Editing 1953 in music

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{YYYY music|1953}}
{{Year nav topic5|1953|music|radio|television|film}}

[[File:Louis Armstrong NYWTS 3.jpg|right|thumb|Jazz trumpeter and bandleader [[Louis Armstrong]] in 1953.]]
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1953.

==Specific locations==
*[[1953 in British music]]
*[[1953 in Norwegian music]]

==Specific genres==
*[[1953 in country music]]
*[[1953 in jazz]]

==Events==
*[[February 6]] – Contralto [[Kathleen Ferrier]], already terminally ill with cancer, leaves Covent Garden Opera House in London on a stretcher after being taken ill on the second night of her run in Gluck's ''Orfeo ed Euridice''.<ref>{{cite book|editor-link=Christopher Fifield|editor-last=Fifield|editor-first=Christopher|title=Letters and Diaries of Kathleen Ferrier|publisher=Boydell Press|location=Woodbridge, Suffolk|year=2003|isbn=1-84383-012-4|pages=183–4}}</ref>
*[[March 12]] – [[Heinrich Sutermeister]]'s opera ''[[Romeo und Julia (Sutermeister opera)|Romeo und Julia]]'' receives its English première at [[Sadler's Wells Theatre]] in London, conducted by [[James Robertson (conductor)|James Robertson]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=Sadler's Wells|date=25 March 1953|journal=The Tatler
|page=17}}</ref>
*April – [[Pat Boone]] begins his recording career at Republic Records.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-09-02 |title=AmericanHeritage.com / More Mr. Nice Guy |url=http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/2006/1/2006_1_28.shtml |access-date=2022-03-11 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100902150344/http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/2006/1/2006_1_28.shtml |archive-date=2 September 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[May 26]] – [[Werner Meyer-Eppler]], Fritz Enkel, [[Herbert Eimert]] and Robert Beyer open a pioneering electronic music studio at the Cologne studios of the [[Westdeutscher Rundfunk|NWDR]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Morawska-Büngeler|first=Marietta|year=1988|title=Schwingende Elektronen: Eine Dokumentation über das Studio für Elektronische Musik des Westdeutschen Rundfunks in Köln 1951–1986|location=Cologne-Rodenkirchen|publisher=P. J. Tonger Verlag|pages=11–12}}</ref>
*[[May 30]] - [[Shirley Booth]], [[Dino Di Luca]] and [[John Serry Sr.]] collaborate for the last time in the final performance of ''[[The Time of the Cuckoo]]'' at the closing of the [[Empire Theatre (41st Street)|Empire Theatre]] in New York City.<ref name="article12">''New York Journal-American'' (see the photograph of Serry's signature inscribed with signatures of other members of the cast on the stage door of the Empire Theatre at the closing of the play ''[[The Time of the Cuckoo]]''), May 25, 1953, p. 15</ref><ref name="OxErAAAAIBAJ 2350, p. 12">[https://books.google.com/books?id=OxErAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22John+Serry&pg=PA12&article_id=2350,124787 "Celebrating National Music Week - Accordion Concert" : John Serry - p. 12...appearing with award winner Shirly Booth in "Time of the Cuckoo" See photograph and caption of John Serry in the "Reading Eagle" April 19, 1953 p. 12 on Google Books]</ref><ref>[https://www.esm.rochester.edu/sibley/files/John-J-Serry-Sr-Collection.pdf Eastman School of Music - University of Rochester - Sibley Music Library: John J. Serry Sr. Collection - Series 3: Scrapbook - contains a clipping with a photograph from the "New York Journal American" May 25, 1953 p. 15 showing the stage cast door from the Empire Theater with Shirley Booth pointing to signatures of the cast of "The Time of the Cuckoo" which includes John Serry's signature. The John J. Serry Sr. Collection p. 17 Series  3 Scrapbook  Box 3 Item 1 archived at the University of Rochester Eastman School of Music on esm.rochester.edu]</ref>
*[[July 16]]–[[July 29|29]] – The [[Darmstädter Ferienkurse|Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik]] are held at [[Darmstadt]].
*[[July 18]] – [[Elvis Presley's Sun recordings]]: [[Elvis Presley]] makes his first recordings (a copy of which is owned by [[Jack White]] when he wins an auction on eBay in January 2015).
*[[September 27]] – [[Helen Traubel]] ends her long association with the [[Metropolitan Opera]] in New York City after having appeared in Chicago as a night-club singer.<ref>{{cite news|title=Soprano Leaves New York Opera: Night Club Engagement|work=The Times|issue=52738|date=1953-09-27|page=6}}</ref>
*October – Sir [[Arthur Bliss]] replaces Sir [[Arnold Bax]] as [[Master of the Queen's Music]] in the United Kingdom.
* [[October 5]] – [[Wilhelm Furtwängler]] and the soloists in the [[Vienna State Opera]]'s production of ''[[Don Giovanni]]'' publicly protest against the suspension of [[Egon Hilbert]] as administrator of the Burg Theater and State Opera.
* [[October 19]] – Opening of the Covent Garden opera season in London, with a production of [[Richard Wagner|Wagner]]'s ''[[Die Walküre]]''.
* [[October 30]] – [[Ernst Marboe]] is announced as the new administrator of the Vienna State Opera and Burg Theater, replacing Egon Hilbert.
* [[November 2]] – the [[Metropolitan Opera]] announces that a new two-year contract has been agreed with the musicians' union, averting a threatened strike by the orchestra.
* [[November 17]] – [[Carl Ebert]] is announced as the new Intendant of the Städtische Oper, (West) Berlin.
* [[December 7]] – the [[La Scala]] opera season opens with a production of [[Alfredo Catalani]]'s ''[[La Wally]]'', to mark the hundredth anniversary of the composer's birth.
*[[Alfred Schnittke]] becomes a student of [[Evgeny Golubev]].
*[[Frank Sinatra]] begins recording at Capitol.
*"[[Crazy Man, Crazy]]", recorded by [[Bill Haley & His Comets]], becomes the first [[rock and roll]] single to make the ''[[Billboard magazine|Billboard]]'' national American musical charts.
*American singer [[Frankie Laine]] sets the all-time [[United Kingdom]] record for weeks at [[List of Number 1 singles from the 1950s (UK)|Number One]] in a given year on the [[UK Singles Chart]], when his hit singles "Answer Me," "Hey Joe!" and "I Believe" hold the top slot for 27 weeks: a little over half a year. "I Believe", Number One for 18 weeks, also holds the all-time record for a single. Over 50 years later, both records will still hold.
*[[Eddie Fisher]] becomes "The Coca-Cola Kid" on the television show ''[[Coke Time]]'' at a salary of one million dollars a year.
*The [[Allegri Quartet]] is formed in the United Kingdom.
*[[The Platters]] form in Los Angeles.
*The [[Erato Records]] label is founded to promote French classical music.

==Albums released==
*''[[Anita O'Day Collates]]'' – [[Anita O'Day]]
*''[[The Astaire Story]]'' – [[Fred Astaire]]
*''Broadway's Best'' – [[Jo Stafford]]
*''[[By the Light of the Silvery Moon (album)|By the Light of the Silvery Moon]]'' – [[Doris Day]]
*''[[Calamity Jane (album)|Calamity Jane]]'' – Doris Day
*''Country Girl'' – [[Bing Crosby]]
*''Dean Martin Sings'' – [[Dean Martin]]
*''Dinah Shore Sings the Blues'' – [[Dinah Shore]]
*''Georgia Gibbs Sings Oldies'' – [[Georgia Gibbs]]
*''[[Jazz at Massey Hall]]'' – The Quintet
*''Kay Starr Style'' – [[Kay Starr]]
*''[[Let There Be Love (1953 Joni James album)|Let There Be Love]]''&nbsp;– [[Joni James]]
*''May I Sing To You'' – [[Eddie Fisher]]
*''[[New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm]]'' – [[Stan Kenton]]
*''Portrait Of New Orleans'' – Jo Stafford and [[Frankie Laine]]
*''Requested By You'' – [[Frank Sinatra]]
*''Sinatra Sings His Greatest Hits'' – Frank Sinatra
*''[[Songs by Tom Lehrer]]'' – [[Tom Lehrer]]
*''Songs of Open Spaces'' – [[Guy Mitchell]]
*''[[Starring Jo Stafford]]'' – Jo Stafford

==Biggest hit singles==
The following singles achieved the highest [http://tsort.info/music/yr1953.htm chart positions] 
in the limited set of charts available for 1953.

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! <big>#</big>
! <big>Artist</big>
! <big>Title</big>
! Year 
! Country
! Chart entries
|-
| 1  || [[Dean Martin]] || [[That's Amore]] || 1953 || {{flagicon|US}} || US BB 1 of 1953, POP 1 of 1953, UK 2 – Jan 1954, US 1940s 2 – Nov 1953, RYM 2 of 1953, Scrobulate 47 of Italian, DDD 73 of 1953, Party 101 of 2007
|-
| 2  || [[Les Paul]] & [[Mary Ford]] || [[Vaya con Dios (song)|Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)]] || 1953 || {{flagicon|US}} || US 1940s 1 – Jun 1953, US 1 for 11 weeks Aug 1953, Italy 2 of 1954, US BB 3 of 1953, POP 3 of 1953, UK 7 – Nov 1953, RYM 24 of 1953, Europe 97 of the 1950s
|-
| 3  || [[Perry Como]] || [[Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes]] || 1953 || {{flagicon|US}} || UK 1 – Jan 1953, US 1940s 1 – Dec 1952, US 1 for 5 weeks Jan 1953, US BB 20 of 1953, POP 20 of 1953, RYM 31 of 1953
|-
| 4  || [[Eddie Fisher]] || [[I'm Walking Behind You]] || 1953 || {{flagicon|US}} || UK 1 – May 1953, US 1940s 1 – May 1953, US 1 for 2 weeks Jul 1953, US BB 16 of 1953, POP 23 of 1953, RYM 119 of 1953
|-
| 5  || [[Hank Williams]] || [[Your Cheatin' Heart]] || 1953 || {{flagicon|US}} || RYM 1 of 1953, DDD 2 of 1953, US BB 4 of 1953, POP 4 of 1953, RIAA 34, Scrobulate 87 of country, Rolling Stone 213, Acclaimed 286
|}

==US No. 1 hit singles==
These singles reached the top of US [[Billboard magazine]]'s charts in 1953.

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
!First week!!Number of weeks!!Title!!Artist
|-
|January 10, 1953||align="center"|5||"[[Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes]]"||[[Perry Como]]
|-
|February 14, 1953||align="center"|5||"[[Till I Waltz Again With You]]"||[[Teresa Brewer]]
|-
|March 21, 1953||align="center"|8||"[[The Doggie in the Window]]"||[[Patti Page]]
|-
|May 16, 1953||align="center"|10||"[[The Song from Moulin Rouge|The Song from ''Moulin Rouge'']]"||[[Percy Faith]] & his Orchestra
|-
|July 25, 1953||align="center"|2||"[[I'm Walking Behind You]]"||[[Eddie Fisher]]
|-
|August 8, 1953||align="center"|9||"[[Vaya con Dios (song)|Vaya con Dios]]"||[[Les Paul]] & [[Mary Ford]]
|-
|October 10, 1953||align="center"|4||"[[St. George and the Dragonet]]"||[[Stan Freberg]]
|-
|November 7, 1953||align="center"|2||"[[Vaya con Dios (song)|Vaya con Dios]]"||[[Les Paul]] & [[Mary Ford]]
|-
|November 21, 1953||align="center"|6||"[[Rags to Riches (1953 song)|Rags to Riches]]"||[[Tony Bennett]]
|}

==Top hits on record==
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em| 
*"[[Allez-Vous-En]]" – [[Kay Starr]]
*"[[Answer Me, O Lord]]" – [[Frankie Laine]]
*"[[Anywhere I Wander]]" – [[Julius La Rosa]]
*"[[April in Portugal (song)|April in Portugal]]", recorded by
**[[Les Baxter]] Orchestra
**[[Richard Hayman]] Orchestra
**[[Freddy Martin]] Orchestra
**[[Vic Damone]]
*"[[Bye Bye Blues (song)|Bye Bye Blues]]" – [[Les Paul and Mary Ford]]
*"[[Candy Lips]]" - [[Doris Day]] and [[Johnnie Ray]]
*"[[Changing Partners]]" – [[Patti Page]]
*"[[Choo Choo Train (Ch-Ch-Foo)]]" - [[Doris Day]]
*"[[The Doggie in the Window]]" – [[Patti Page]]
*"[[Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes]]" – [[Perry Como]]
*"[[Dragnet (theme song)|Dragnet]]" – [[Ray Anthony]]
*"[[Eh Cumpari]]" – [[Julius LaRosa]]
*"[[Floatin' Down To Cotton Town]]" – [[Frankie Laine]] & [[Jo Stafford]]
*"[[The Gang That Sang Heart Of My Heart]]" – [[The Four Aces]] featuring [[Al Alberts]]
*"[[Going to the River]]" - [[Fats Domino]]
*"[[Granada (song)|Granada]]" – [[Frankie Laine]]
*"[[Half a Photograph]]" – [[Kay Starr]]
*"[[Have You Heard?]]" – [[Joni James]]
*"[[Hey Joe (1953 song)|Hey Joe]]" – [[Frankie Laine]]
*"[[Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo]]" – [[Leslie Caron]] & [[Mel Ferrer]]
*"[[Hound Dog (song)|Hound Dog]]" – [[Big Mama Thornton]]
*"[[I Believe (1953 song)|I Believe]]" – [[Frankie Laine]]
*"[[I'm Walking Behind You]]" – [[Eddie Fisher]]
*"[[Istanbul (Not Constantinople)]]" – [[The Four Lads]]
*"[[The Kid's Last Fight]]" – [[Frankie Laine]]
*"[[Let's Walk That-a-Way]]" - [[Doris Day]] and [[Johnnie Ray]]
*"[[Look At That Girl]]" – [[Guy Mitchell]]
*"[[Make Love to Me (1954 song)|Make Love to Me]]" – [[Jo Stafford]]
*"[[Mister Tap Toe]]" - [[Doris Day]]
*"[[No Other Love (1953 song)|No Other Love]]" – [[Perry Como]]
*"[[O (Oh!)|Oh!]]" – [[Pee Wee Hunt|Pee Wee Hunt and His Orchestra]]
*"[[Oh! My Pa-Pa]]" – [[Eddie Fisher]]
*"[[Outside of Heaven]]" – [[Eddie Fisher]]
*"[[Pretend (1952 song)|Pretend]]" – [[Nat King Cole]]
*"[[Rags to Riches (1953 song)|Rags to Riches]]" – [[Tony Bennett]]
*"[[Ricochet (Teresa Brewer song)|Ricochet]]" – [[Teresa Brewer]]
*"[[Say You're Mine Again]]" – [[Perry Como]]
*"[[Secret Love (1953 song)|Secret Love]]" – [[Doris Day]]
*"[[Seven Lonely Days]]" – [[Georgia Gibbs]]
*"[[Side by Side (1927 song)|Side by Side]]" – [[Kay Starr]]
*"[[The Song from Moulin Rouge]]" – [[Percy Faith]] ([[Felicia Sanders]] vocal)
*"[[Stranger in Paradise (song)|Stranger in Paradise]]" – [[Tony Bennett]]
*"[[Tell Me a Story (Terry Gilkyson song)|Tell Me a Story]]" – [[Jimmy Boyd]] and [[Frankie Laine]]
*"[[Tell Me You're Mine]]" – [[The Gaylords (American vocal group)|The Gaylords]]
*"[[That's Amore]]" – [[Dean Martin]]
*"[[Three Coins in the Fountain (song)|Three Coins in the Fountain]]" – [[Frank Sinatra]]
*"[[The Typewriter]]" – [[Leroy Anderson]] & His Orchestra
*"[[Vaya con Dios (song)|Vaya con Dios]]" – [[Les Paul and Mary Ford]]
*"[[Wishing Ring]]" – [[Joni James]]
*"[[With These Hands (song)|With These Hands]]" – [[Eddie Fisher]]
*"[[Young at Heart (Frank Sinatra song)|Young at Heart]]" – [[Frank Sinatra]]
*"[[Your Cheatin' Heart]]", recorded by
**[[Frankie Laine]]
**[[Joni James]]
}}

==Top R&B and country hits on record==
*"[[The Clock (song)|The Clock]]" – [[Johnny Ace]] with the Beale Streeters
*"[[Hound Dog (song)|Hound Dog]]" – [[Big Mama Thornton]]
*"[[I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know]]"- [[The Davis Sisters (country band)|The Davis Sisters]]
*"[[(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean]]"- [[Ruth Brown]]
*"[[Mess Around]]" – [[Ray Charles]]
*"[[Please Don't Leave Me]]" – [[Fats Domino]]
*"[[Your Cheatin' Heart]]" – [[Hank Williams]]

==Published popular music==
* "[[And This Is My Beloved]]" w. & m. adapted [[Robert Wright (writer)|Robert Wright]] & [[George Forrest (author)|George Forrest]]
* "[[Angel Eyes (1953 song)|Angel Eyes]]" w. Earl Brent m. [[Matt Dennis]]
* "Anna" w.(Eng) William Engvick (Ital) F. Giordano m. R. Vatro
* "[[Answer Me, My Love]]" w. (Eng) [[Carl Sigman]] (Ger) & m. Gerhard Winkler & Fred Ravich
* "[[Baubles, Bangles And Beads]]" w. & m. adapt [[Robert Wright (writer)|Robert Wright]] & [[George Forrest (author)|George Forrest]]. Introduced by [[Doretta Morrow]] in the [[musical theater|musical]] ''[[Kismet (musical)|Kismet]]''
* "[[Bell Bottom Blues (1953 song)|Bell Bottom Blues]]" w. [[Hal David]] m. Leon Carr
* "[[Bimbo (song)|Bimbo]]" w.m. Rodney Morris
* "[[The Black Hills of Dakota (song)|Black Hills Of Dakota]]" w. [[Paul Francis Webster]] m. [[Sammy Fain]]. Introduced by [[Doris Day]] in the film ''[[Calamity Jane (movie)|Calamity Jane]]''.
* "[[The Boy Friend (song)|The Boy Friend]]" w.m. [[Sandy Wilson]].
* "[[Can-Can (song)|Can-Can]]" w.m. [[Cole Porter]]
* "[[Caribbean (song)|Caribbean]]" w.m. [[Mitchell Torok]]
* "[[C'est Magnifique]]" w.m. [[Cole Porter]]. Introduced by [[Lilo (singer)|Lilo]] and [[Peter Cookson]] in the [[musical theater|musical]] ''[[Can-Can (musical)|Can-Can]]''
* "[[Changing Partners]]" w. [[Joe Darion]] m. [[Larry Coleman (composer)|Larry Coleman]]
* "[[Chicka Boom]]" w.m. [[Bob Merrill]]
* "[[Crying In the Chapel]]" w.m. [[Artie Glenn]]
* "[[Cry Me a River (1953 song)|Cry Me a River]]" w.m. [[Arthur Hamilton]]
* "[[Dragnet (theme song)|Dragnet]]" w.m. [[Walter Schumann]]
* "[[Ebb Tide (song)|Ebb Tide]]" w. [[Carl Sigman]] m. Robert Maxwell
* "[[Eh, Cumpari!]]" trad Ital w. m. adapt. [[Julius LaRosa]] & [[Archie Bleyer]]
* "[[Ev'rybody Loves Saturday Night]]" Campbell
* "[[Fate (1953 song)|Fate]]" w. & m. adapt [[Robert Wright (writer)|Robert Wright]] & [[George Forrest (author)|George Forrest]] from music by [[Alexander Borodin]] Adapted from Symphony No. 2 in B Minor. It was introduced by [[Alfred Drake]] and [[Doretta Morrow]] in the musical ''[[Kismet (musical)|Kismet]]''.
* "[[From Here to Eternity (1953 song)|From Here to Eternity]]" w. Robert Wells m. Fred Karger
* "[[Gambler's Guitar]]" w.m. Jim Lowe
* "[[Gee!]]" w.m. Viola Watkins, Daniel Norton & William Davis
* "[[Giddy Up a Ding Dong|Giddy-Up-A Ding Dong]]" w.m. [[Freddie Bell]], [[Pep Lattanzi]]
* "[[Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite]]" James Hudson, Calvin Carter
* "[[Half a Photograph]]" w. [[Bob Russell (songwriter)|Bob Russell]] m. Hal Stanley
* "[[The Happy Wanderer]]" w.(Ger) Florenz Siegesmund & Edith Möller (Eng) Antonia Ridge m. Friedrich Wilhelm Möller
* "[[Here's That Rainy Day]]" w. [[Johnny Burke (lyricist)|Johnny Burke]] m. [[Jimmy Van Heusen]]. Introduced by [[John Raitt]] in the [[musical theater|musical]] ''[[Carnival in Flanders (musical)|Carnival In Flanders]]''.
* "[[Hold My Hand (1953 song)|Hold My Hand]]" w.m. [[Jack Lawrence (songwriter)|Jack Lawrence]] & [[Richard Myers (songwriter)|Richard Myers]]
* "[[I Believe (1953 song)|I Believe]]" w.m. [[Ervin Drake]], [[Jimmy Shirl]], [[Irvin Graham]] & [[Al Stillman]]
* "[[I Can Do Without You]]" w. Paul Francis Webster m. Sammy Fain. Introduced by Doris Day and Howard Keel in the film ''[[Calamity Jane (movie)|Calamity Jane]]''.
* "[[(Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely]]" w.m. Pat Ballard
* "[[I Love Paris]]" w.m. [[Cole Porter]]. Introduced by [[Lilo (singer)|Lilo]] in the [[musical theater|musical]] ''[[Can-Can (musical)|Can-Can]]''
* "[[I Really Don't Want To Know]]" w. [[Howard Barnes]] m. [[Don Robertson (songwriter)|Don Robertson]]
* "[[I'm Walking Behind You]]" w.m. [[Billy Reid (British songwriter)|Billy Reid]]
* "[[Istanbul (Not Constantinople)]]" w. [[Jimmy Kennedy]] m. Nat Simon
* "[[It's All Right With Me]]" w.m. [[Cole Porter]]
* "It's Love" w. [[Betty Comden]] & [[Adolph Green]] m. [[Leonard Bernstein]]. Introduced by [[George Gaynes]] in the musical ''[[Wonderful Town]]''. Performed in the 1955 London production by [[Dennis Bowen (actor)|Dennis Bowen]].
* "[[Just Walkin' In The Rain]]" w.m. Johnny Bragg & Robert S. Riley
* "[[Little Things Mean a Lot]]" w.m. [[Carl Stutz]] & [[Edith Lindeman]]
* "[[Look at That Girl]]" w.m. [[Bob Merrill]]
* "[[Make Love to Me (1954 song)|Make Love to Me]]" w. Alan Copeland & Bill Norvas Music from "[[Tin Roof Blues]]" 1923.
* "[[The Man That Got Away]]" w. [[Ira Gershwin]] m. [[Harold Arlen]]
* "[[The Man With The Banjo]]" w. (Eng) [[Robert Mellin]] m. Fritz Schulz Reichel
* "[[Marriage Type Love]]" w. [[Oscar Hammerstein II]] m. [[Richard Rodgers]]. Introduced by [[Arthur Maxwell (actor)|Arthur Maxwell]] and [[Helena Scott (soprano)|Helena Scott]] in the [[musical theater|musical]] ''[[Me And Juliet]]''.
* "[[Matilda (calypso song)|Matilda, Matilda!]]" w.m. Harry Thomas
* "[[Melancholy Serenade]]" m. [[Jackie Gleason]]
* "[[Mexican Joe]]" w.m. Mitchell Torok
* "[[Money Burns a Hole In My Pocket]]" w. [[Bob Hilliard]] m. [[Jule Styne]]. Introduced by [[Dean Martin]] in the 1954 film ''[[Living It Up]]''.
* "[[Money Honey (Clyde McPhatter song)|Money Honey]]" w.m. Jesse Stone
* "[[My Love, My Love]]" w. Bob Haymes m. [[Nick Acquaviva]]
* "[[No Other Love (1953 song)|No Other Love]]" w. [[Oscar Hammerstein II]] m. [[Richard Rodgers]]. Introduced by [[Isabel Bigley]] and [[Bill Hayes (actor)|Bill Hayes]] in the [[musical theater|musical]] ''[[Me And Juliet]]''.
* "[[Non Dimenticar]]" w.(Eng) Shelley Dobbins (Ital) Michele Galdieri m. P. G. Redi
* "[[Not Since Nineveh]]" w. & m. adapt [[Robert Wright (writer)|Robert Wright]] & [[George Forrest (author)|George Forrest]]  From Borodin's "Polovetsian Dances".
* "[[Oh! My Pa-Pa]]" w. [[John Turner (lyricist)|John Turner]] & [[Geoffrey Parsons (lyricist)|Geoffrey Parsons]] m. [[Paul Burkhard]]
* "[[Kismet (musical)#Act 2|The Olive Tree]]" w. & m. adapt [[Robert Wright (writer)|Robert Wright]] & [[George Forrest (author)|George Forrest]] from music by [[Alexander Borodin]]
* "[[Rags to Riches (1953 song)|Rags to Riches]]" w.m. [[Richard Adler]] & [[Jerry Ross (composer)|Jerry Ross]]
* "[[Ricochet (Teresa Brewer song)|Ricochet]]" w.m. [[Larry Coleman (composer)|Larry Coleman]], [[Joe Darion]] & [[Norman Gimbel]]
* "[[Rock Around the Clock]]" w.m. Jimmy De Knight & Max C. Freedman
* "[[Santa Baby]]" w.m. Joan Javits, Phil Springer & Tony Springer
* "[[Satin Doll]]" w.m. [[Billy Strayhorn]] & [[Duke Ellington]]
* "[[Secret Love (1953 song)|Secret Love]]" w. [[Paul Francis Webster]] m. [[Sammy Fain]]. Introduced by [[Doris Day]] in the film ''[[Calamity Jane (movie)|Calamity Jane]]''
* "[[Seven Lonely Days]]" w.m. Alden Shuman, Earl Shuman & Marshal Brown
* "[[Shake a Hand]]" w.m. Joe Morris
* "[[Sippin' Soda]]" adapt. P. Campbell
* "[[The Song From "Moulin Rouge"]]" (a.k.a. "Where Is Your Heart") w. (Eng) [[William Engvick]] (Fr) Jacques Larue m. [[Georges Auric]]
* "[[Stranger in Paradise (song)|Stranger in Paradise]]" w. & m. adapt [[Robert Wright (writer)|Robert Wright]] & [[George Forrest (author)|George Forrest]]. Introduced by [[Doretta Morrow]] and [[Richard Kiley]] in the [[musical theater|musical]] ''[[Kismet (musical)|Kismet]]''.
* "[[Such a Night]]" w.m. Lincoln Chase
* "[[Sway (Luis Demetrio song)|Sway]]" ("[[Quien Será]]") w. (Eng) [[Norman Gimbel]] (Sp) [[Pablo Beltrán Ruiz]] m. Pablo Beltran Ruiz
* "[[Teach Me Tonight]]" w. [[Sammy Cahn]] m. [[Gene De Paul]]
* "[[Tell Me a Story (Terry Gilkyson song)|Tell Me a Story]]" w.m. [[Terry Gilkyson]]
* "[[Tell Us Where the Good Times Are]]" w.m. [[Bob Merrill]]
* "[[That's Amore]]" w. [[Jack Brooks (lyricist)|Jack Brooks]] m. [[Harry Warren]]
* "[[Vaya con Dios (song)|Vaya con Dios]]" w.m. [[Larry Russell]], [[Inez James]] & [[Buddy Pepper]]
* "[[Wanted (Perry Como song)|Wanted]]" w.m. [[Jack Fulton (singer)|Jack Fulton]] & [[Lois Steele]]
* "[[When Love Goes Wrong]]" w. [[Harold Adamson]] m. [[Hoagy Carmichael]] from the film ''[[Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953 film)|Gentlemen Prefer Blondes]]''
*"You Won't Forget Me" w. Kermit Goell m. [[Fritz Spielmann (composer)|Fred Spielman]] Introduced by [[India Adams]] dubbing for [[Joan Crawford]] in the film ''[[Torch Song (1953 film)|Torch Song]]''
* "[[You, You, You]]" w.(Eng) [[Robert Mellin]] (Ger) [[Walter Rothenberg]] m. [[Lotar Olias]]
* "[[Young at Heart (Frank Sinatra song)|Young at Heart]]" w. [[Carolyn Leigh]] m. [[Johnny Richards]]

==[[European classical music|Classical music]]==

===Premieres===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Sortable table
|-
! Composer !! Composition !! Date !! Location !! Performers
|-
| [[Ernest Bloch|Bloch, Ernest]] || ''[[Suite Hébraïque]]'' for Viola and Orchestra || 1953-01-01 || {{flagicon|USA}} Chicago || [[Milton Preves|Preves]] / [[Chicago Symphony Orchestra|Chicago Symphony]] – [[Rafael Kubelik|Kubelik]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.naxos.com/mainsite/blurbs_reviews.asp?item_code=8.557151&catNum=557151&filetype=About%20this%20Recording&language=English|title=BLOCH: America / Suite Hebraique}}</ref>
|-
| [[Pierre Boulez|Boulez, Pierre]] || ''[[Structures (Boulez)|Structures]]'' book 1, for two pianos || 1953-05-04 || {{flagicon|FRG}} Cologne || [[Yvette Grimaud|Grimaud]], [[Yvonne Loriod|Loriod]]<ref>Martin Iddon, ''New Music at Darmstadt: Nono, Stockhausen, Cage, and Boulez'', Music since 1900 (Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press): 69. {{ISBN|9781107033290}}.</ref>
|-
| [[Elliott Carter|Carter, Elliott]] || [[String Quartet No. 1 (Carter)|String Quartet No. 1]] || 1953-02-26 || {{flagicon|USA}} New York || [[Walden Quartet]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sgDJKVXraE0C&q=carter+quartet+1+walden+1953&pg=PA106|title=Music of the Twentieth-century Avant-garde: A Biocritical Sourcebook|first=Larry|last=Sitsky|date=1 January 2002|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=9780313296895|via=Google Books}}</ref>
|-
| [[Carlos Chávez|Chávez, Carlos]] || [[Symphony No. 4 (Chávez)|''Sinfonía romántica'' (Symphony No. 4)]] || 1953-02-11 || {{flagicon|USA}} Louisville, KY || [[Louisville Orchestra]] – [[Carlos Chávez|Chávez]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2005/June05/Chavez_symphonies_CDX5061.htm|title=Chavez Complete Symphonies VOXBOX CDX5061 [RB]: Classical CD Reviews- June 2005 MusicWeb-International|first=Music on the|last=Web(UK)}}</ref>
|-
| [[Carlos Chávez|Chávez, Carlos]] || [[Symphony No. 5 (Chávez)|Symphony for Strings (Symphony No. 5)]] || 1953-12-01 || {{flagicon|USA}} Los Angeles || [[Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra]] – [[Carlos Chávez|Chávez]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.musicandhistory.com/events?date_range=0&end_day=1&end_month=January&end_year=&start_day=1&start_month=December&start_year=1953 |title=Music and History }}{{Dead link|date=February 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|-
| [[Berthold Goldschmidt|Goldschmidt, Berthold]] || [[String Quartet No. 2 (Goldschmidt)|String Quartet No. 2]] || 1953-07-14 || {{flagicon|GBR}} London || [[London String Quartet]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boosey.com/cr/music/Berthold-Goldschmidt-String-Quartet-No-2/1755|title=Berthold Goldschmidt – String Quartet No.2}}</ref>
|-
| [[Karl Amadeus Hartmann|Hartmann, Karl Amadeus]] || [[Concerto for piano, winds and percussion]] || 1953-10-10 || {{flagicon|FRG}} Donaueschingen <small>([[Donaueschingen Festival|Musiktage]])</small> || [[Maria Bergmann|Bergmann]] / [[Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra|SWF Symphony]] – [[Hans Rosbaud|Rosbaud]]<ref>[http://www.schott-music.com/shop/1/show,34619.html Schott Music]</ref>
|-
| [[Vagn Holmboe|Holmboe, Vagn]] || [[Symphony No. 8 (Holmboe)|''Sinfonia boreale'' (Symphony No. 8)]] || 1953-03-05 || {{flagicon|DEN}} Copenhague || [[Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra|Danish Radio Symphony]] – [[Paul Kletzki|Kletzki]]<ref>[http://www.eclassical.com/shop/art14/BIS-618_booklet_x.pdf-6ee04c.pdf BIS Records]</ref>
|-
| [[Arthur Honegger|Honegger, Arthur]] || ''[[A Christmas Cantata]]'' || 1953-12-18 || {{flagicon|SUI}} Basel || [[Basel Chamber Orchestra|Basel Chamber Choir]] – [[Paul Sacher|Sacher]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dw.asp?dc=W12007_67688|title=Une Cantate de Noël (Honegger) – from CDA67688 – Hyperion Records – MP3 and Lossless downloads}}</ref>
|-
| [[Andrew Imbrie|Imbrie, Andrew]] || [[String Quartet No. 2 (Imbrie)|String Quartet No. 2]] || 1953-12-05 || {{flagicon|USA}} New York City || [[Kroll String Quaret|Kroll Quartet]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150531031841/http://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Portrait_of_a_Contemporary_Composer_1000071236/273 Forgotten Books]</ref>
|-
| [[Dmitri Kabalevsky|Kabalevsky, Dmitri]] || [[Piano Concerto No. 3 (Kabalevsky)|Piano Concerto No. 3]] || 1953-??-?? || {{flagicon|USSR}} Moscow || [[Vladimir Ashkenazy|Ashkenazy]] / [[Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra|Moscow Philharmonic]] – ?<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.naxos.com/mainsite/blurbs_reviews.asp?item_code=8.557794&catNum=557794&filetype=About%20this%20Recording&language=English|title=Kabalevsky: Piano Concerto No. 3 / Rimsky-Korsakov: Piano Concerto}}</ref>
|-
| [[Bohuslav Martinů|Martinů, Bohuslav]] || [[Rhapsody-Concerto for Viola (Martinu)|Rhapsody-Concerto]] for Viola and Orchestra || 1953-02-19 || {{flagicon|USA}} Cleveland || [[Jasha Veissi|Veissi]] / [[Cleveland Orchestra]] – [[George Szell|Szell]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qobuz.com/fr-fr/album/martinu-rhapsody-concerto-viola-sonata-3-madrigals-duo-no-2-maxim-rysanov/7318599920306|title=Martinů: Rhapsody-Concerto, Viola Sonata, Duo... – Bohuslav Martinu par Maxim Rysanov}}</ref>
|-
| [[Darius Milhaud|Milhaud, Darius]] || [[Symphony No. 5 (Milhaud)|Symphony No. 5]] || 1953-10-16 || {{flagicon|ITA}} Turin || [[RAI National Symphony Orchestra|RAI National Symphony]] – [[Darius Milhaud|Milhaud]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://music-timeline.net/20th-c/1953a/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140615030327/http://music-timeline.net/20th-c/1953a/|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 15, 2014|title=1953|date=18 September 2009}}</ref>
|-
| [[Xavier Montsalvatge|Montsalvatge, Xavier]] || ''[[Concierto breve]]'' for piano and orchestra || 1953-12-20 || {{flagicon|ESP|1945}} Barcelona || [[Alicia de Larrocha|de Larrocha]] / [[Barcelona Philharmonic Orchestra|Barcelona Philharmonic]] – [[Louis de Froment|de Froment]]<ref>[http://www.montsalvatgecompositor.com/fitxa_obra.php?codi=31 Montsalvatgecompositor.com]</ref>
|-
| [[Xavier Montsalvatge|Montsalvatge, Xavier]] || ''[[Poema Concertante]]'' for violin and orchestra || 1953-05-25 || {{flagicon|ESP|1945}} Barcelona || [[Henryk Szeryng|Szeryng]] / [[Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra|Barcelona Municipal Orchestra]] – [[Eduard Toldrà|Toldrà]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.montsalvatgecompositor.com/fitxa_obra.php?codi=32|title=Xavier Montsalvatge Compositor}}</ref>
|-
| [[Peter Racine Fricker|Racine Fricker, Peter]] || [[Viola Concerto (Racine Fricker)|Viola Concerto]] || 1953-09-03 || {{flagicon|GBR}} Edinburgh <small>([[Edinburgh International Festival|Festival]])</small> || [[William Primrose|Primrose]] / [[Philharmonia Orchestra|London Philharmonia]] – [[Adrian Boult|Boult]]<ref>[http://www.schott-music.com/shop/Hire_Material/orchestra/concerto/1261469/show,151873.html Schott Music]</ref>
|-
| [[Edmund Rubbra|Rubbra, Edmund]] || [[Viola Concerto (Rubbra)|Viola Concerto]] || 1953-04-15 || {{flagicon|GBR}} London || [[BBC Symphony Orchestra|BBC Symphony]] – [[Malcolm Sargent|Sargent]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dw.asp?dc=W9972_67587|title=Viola Concerto in A major, Op 75 (Rubbra) – from CDA67587 – Hyperion Records – MP3 and Lossless downloads}}</ref>
|-
| [[Dmitri Shostakovich|Shostakovich, Dmitri]] || [[String Quartet No. 5 (Shostakovich)|String Quartet No. 5]] || 1953-11-13 || {{flagicon|URS}} Moscow || [[Beethoven Quartet]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4W3fy2jTuzIC&q=quartet+5+shostakovich+beethoven+quartet+moscow+conservatory&pg=PA173|title=Shostakovich in Dialogue: Form, Imagery and Ideas in Quartets 1–7|first=Judith|last=Kuhn|date=1 January 2010|publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.|isbn=9780754664062|via=Google Books}}</ref>
|-
| [[Dmitri Shostakovich|Shostakovich, Dmitri]] || [[Symphony No. 10 (Shostakovich)|Symphony No. 10]] || 1953-12-17 || {{flagicon|URS}} Leningrad || [[Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra|Leningrad Philharmonic]] – [[Yevgeny Mravinsky|Mravinsky]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UbBAFDCmeEQC&q=shostakovich+symphony+10+mravinsky+december+1953&pg=PA352|title=Shostakovich: A Life|first=Laurel E.|last=Fay|date=1 January 2005|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780195182514|via=Google Books}}</ref>
|-
| [[Karlheinz Stockhausen]] || ''[[Kontra-Punkte (Stockhausen)|Kontra-Punkte]]'' || 1953-05-26 || {{flagicon|FRG}} Cologne <small>([[ISCM World Music Days]])</small> || members of the [[WDR Symphony Orchestra|WDR Symphony]] – [[Hermann Scherchen|Scherchen]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.universaledition.com/Karlheinz-Stockhausen/composers-and-works/composer/698/work/3136|title=Universal Edition: Karlheinz Stockhausen – Kontra-Punkte|first=Universal Edition|last=AG}}</ref>
|-
| [[Karlheinz Stockhausen|Stockhausen, Karlheinz]] || ''[[Schlagtrio|Schlagquartett]]'' || 1953-03-23 || {{flagicon|FRG}} Munich <small>([[Musica Viva (Germany)|Musica Viva]])</small> || [[Ludwig Porth|Porth]], [[Hermann Gschwendner|Gschwendner]], [[Karl Peinkofer|Peinkofer]], [[Hans-Alexander Kaul|Kaul]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.universaledition.com/Karlheinz-Stockhausen/komponisten-und-werke/komponist/698/werk/4547|title=Universal Edition: Karlheinz Stockhausen – Schlagtrio|first=Universal Edition|last=AG}}</ref>
|-
| [[Ralph Vaughan Williams|Vaughan Williams, Ralph]] || [[Sinfonia antarctica|''Sinfonia antartica'' (Symphony No. 7)]] || 1953-01-14 || {{flagicon|GBR}} Manchester || [[Margaret Ritchie (soprano)|Ritchie]] / [[The Hallé|Hallé Orchestra]] – [[John Barbirolli]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cd41recordings.com/sinfoniaantarticainfo.html|title=Sinfonia Antartica/Scott Of The Antarctic – CD41}}</ref>
|-
| [[Heitor Villa-Lobos|Villa-Lobos, Heitor]] || ''[[Alvorada na Floresta Tropical]]'' for orchestra || 1953-??-?? || {{flagicon|USA}} Louisville, KY || [[Louisville Orchestra]] – [[Robert Whitney (conductor)|Whitney]]<ref>David P. Appleby, ''Heitor Villa-Lobos: A Bio-Bibliography'', Bio-Bibliographies in Music 9 (New York, Westport, London: Greenwood Press, 1988): 114. However, Lisa Peppercorn, "Villa-Lobos's Last Years", translated from the German by Robert L. Jacobs, ''The Music Review'' 40, no. 4 (November 1979): 285–99, reprinted with corrigenda/addenda in ''Villa-Lobos: Collected Studies'' (Aldershot: Scolar Press, 1992): 89–105, gives the date of the first performance as 23 January 1954, by the Louisville Orchestra and Whitney, but for the recording later issued by First Edition Records and not in a public concert (pp. 293 / 97, respectively, and corrigenda 105).</ref>
|-
| [[Heitor Villa-Lobos|Villa-Lobos, Heitor]] || [[Piano Concerto No. 4 (Villa-Lobos)|Piano Concerto No. 4]] || 1953-01-09 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Syria Mosque]], Pittsburgh, PA || [[Bernardo Segall|Segall]] / [[Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra]] – [[Heitor Villa-Lobos|Villa-Lobos]]<ref>''[http://museuvillalobos.org.br/ingles/bancodad/VLSO_1.0.pdf Villa-Lobos, sua obra] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161016170347/http://museuvillalobos.org.br/ingles/bancodad/VLSO_1.0.pdf |date=2016-10-16 }}'', Version 1.0. (MinC / IBRAM, and the Museu Villa-Lobos, 2009, based on the third edition, 1989): 58.</ref>
|-
|}

===Compositions===
*[[Malcolm Arnold]]
**[[Symphony No. 2 (Arnold)|Symphony No. 2]]
*[[Carlos Chávez]]
**[[Symphony No. 5 (Chávez)|Symphony for Strings (Symphony No. 5)]] 
*[[George Crumb]] 
**[[Viola Sonata (Crumb)|Sonata]], for viola and piano 
*[[Ernő Dohnányi]] 
**''[[American Rhapsody (Dohnányi)|American Rhapsody]]'' 
*[[Karel Goeyvaerts]] 
**''[[Nummer 5]]''
*[[Cristóbal Halffter]] 
**[[Piano Concerto (C. Halffter)|Piano Concerto]] 
*[[Ernesto Halffter]] 
**[[Fantasia española]] for cello and piano
*[[Rodolfo Halffter]] 
**[[Hojas de album]] (3) for piano, Op. 22 
*[[Karl Amadeus Hartmann]] 
**[[Concerto for piano, winds and percussion]] 
*[[Arthur Honegger]] 
**''[[A Christmas Cantata]]'' 
*[[Karel Husa]]
**[[String Quartet No. 2(Husa)|String Quartet No. 2]]
*[[Andrew Imbrie]] 
**[[String Quartet No. 2 (Imbrie)|String Quartet No. 2]]
*[[György Ligeti]] 
**[[Sonata for Solo Cello (Ligeti)|Sonata for Solo Cello]] 
*[[Bohuslav Martinů]] 
**[[Concerto for violin, piano, and orchestra (Martinů)|Concerto for violin, piano, and orchestra]] 
**[[Overture (Martinů)|Overture]]
**[[Symphony No. 6 (Martinů)|''Fantaisies symphoniques'' (Symphony No. 6)]]
*[[Peter Racine Fricker]] 
**[[Viola Concerto (Racine Fricker)|Viola Concerto]] 
*[[Giacinto Scelsi]] 
**''[[Five Incantations (Scelsi)|Five Incantations]]'' for piano
*[[Dmitri Shostakovich]] 
**Ballet Suite No. 4 
**[[Symphony No. 10 (Shostakovich)|Symphony No. 10]] 
*[[Karlheinz Stockhausen]] 
**''[[Klavierstücke (Stockhausen)#Klavierstücke I–IV: from point to group composition|Klavierstücke I–IV]]'' (revised version)
**''[[Kontra-Punkte (Stockhausen)|Kontra-Punkte]]'' 
**''[[Studie I]]'' 
*[[Eugen Suchoň]] – ''Metamorphosis'' for orchestra
*[[Ralph Vaughan Williams]] – The Old Hundredth Psalm Tune
*[[Heitor Villa-Lobos]] 
**''[[Alvorada na Floresta Tropical]]'' for orchestra 
**[[Cello Concerto No. 2 (Villa-Lobos)|Cello Concerto No. 2]]
**[[Fantaisie concertante]] for piano, clarinet and bassoon 
**[[Harp Concerto (Villa-Lobos)|Harp Concerto]] 
**''[[Odisseia de uma raça]]'', symphonic poem 
**[[String Quartet No. 14 (Villa-Lobos)|String Quartet No. 14]]
**[[Symphony No. 10 (Villa-Lobos)|Symphony No. 10]], ''Sumé Pater Patrium (Sinfonia ameríndia)'' (Sumé, Father of Fathers [Amerindian Symphony])

==[[Opera]]==
* ''[[The Decembrists (opera)|The Decembrists]]'' ([[Yuri Shaporin]]) first staged 23 June 1953 at the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow.
* ''The Dumb Wife'' ([[Joseph Horovitz]]), premiered 21 November 1953 at the Guildhall School, London, by the Intimate Opera Company.
* ''[[Gloriana]]'' ([[Benjamin Britten]]) composed 1953, first performed on 8 July 1953 at the [[Royal Opera House, Covent Garden]] in the presence of [[Elizabeth II]].
* ''[[Irmelin]]'' ([[Frederick Delius]]) composed 1890–92; first produced Oxford, 4 May 1953.
* ''Lenora 40/50'' ([[Rolf Liebermann]]) first produced in Berlin on 12 February 1953 at the State Opera House in the British sector.
* ''Man of Enterprise'' ([[Denis Bloodworth]]) first produced on 8 December 1953 at Tiffin School, Kingston, Surrey, by the school operatic society.
* ''Menna'' ([[Arwel Hughes]]) premiered by the Welsh National Opera at the Pavilion in Cardiff on 9 November, with the composer conducting.
* ''Nelson'' ([[Lennox Berkeley]]), premiered in a concert performance 14 February 1953 by the English Opera Group at Wigmore Hall, London.
* ''Sevil'' ([[Fikrat Amirov]])
* ''Three's Company'' ([[Antony Hopkins]]), premiered 21 November 1953 at the Guildhall School, London, by the Intimate Opera Company.
* ''The Tinners of Cornwall'' ([[Inglis Gundry]]), premiered 30 September 1953 at Rudolf Steiner Hall, conducted by Geoffrey Corbett.

==Film==
* [[Georges Auric]] - ''[[Roman Holiday]]''
* [[Karl-Birger Blomdahl]] - ''[[Sawdust and Tinsel]]''
* [[George Duning]] - ''[[From Here to Eternity]]''
* [[Bronisław Kaper|Bronislau Kaper]] - ''[[Lili (1953 film)|Lili]]''
* [[Alfred Newman]] - ''[[The Robe (film)|The Robe]]''
* [[Miklós Rózsa]] - ''[[Julius Caesar (1953 film)|Julius Caesar]]''
* [[Leith Stevens]] - ''[[The War of the Worlds (1953 film)|War of the Worlds]]''
* [[Victor Young]] - ''[[Shane (film)|Shane]]'' 

==[[Jazz]]==
{{Main|1953 in jazz}}

==[[Musical theater]]==
* '' [[Airs On A Shoestring]]''&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[[West End theatre|London]] [[revue]] opened at the [[Royal Court Theatre]] on April 22 and ran for 772 performances
* ''[[At The Lyric]]''&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;London production
* ''[[The Boy Friend (musical)|The Boy Friend]]'' ([[Sandy Wilson]]) commenced at London's Players Club on April 14 and reopened in an expanded version on October 13 before moving to the [[West End theatre|West End]] proper in 1954.
* ''[[Braziliana (ballet musical)|Braziliana]]''&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;London production
* ''[[The Buccaneer (musical)|The Buccaneer]]''&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;London production
* ''[[Can-Can (musical)|Can-Can]]'' ([[Cole Porter]]) – [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] production opened at the [[Shubert Theatre (Broadway)|Shubert Theatre]] on May 7 and ran for 892 performances
* ''[[The Glorious Days]]'' West End production opens at the [[Palace Theatre, London|Palace Theatre]] on February 28 and ran for 246 performances
* ''[[Hazel Flagg]]'' Broadway production opened at the [[Mark Hellinger Theatre]] on February 11 and ran for 190 performances
* ''[[John Murray Anderson's Almanac]]'' Broadway revue opened at the [[Imperial Theatre (Broadway)|Imperial Theatre]] on December 10 and ran for 227 performances
* ''[[The King and I|The King And I]]'' ([[Richard Rodgers]] and [[Oscar Hammerstein II]]) London production opened at the [[Theatre Royal, Drury Lane|Drury Lane Theatre]] on October 8 and ran for 926 performances
* ''[[Kismet (musical)|Kismet]]'' Broadway production opened at the [[Ziegfeld Theatre (1927)|Ziegfeld Theatre]] on December 3 and ran for 583 performances
* '' [[Maggie (1953 musical)|Maggie]]'' Broadway production opened at the [[Royal National Theatre]] on February 18 and ran for 5 performances
* '' [[Me And Juliet]]''&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Broadway production opened at the [[Majestic Theatre (Broadway)|Majestic Theatre]] on May 28 and ran for 358 performances
* ''[[Paint Your Wagon (musical)|Paint Your Wagon]]'' ([[Alan Jay Lerner]] and [[Frederick Loewe]]) – London production opened at [[Her Majesty's Theatre]] on February 11 and ran for 477 performances
* '' [[The Wayward Way]]''
* '' [[Wonderful Town]]'' ([[Leonard Bernstein]], [[Betty Comden]] and [[Adolph Green]]) – Broadway production opened at the [[Winter Garden Theatre]] on February 25 and ran for 559 performances

==[[Musical film]]s==
* ''[[The Affairs of Dobie Gillis]]'' starring [[Debbie Reynolds]], [[Bobby Van]], [[Barbara Ruick]] and [[Bob Fosse]]
* ''[[The Band Wagon]]''
* ''[[By the Light of the Silvery Moon (film)|By the Light of the Silvery Moon]]''
* ''[[Calamity Jane (film)|Calamity Jane]]'' starring [[Doris Day]] and [[Howard Keel]]
* ''[[The Desert Song (1953 film)|The Desert Song]]''
* ''[[The Farmer Takes a Wife (1953 film)|The Farmer Takes a Wife]]'' starring [[Betty Grable]], [[Dale Robertson]], [[John Carroll (actor)|John Carroll]], [[Thelma Ritter]] and [[Eddie Foy, Jr.]]
* ''[[Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953 film)|Gentlemen Prefer Blondes]]''
* ''[[I Love Melvin]]'' starring [[Debbie Reynolds]] and [[Donald O'Connor]]
* ''[[The Jazz Singer (1952 film)|The Jazz Singer]]''
* ''[[Kiss Me Kate (film)|Kiss Me Kate]]'' starring [[Howard Keel]], [[Kathryn Grayson]], [[Ann Miller]], [[Keenan Wynn]] and [[James Whitmore]]
* ''[[Lili (1953 film)|Lili]]''
* ''[[Peter Pan (1953 film)|Peter Pan]]'' animated feature
* ''[[Singin' in the Rain]]'' starring [[Gene Kelly]], [[Donald O'Connor]] and [[Debbie Reynolds]]
* ''[[Small Town Girl (1953 film)|Small Town Girl]]'' starring [[Jane Powell]], [[Ann Miller]], [[Farley Granger]], [[S. Z. Sakall]], [[Bobby Van]], [[Billie Burke]], [[Fay Wray]] and featuring [[Nat "King" Cole]]. Directed by [[László Kardos]].
* ''[[So This Is Love (film)|So This Is Love]]'' released July 15 starring [[Kathryn Grayson]] as [[Grace Moore]].
* ''[[The Stooge]]'' released February 4 starring [[Martin and Lewis]].
* ''[[Three Sailors and a Girl]]'' starring [[Jane Powell]], [[Gordon MacRae]] and [[Gene Nelson]]
*''[[Torch Song (1953 film)|Torch Song]]'' released October 23 starring [[Joan Crawford]] and [[Michael Wilding (actor)|Michael Wilding]]

==Births==
*[[January 6]] – [[Malcolm Young]], rock musician ([[AC/DC]]) (d. 2017)
*[[January 10]] – [[Pat Benatar]], singer ("[[Hit Me with Your Best Shot]]" etc.)
*[[January 21]] – [[Glenn Kaiser]], American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Resurrection Band)
*[[January 23]] – [[Robin Zander]], rock musician ([[Cheap Trick]])
*[[January 26]] – [[Lucinda Williams]], singer
*[[January 29]]
**[[Louie Perez]] ([[Los Lobos]])
**[[Teresa Teng]], singer
*[[February 3]] – [[Joëlle Mogensen|Joëlle]], singer (d. 1982)
*[[February 18]] – [[Robin Bachman]], drummer ([[Bachman–Turner Overdrive]] and Brave Belt)
*[[February 20]]
**[[Riccardo Chailly]], conductor
**Kristy Wallace, known as [[Poison Ivy (musician)|Poison Ivy]], American songwriter and guitarist ([[The Cramps]])
*[[February 26]] – [[Michael Bolton]], American singer ([[Blackjack (American band)|Blackjack]])
*[[March 3]] – [[Robyn Hitchcock]], singer-songwriter and guitarist
*[[March 12]] – [[Ryan Paris]], singer
*[[March 19]] – [[Ricky Wilson (American musician)|Ricky Wilson]] ([[The B-52s]]) (d. 1985)
*[[March 23]] – [[Chaka Khan]], singer
*[[March 31]]
**[[Sean Hopper]] ([[Huey Lewis and the News]])
**Greg Martin ([[The Kentucky Headhunters]])
*[[April 4]] – [[Chen Yi (composer)|Chen Yi]], Chinese classical composer and violinist
*[[April 16]] – [[Peter Garrett]], activist and lead vocalist ([[Midnight Oil]])
*[[April 21]] – [[Todd Phillips (musician)|Todd Phillips]], American bassist and composer ([[David Grisman Quintet]])
*[[April 28]] 
**[[Pat Donohue]], guitarist ([[The Guys All-Star Shoe Band]] on ''[[A Prairie Home Companion]]'')
**[[Kim Gordon]], American musician, songwriter and visual artist
*[[May 4]] – [[Oleta Adams]], American soul and jazz singer
*[[May 8]]
**[[Billy Burnette]] ([[Fleetwood Mac]])
**[[Alex Van Halen]] ([[Van Halen]])
*[[May 9]] 
**[[Connie Kaldor]], Canadian singer-songwriter
**[[Kojo (singer)|Kojo]], singer
*[[May 15]] – [[Mike Oldfield]], composer & musician
*[[May 16]] – [[Richard Page (musician)|Richard Page]] ([[Mr. Mister]])
*[[May 17]] – George Johnson ([[The Brothers Johnson]])
*[[May 29]] – [[Danny Elfman]], singer-songwriter and film composer ([[Oingo Boingo]])
*[[June 6]] – [[June Yamagishi]], Japanese-American guitarist ([[Papa Grows Funk]] and [[The Wild Magnolias]])
*[[June 7]] – [[Johnny Clegg]], South African mbaqanga and Afro-pop musician and musical anthropologist (d. 2019)
*[[June 12]] – [[Rocky Burnette]], American rock singer
*[[June 13]] – [[Baaba Maal]], Senegalese singer and guitarist
*[[June 19]] – [[Larry Dunn]], American rock keyboardist ([[Earth Wind & Fire]])
*[[June 20]] – [[Dušan Rapoš]], Slovak composer
*[[June 22]] – [[Cyndi Lauper]], American singer-songwriter
*[[June 29]] – [[Colin Hay]], Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter ([[Men at Work]])
*[[July 2]] – [[Mark Hart]], American guitarist and keyboard player ([[Crowded House]] and [[Supertramp]])
*[[July 6]] – [[Nanci Griffith]], American country folk singer-songwriter (Blue Moon Orchestra) (d. 2021)
*[[July 11]] – [[Bramwell Tovey]], conductor (d. 2022)
*[[July 18]] – [[Warren Wiebe]], American singer (d. 1998)
*[[July 21]] – [[Eric Bazilian]], rock performer ([[The Hooters]])
*[[July 22]]
**[[Jimmy Bruno]], American guitarist
**[[Sylvia Chang]], Taiwanese actress, singer, director and screenwriter
*[[July 29]] – [[Geddy Lee]] ([[Rush (band)|Rush]])
*[[July 31]] – [[Hugh MacDowell]] ([[Electric Light Orchestra]])
*[[August 1]] – [[Robert Cray]], blues guitarist and singer
*[[August 2]] – [[Marjo (singer)|Marjo]], Canadian singer-songwriter ([[Corbeau (band)|Corbeau]])
*[[August 12]] – [[Peter Ostroushko]], mandolinist, fiddler
*[[August 16]] – [[James "J.T." Taylor]] ([[Kool & the Gang]])
*[[August 17]] – [[Kevin Rowland]], vocalist ([[Dexys Midnight Runners]])
*[[August 24]] – [[Ron Holloway]], tenor saxophonist
*[[August 27]] – [[Alex Lifeson]], progressive rock guitarist ([[Rush (band)|Rush]])
*[[August 29]] – Rick Downey, rock drummer ([[Blue Öyster Cult]])
*[[September 2]] – [[John Zorn]], composer
*[[September 7]] – [[Benmont Tench]], rock keyboardist ([[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]] etc.)
*[[September 11]] – [[Tommy Shaw]], hard rock guitarist ([[Styx (band)|Styx]])
*[[September 27]]
**[[Greg Ham]], pop rock multi-instrumentalist ([[Men at Work]])
**[[Robbie Shakespeare]], reggae bassist (d. 2021)
*[[September 28]] – [[Jim Diamond (singer)|Jim Diamond]], pop singer-songwriter ([[Ph.D. (band)|Ph.D.]]) (d. 2015)
*[[October 7]] – [[Tico Torres]], rock percussionist [[Bon Jovi]]
*[[October 10]] – [[Midge Ure]], singer-songwriter
*[[October 14]] – [[Kazumi Watanabe]], jazz performer
*[[October 15]] – [[Tito Jackson]], pop singer ([[The Jackson 5]]) (d. 2024)
*[[October 16]] – [[Tony Carey]], rock keyboardist ([[Rainbow (English band)|Rainbow]])
*[[October 21]] – [[Charlotte Caffey]], rock gitarist ([[The Go-Go's]])
*[[October 21]] – [[Eric Faulkner]], guitarist and singer-songwriter ([[Bay City Rollers]])
*[[October 26]] – [[Keith Strickland]] ([[The B-52s]])
*[[October 28]] – [[Desmond Child]], American songwriter and producer 
*[[November 8]] – [[Denyse Plummer]], Trinidadian singer (d. 2023)
*[[November 11]] – [[Andy Partridge]], English musician ([[XTC]])
*[[November 13]]
**[[Keith Green]], gospel singer-songwriter (d. 1982)
**[[Andrew Ranken]], Celtic punk drummer ([[The Pogues]])
*[[November 18]] – [[Jan Kuehnemund]], American guitarist ([[Vixen (band)|Vixen]]) (d. 2013)
*[[November 22]] – [[Urmas Alender]], singer ([[Ruja]], [[Propeller (band)|Propeller]])
*[[November 23]] – [[Francis Cabrel]], folk singer/songwriter
*[[November 28]] – [[Taeko Onuki]], Japanese singer-songwriter
*[[December 12]] 
**[[Bruce Kulick]], American guitarist and songwriter ([[Kiss (band)|Kiss]], [[Grand Funk Railroad]], [[Blackjack (American band)|Blackjack]], [[Union (band)|Union]] and [[Eric Singer Project]])
**[[Dave Meniketti]], American singer-songwriter and guitarist ([[Y&T]])
*[[December 15]] – [[Hossam Ramzy]], Egyptian percussionist (d. 2019)
*[[December 21]] –  [[András Schiff]], Hungarian-born British pianist and conductor
*[[December 26]] – [[Harry Christophers]], English choral conductor
*[[December 30]] – [[Graham Vick]], English opera director (d. 2021)
*Undated – [[David Owen Norris]], English classical pianist, composer, academic and broadcaster

==Deaths==
*[[January 1]] – [[Hank Williams]], country musician, 29
*[[January 18]] – [[Arthur Wood (composer)|Arthur Wood]], composer, 78
*[[February 2]] – [[Gustav Strube]], conductor and composer, 75
*[[March 5]]
**[[E. T. Cook]], organist and composer, 72
**[[Sergei Prokofiev]], composer, 61
*[[March 19]] – [[Irène Bordoni]], singer and actress, 68
*[[March 29]] – [[Arthur Fields]], singer-songwriter, 64
*[[April 23]] – [[Peter DeRose]], Tin Pan Alley composer, 53
*[[April 29]] – [[Alice Prin|Kiki]], "The Queen of [[Montparnasse]]", 51 (drug- and alcohol-related) 
*[[April 30]] – [[Lily Brayton]], musical theatre star, 76
*[[May 10]] – [[Marie Kunkel Zimmerman]], soprano, 88
*[[May 15]] – [[Mabel Love]], dancer, 78
*[[May 16]] – [[Django Reinhardt]], jazz guitarist, 43 (brain hemorrhage)
*[[May 19]] – [[Frank Mullings]], tenor, 72
*[[May 22]] – [[Frederick J. Jackson|Frederick Jackson]], librettist and screenwriter (66)
*[[May 30]] – [[Dooley Wilson]], actor, singer and pianist, 67
*[[June 3]] – [[Florence Price]], composer, 66
*[[June 10]] – [[Grzegorz Fitelberg]], conductor, violinist and composer, 73
*[[June 15]] – [[Frank Tapp]], composer, pianist and conductor
*[[June 21]] – [[Ford Dabney]], composer and vaudevillian, 75
*[[June 25]] – [[Jules Van Nuffel]], musicologist and composer, 70
*[[July 5]] – [[Titta Ruffo]], operatic baritone, 76
*[[July 17]] – [[Bernhard van den Sigtenhorst Meyer]], Dutch composer, 65
*[[August 14]] – [[Friedrich Schorr]], operatic bass-baritone, 64
*[[August 29]] – [[Darrell Fancourt]], bass-baritone, 67
*[[September 1]] – [[Jacques Thibaud]], violinist, 72
*[[September 21]] – [[Roger Quilter]], composer, 75
*[[October 3]] – Sir [[Arnold Bax]], composer, 69
*[[October 8]] – [[Kathleen Ferrier]], English contralto, 41 (cancer)
*[[October 18]] – [[Marguerite d'Alvarez]], operatic contralto, exact age unknown
*[[October 27]] – [[Eduard Künneke]], composer, 68
*[[October 29]] – [[William Kapell]], pianist, 31
*[[October 30]] – [[Emmerich Kálmán]], composer, 71
*[[November 10]] – [[Theodora Morse]], lyricist, 70
*[[November 18]] – [[Ruth Crawford Seeger]], composer, 52
*[[November 21]] – [[Larry Shields]], jazz musician, 60
*[[November 26]] – [[Ivor Atkins]], organist and choirmaster, 83
*[[November 30]] – [[Norman Cocker]], organist and composer, 63
*[[December 5]]
**[[Noel Mewton-Wood]], pianist, 31 (suicide by poisoning)
**[[Jorge Negrete]], singer and actor, 42 (hepatitis)
*[[December 9]] – [[Issay Dobrowen]], pianist, conductor and composer, 62
*[[December 11]] – [[Albert Coates (musician)|Albert Coates]], conductor and composer, 71
*[[December 29]] – [[Violet MacMillan]], Broadway star, 66

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1953 In Music}}
[[Category:1953 in music| ]]
[[Category:20th century in music]]
[[Category:Music by year]]