three former Brunswick managers, including Jack Kapp, were hired.

The top popular records of 1934 listed below were compiled from Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954,[2] record sales reported on the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, and other sources as specified. Numerical rankings are approximate, there were no Billboard charts in 1934, the numbers are only used for a frame of reference.

Rank Artist Title Label Recorded Released Chart positions
1 Bing Crosby "June in January"[3] Decca 310 November 9, 1934 (1934-11-09) November 24, 1934 (1934-11-24) US Billboard 1934 #1, US #1 for 7 weeks, 12 total weeks
2 Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra (Vocal Bob Lawrence) "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"[4] Victor 24455 November 3, 1933 (1933-11-03) December 9, 1933 (1933-12-09) US Billboard US BB 1934 #2, US #1 for 6 weeks, 15 total weeks, Jazz Standards
3 Bing Crosby "Love in Bloom"[5] Brunswick 6936 July 5, 1934 (1934-07-05) August 4, 1934 (1934-08-04) US Billboard 1934 #3, US #1 for 6 weeks, 15 total weeks
4 Duke Ellington and His Orchestra "Cocktails for Two"[6] Victor 24617 April 12, 1934 (1934-04-12) May 9, 1934 (1934-05-09) US Billboard 1934 #4, US #1 for 5 weeks, 15 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2007
5 Ray Noble and His Orchestra (Vocal Al Bowlly) "The Very Thought of You"[7] Victor 24657 April 21, 1934 (1934-04-21) June 20, 1934 (1934-06-20) US Billboard 1934 #5, US #1 for 5 weeks, 14 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2005
6 Ted Fio Rito and His Orchestra "I'll String Along with You"[5] Brunswick 6936 March 1, 1934 (1934-03-01) April 1934 (1934-04) US Billboard 1934 #6, US #1 for 5 weeks, 14 total weeks
7 Bing Crosby "Little Dutch Mill"[5] Brunswick 6794 March 10, 1934 (1934-03-10) March 31, 1934 (1934-03-31) US Billboard 1934 #7, US #1 for 5 weeks, 11 total weeks
8 Eddy Duchin and His Orchestra "Let's Fall in Love"[8] Victor 24510 January 5, 1934 (1934-01-05) January 17, 1934 (1934-01-17) US Billboard 1934 #8, US #1 for 5 weeks, 11 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1936)
9 Freddy Martin and His Orchestra "I Saw Stars"[5] Brunswick 6948 August 3, 1934 (1934-08-03) September 1934 (1934-09) US Billboard 1934 #9, US #1 for 4 weeks, 11 total weeks
10 Grace Moore and Metropolitan Orchestra "One Night of Love"[5] Brunswick 6994 October 3, 1934 (1934-10-03) November 1934 (1934-11) US Billboard 1934 #10, US #1 for 4 weeks, 10 total weeks
11 Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians "Stars Fell on Alabama"[9] Decca 104 August 27, 1934 (1934-08-27) October 1934 (1934-10) US Billboard 1934 #11, US #1 for 4 weeks, 9 total weeks, Jazz Standards 1934
12 Ray Noble and His Orchestra (Vocal Al Bowlly) "The Old Spinning Wheel" Victor 24357 May 10, 1933 (1933-05-10) October 1933 (1933-10) US Billboard 1934 #12, US #1 for 3 weeks, 22 total weeks
13 Jimmie Grier and His Orchestra "Stay as Sweet as You Are"[10] Brunswick 7307 October 5, 1934 (1934-10-05) November 1934 (1934-11) US Billboard 1934 #13, US #1 for 3 weeks, 8 total weeks
14 Jan Garber and His Orchestra "All I Do Is Dream Of You"[11] Victor 24629 May 8, 1934 (1934-05-08) June 23, 1934 (1934-06-23) US Billboard 1934 #14, US #1 for 2 weeks, 14 total weeks
15 Jimmie Grier and His Coconut Grove Orchestra "The Object of My Affection"[10] Brunswick 7308 October 5, 1934 (1934-10-05) November 1934 (1934-11) US Billboard 1934 #15, US #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks
16 Enric Madriguera and His Orchestra "The Carioca"[12] Columbia 2885 January 24, 1934 (1934-01-24) March 1934 (1934-03) US Billboard 1934 #16, US #1 for 2 weeks, 10 total weeks
17 Leo Reisman "The Continental"[5] Brunswick 6973 May 7, 1934 (1934-05-07) June 1934 (1934-06) US Billboard 1934 #17, US #1 for 2 weeks, 7 total weeks
18 Benny Goodman and His Orchestra "Moon Glow"[12] Columbia 2927 May 14, 1934 (1934-05-14) June 1934 (1934-06) US Billboard 1934 #18, US #1 for 1 week, 15 total weeks
19 Ted Fio Rito & His Orchestra "My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii"[5] Brunswick 6936 December 13, 1933 (1933-12-13) January 1934 (1934-01) US Billboard 1934 #19, US #1 for 1 week, 14 total weeks
20 Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra (Vocal Bob Lawrence "Wagon Wheels"[13] Victor 24517 January 10, 1934 (1934-01-10) February 1934 (1934-02) US Billboard 1934 #20, US #1 for 1 week, 12 total weeks

Top Christmas hits[edit]

Classical music[edit]

Premieres[edit]

Composer Composition Date Location Performers
Bartók, Béla Cantata Profana 1934-05-25 London, UK BBC Symphony Orchestra and Wireless Chorus, Aylmer Buesst (conductor), Trefor Jones (tenor), Frank Phillips (baritone) [14]
Bax, Arnold Symphony No. 5 1934-01-15 London, UK London PhilharmonicBeecham[15]
Britten, Benjamin A Boy Was Born 1934-02-23 BBC radio, UK Wireless ChorusWoodgate[16]
Britten, Benjamin Simple Symphony 1934-03-06 Norwich, UK Norwich String Orchestra – Britten [17]
Copland, Aaron Short Symphony 1934-11-23 Mexico City Mexico SymphonyChávez[18]
Glazunov, Alexander Saxophone Concerto 1934-11-26 Nyköping, Sweden Raschèr / Norrköping SymphonyBenner[19]
Hindemith, Paul Mathis der Maler Symphony 1934-03-12 Berlin, Germany Berlin PhilharmonicFurtwängler[20]
Holst, Gustav Lyric Movement 1934-04-18 London, UK BBC SymphonyBoult[21]
Ibert, Jacques Flute Concerto 1934-02-24 Paris, France Moyse / Paris Conservatory Concert Society OrchestraGaubert[22][23]
Jolivet, André String Quartet 1934-03-24 Paris, France Huot Quartet[24]
Rachmaninoff, Sergei Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini 1934-11-07 Baltimore, US Rachmaninov / Philadelphia OrchestraStokowski[25]
Shostakovich, Dmitri Cello Sonata 1934-12-25 Leningrad, Soviet Union Kubatsky, Shostakovich [26]
Varèse, Edgard Ecuatorial 1934-04-15 Town Hall, New York City Baromeo / [ensemble, incl. Lichter, Forstat, Weinrich] – Slonimsky[27][28]
Vaughan Williams, Ralph Suite for Viola and Orchestra 1934-11-12 London, UK Tertis / London PhilharmonicSargent[15]

Compositions[edit]

Opera[edit]

Film[edit]

Jazz[edit]

Musical theatre[edit]

Musical films[edit]

Births[edit]

Deaths[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Bathgate, Gordon (2012). Voices from the Ether: The History of Radio. Lulu.com. ISBN 9781471628610. Retrieved 2018-06-05.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954. Record Research.
  3. ^ "Decca matrix DLA 71. June in January / Bing Crosby – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  4. ^ "Victor matrix BS-78511. (When your heart's on fire) Smoke gets in your eyes / Bob Lawrence ; Paul Whiteman Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "Brunswick 78rpm numerical listing discography: 6500–7000". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  6. ^ "Victor matrix PBS-79156. Cocktails for two / Duke Ellington Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  7. ^ "Gramophone matrix 0B6874. The very thought of you / Ray Noble Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  8. ^ "Victor matrix BS-81037. Let's fall in love / Eddy Duchin Orchestra ; Lew Sherwood – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  9. ^ "Decca matrix 38444. Stars fell in Alabama / Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  10. ^ a b "Brunswick 78rpm numerical listing discography: 7300–7500". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  11. ^ "Victor matrix BS-80505. All I do is dream of you / Fritz Heilbron ; Jan Garber Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  12. ^ a b "COLUMBIA 78rpm numerical listing discography: 2500-D to 3000-D". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  13. ^ "Victor matrix BS-81064. Wagon wheels / Bob Lawrence ; Paul Whiteman Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  14. ^ Gillies, Malcolm. "Bartók, Béla". Grove Music Online, Oxford University Press, 2007– . accessed 11 October 2013.
  15. ^ a b London Philharmonic
  16. ^ "A Boy was Born". Britten Thematic Catalogue. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  17. ^ "Benjamin Britten: Simple Symphony" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  18. ^ "Aaron Copland: Short Symphony" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  19. ^ Interlude
  20. ^ Paul Hindemith: A Guide to Research
  21. ^ Hyperion Records
  22. ^ Flutepage
  23. ^ Iseguacidepan
  24. ^ "André Jolivet: String Quartet" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  25. ^ "San Francisco Symphony Orchestra". Archived from the original on 2016-04-12. Retrieved 2016-04-22.
  26. ^ "Dmitri Shostakovich: Cello Sonata" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  27. ^ "Edgard Varèse: Ecuatorial" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  28. ^ H[oward]. T[aubman]., "New Music by Pan-Americans", The New York Times (16 April): 2.
  29. ^ David Carter (2010). East Asian Cinema. Kamera Books. ISBN 9781842433805.
  30. ^ "Mister Cinders". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on September 17, 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  31. ^ Schroeder, David (2012). "4". Hitchcock's Ear: Music and the Director's Art. London: Continuum International Publishing Group.
  32. ^ McCann, Bob (2009). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. p. 31. ISBN 9780786458042.