# 1920 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1920.

## Specific locations

* 1920 in British music
* 1920 in Norwegian music

## Specific genres

* 1920 in country music
* 1920 in jazz

## Events

* January 19 – The Salzburg Festival is revived.
* September 4 – City of Birmingham Orchestra (England) first rehearses (in a city police bandroom). Later this month, its first concert, conducted by Appleby Matthews, opens with Granville Bantock's overture Saul; in November it gives its "First Symphony Concert" when Edward Elgar conducts a programme of his own music in Birmingham Town Hall.
* November 15 – First complete public performance of Gustav Holst's suite The Planets given in London by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Albert Coates.
* December 4 – Première of the opera Die tote Stadt by 23-year-old Erich Wolfgang Korngold. It later becomes known that the librettist, "Paul Schott", is Korngold's father Julius.
* December 30 – Pearl Hamilton (later with the Three X Sisters), plays piano with small jazz ensemble to appreciative audience at the Star Theater in New York City.
* Mamie Smith's first blues recordings become a hit, alerting record companies to the African American market.
* Hamilton Harty is appointed resident conductor of the Hallé Orchestra.
* Henri Sauguet forms Groupe des Trois (the Group of Three) along with Louis Emié and Jean-Marcel Lizotte.
* The Central Band of the Royal Air Force is formed in Britain.
* The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra launches its Mahler festival.
* Gabriel Fauré retires from the Paris Conservatoire, and is awarded the Grand-Croix of the Légion d'Honneur.

## Publications

* Stewart Macpherson – Melody and Harmony, Book 1. London: Stainer & Bell.

## Published popular music

* "After You Get What You Want, You Don't Want It" w.m. Irving Berlin
* "All She'd Say Was "Umh Hum"" w.m. King Zany, Mac Emery, Gus Van & Joe Schenck
* "All The Boys Love Mary" Gus Van & Joe Schenck
* "Aunt Hagar's Blues" w.m. W. C. Handy
* "Avalon" w.m. B. G. DeSylva, Al Jolson & Vincent Rose
* "Blue Jeans" w. Harry D. Kerr, m. Lou Traveller
* "Bright Eyes" w. Harry B. Smith m. Otto Motzan & M. K. Jerome
* "Broadway Blues w. Arthur Swanstrom m. Carey Morgan
* "Broadway Rose" w. Eugene West m. Martin Fried & Otis Spencer
* "Chanson" m. Rudolf Friml
* "Chili Bean" w. Lew Brown m. Albert Von Tilzer
* "Crazy Blues" w.m. Percy Bradford
* "The Cuckoo Waltz" w. Arthur Kingsley m. J. E. Jonasson
* "Daddy, You've Been A Mother To Me" w.m. Fred Fisher
* "Do You Ever Think Of Me?" w. John Cooper & Harry D. Kerr m. Earl Burtnett
* "Down By The O-HI-O (I've Got The Sweetest Little O, My ! O ! )" w. Jack Yellen m. Abe Olman
* "Feather Your Nest" w.m. James Kendis, James Brockman & Howard Johnson
* "The Gipsy Warned Me" w.m. R. P. Weston & Bert Lee
* "Great Camp Meeting Day" w. Noble Sissle
* "He Went In Like A Lion (And Came Out Like A Lamb)" w. Andrew B. Sterling m. Harry von Tilzer
* "Home Again Blues" w.m. Harry Akst & Irving Berlin
* "I Belong to Glasgow" w.m. Will Fyffe
* "I Never Knew I Could Love Anybody Like I'm Loving You" w.m. Tom Pitts, Raymond B. Egan & Roy Marsh
* "I Used To Love You, But It's All Over Now" w. Lew Brown m. Albert Von Tilzer
* "I'd Love To Fall Asleep And Wake Up In My Mammy's Arms" w. Sam M. Lewis & Joe Young m. Fred E. Ahlert
* "I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time" w. Neville Fleason m. Albert Von Tilzer
* "I'll See You In C-U-B-A" w.m. Irving Berlin
* "In a Persian Market" m. Albert William Ketèlbey
* "The Japanese Sandman" w. Raymond B. Egan m. Richard A. Whiting
* "Jellybean" by Jimmie Dupre, Sam Rosen, and Joe Verges
* "Kalua" w. Anne Caldwell m. Jerome Kern
* "La Veeda" w. Nat Vincent m. John Alden
* "Left All Alone Again Blues" w. Anne Caldwell m. Jerome Kern
* "Little Town In The Ould County Down" w. Richard Pascoe m. Monte Carlo & Alma Saunders
* "Look for the Silver Lining" w. B. G. DeSylva m. Jerome Kern
* "The Love Boat" by Gene Buck
* "Love Nest" w. Otto Harbach m. Louis A. Hirsch
* "Margie" w. Benny Davis m. Con Conrad & J. Russel Robinson
* "Mary" w. Otto Harbach m. Louis A. Hirsch
* "My Little Bimbo Down On A Bamboo Isle" w. Grant Clarke w. Walter Donaldson
* "My Mammy" w. Sam M. Lewis & Joe Young m. Walter Donaldson
* "My Man" w. (Eng) Channing Pollock (Fr) Albert Willemetz & Jacques Charles m. Maurice Yvain
* "O'er The Hills To Ardentinny" w.m. Harry Lauder
* "Old Pal Why Don't You Answer Me" w. Sam M. Lewis & Joe Young m. M. K. Jerome
* "Pale Moon" w. Jesse Glick m. Frederick Knight Logan
* "Palesteena" w.m. Con Conrad & J. Russell Robinson
* "Polly" w. Leo Wood m. Jack Richmond
* "Pretty Kitty Kelly" w. Harry Pease m. Ed G. Nelson
* "Rose Of Washington Square" w. Ballard MacDonald m. James F. Hanley
* "San" w.m. Lindsay McPhail & Walter Michels
* "So Long, Oo Long" w. Bert Kalmar m. Harry Ruby
* "Tell Me Little Gypsy" w.m. Irving Berlin
* "That Old Irish Mother Of Mine" w. William Jerome m. Harry Von Tilzer
* "Wang Wang Blues" w. Leo Wood m. Gus Mueller, Buster Johnson & Henry Busse
* "When My Baby Smiles At Me" w. Andrew B. Sterling m. Billy Munro
* "Where Do They Go When They Row, Row, Row?" w. Bert Kalmar & George Jessel, m. Harry Ruby
* "Whispering" w. Malvin Schonberger m. John Schonberger
* "White Army, Black Baron" w. Pavel Grigor'ev, m. Samuel Pokrass
* "Whose Baby Are You?" w. Anne Caldwell m. Jerome Kern
* "Wild Rose" w. Clifford Grey m. Jerome Kern
* "A Young Man's Fancy" w. John Murray Anderson & Jack Yellen m. Milton Ager

## Top Popular Recordings 1920

The following songs achieved the highest positions in Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954 and record sales reported on the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" website during 1920: Numerical rankings are approximate, they are only used as a frame of reference.
| Rank | Artist | Title | Label | Recorded | Released | Chart Positions |
| 1 | Selvin's Novelty Orchestra | "Dardanella" | Victor 18633 | November 20, 1919 (1919-11-20) | January 1920 (1920-01) | US Billboard 1920 #1, US #1 for 13 weeks, 24 total weeks, 1-6 million sold |
| 2 | Paul Whiteman and His Ambassador Orchestra | "Whispering" | Victor 18690 | August 23, 1920 (1920-08-23) | November 1920 (1920-11) | US Billboard 1920 #2, US #1 for 11 weeks, 20 total weeks, National Recording Registry 2019, 2,000,000 sales |
| 3 | Al Jolson | "Swanee" | Columbia 2884 | January 9, 1920 (1920-01-09) | April 1920 (1920-04) | US Billboard 1920 #3, US #1 for 9 weeks, 18 total weeks, National Recording Registry 2004 |
| 4 | Ted Lewis and His Band | "When My Baby Smiles at Me" | Columbia 2908 | January 12, 1920 (1920-01-12) | April 1920 (1920-04) | US Billboard 1920 #4, US #1 for 7 weeks, 18 total weeks |
| 5 | John Steel | "The Love Nest" | Victor 24871 | November 9, 1920 (1920-11-09) | November 24, 1920 (1920-11-24) | US Billboard 1920 #5, US #1 for 7 weeks, 12 total weeks |
| 6 | Art Hickman and His Orchestra | "Hold Me" | Columbia 2899 | September 25, 1919 (1919-09-25) | May 1920 (1920-05) | US Billboard 1920 #6, US #1 for 3 weeks, 14 total weeks |
| 7 | Marion Harris | "St. Louis Blues" | Victor 24871 | February 15, 1920 (1920-02-15) | April 1920 (1920-04) | US Billboard 1920 #7, US #1 for 3 weeks, 14 total weeks |
| 8 | Paul Whiteman and His Ambassador Orchestra | "The Japanese Sandman" | Victor 18690 | August 23, 1920 (1920-08-23) | November 1920 (1920-11) | US Billboard 1920 #8, US #1 for 3 weeks, 14 total weeks |
| 9 | Al Jolson | "I've Got My Captain Working for Me Now" | Columbia 2794 | September 15, 1919 (1919-09-15) | December 1919 (1919-12) | US Billboard 1920 #9, US #1 for 2 weeks, 7 total weeks |
| 10 | Art Hickman and His Orchestra | "The Love Nest" | Columbia 2955 | June 11, 1920 (1920-06-11) | September 1920 (1920-09) | US Billboard 1920 #10, US #1 for 2 weeks, 6 total weeks |
| 11 | Edith Day (Rosario Bourdon Orchestra) | "Alice Blue Gown" | Victor 45176 | January 26, 1920 (1920-01-26) | April 1920 (1920-04) | US Billboard 1920 #11, US #1 for 1 weeks, 9 total weeks |
| 34 | Isham Jones Rainbo Orchestra | "Kismet" | Brunswick 5021 | June 1, 1920 (1920-06-01) | September 1920 (1920-09) | US Billboard 1920 #34, US #4 for 1 weeks, 5 total weeks |

## Classical music

* Granville Bantock – Arabian Nights
* Béla Bartók – Eight Improvisations on Peasant Songs
* Arnold Bax – Phantasy for viola and orchestra
* Arthur Bliss – The Tempest, overture and interludes;
** Concerto for piano, tenor voice, strings and percussion
** Rout (for soprano and chamber orchestra)
* Ernest Bloch – Violin Sonata No. 1
* Max Bruch - String Octet
* Ferruccio Busoni – Piano Sonatina No. 6 (Fantasia da camera super Carmen),
** Divertimento for flute and orchestra
* Frederick Delius – Hassan
* George Enescu – String Quartet No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 22, No. 1
* Gabriel Fauré – Masques et Bergamasques
* Johan Halvorsen – Norwegian Rhapsody No. 2
* Arthur Honegger – Pastorale d'été
** Viola Sonata
** Cello Sonata
* Leoš Janáček – Ballad of Blanik (symphonic poem)
* Darius Milhaud – Ballade (for piano and orchestra)
** Le Boeuf sur le toit (ballet),
* Francis Poulenc – Five Impromptus for Piano, Suite in C Major for Piano
* Sergei Prokofiev – Five Songs without Words (for voice and piano)
* Maurice Ravel – La Valse
** Sonata for violin and cello
* Camille Saint-Saëns - Odelette in D major Op. 162
* Erik Satie – La Belle excentrique
* Dmitri Shostakovich – Five Preludes for piano
* Igor Stravinsky – Concertino for string quartet,
** Pulcinella
** Symphonies of Wind Instruments
* Ralph Vaughan Williams – The Lark Ascending
** Mass in G minor
* Heitor Villa-Lobos – Symphony No. 5, "A paz" (Peace)

## Opera

* Vincent D'Indy – The Legend of St. Christoper
* Clemens Freiherr von Franckenstein – Li-Tai-Pe
* Henry Hadley – Cleopatra's Night
* Leoš Janáček – The Excursions of Mr. Broucek on the Moon and in the 15th Century
* Erich Korngold – Die tote Stadt
* Ruggiero Leoncavallo – Edipo Re

## Musical theatre

* Afgar Broadway production opened at the Central Theatre on November 8 and ran for 168 performances
* As You Were Broadway revue by Arthur Wimperis opened at the Central Theatre on January 27 and ran for 143 performances. Starring Sam Bernard, Irene Bordoni, Clifton Webb and Hugh Cameron.
* The Beggar's Opera London production opened at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith on June 5 and ran for 1,463 performances
* Die Blaue Mazur (The Blue Mazurka) (Music by Franz Lehár), Vienna
* George White's Scandals Of 1920 Broadway revue opened at the Globe Theatre on June 7 and ran for 134 performances
* The Gingham Girl Broadway production (music by Albert Von Tilzer) at the Central Theatre ran for 322 performances
* Irene London production opened at the Empire Theatre on April 7 and ran for 399 performances
* Johnny Jones London production opened at the Alhambra Theatre on June 1 and ran for 349 performances
* Jumble Sale London revue opened at the Vaudeville Theatre on December 16 and ran for 176 performances
* Just Fancy London production opened at the Vaudeville Theatre on March 26 and ran for 332 performances
* Der letzte Walzer (The Last Waltz) (Music by Oscar Straus), Berlin
* A Little Dutch Girl opened at the Lyric Theatre on December 1 and ran for 207 performances
* The Night Boat Broadway production opened at the Liberty Theatre on February 2 and ran for 318 performances. Jeanette MacDonald made her first Broadway appearance as a member of the chorus.
* A Night Out London production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on September 18 and ran for 309 performances
* Sally Broadway production opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre on December 21 and ran for 570 performances
* The Shop Girl London revival opened at the Gaiety Theatre on March 25 and ran for 327 performances
* Tickle Me ( Music: Herbert P. Stothart) Broadway production opened at the Selwyn Theatre on August 17 and ran for 207 performances. Starring Louise Allen, Allen Kearns and Frank Tinney.
* Tip Top Broadway production opened at the Globe Theatre on October 5 and ran for 241 performances
* Ziegfeld Follies of 1920 Broadway revue opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre on June 22 and ran for 123 performances, but ran most years until 1927.

## Births

* January 1
** José Antonio Bottiroli, Argentine composer and poet (d. 1990)
** Virgilio Savona, Italian singer and songwriter (Quartetto Cetra) (d. 2009)
** Mahmoud Zoufonoun, Iranian-American violinist (d. 2013)
* January 3 – Renato Carosone, Italian musician and singer (d. 2001)
* January 5 – Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, pianist (d. 1995)
* January 8 – Josef Josephi, Polish-born singer and actor (b. 1852)
* January 14
** Cris Alexander, American actor, singer, dancer, designer, and photographer (d. 2012)
** Salvador Flores Rivera, Mexican composer and singer (d. 1987)
* January 16 – Claude Abadie, French jazz clarinetist (died 2020)
* January 18 – Jan Van Halen, musician, father of Eddie and Alex Van Halen (d. 1986)
* January 24 – Hilario González, Cuban composer, pianist, musicologist, music educator, and music critic (d. 1999)
* February 2
** Heikki Suolahti, Finnish composer (d. 1936)
** Yuriko Amemiya, American dancer and choreographer (d. 2022)
* February 7 – Oscar Brand, Canadian-born American folk singer, songwriter and author (d. 2016)
* February 12 – Yoshiko Yamaguchi, Chinese-Japanese actress and singer (d. 2014)
* February 13
** Boudleaux Bryant, American songwriter (d. 1987)
** Eileen Farrell, American soprano (d. 2002)
* February 14 – Albert J. McNeil, American choral conductor, ethnomusicologist and author (d. 2022)
* February 18 – Rolande Falcinelli, organist, pianist and composer (d. 2006)
* February 23 – Hall Overton, composer, jazz pianist and music teacher (d. 1972)
* February 26 – Henri Crolla, jazz guitarist and film composer (d. 1960)
* February 28 – Albert Elms, light music composer (d. 2009)
* March 10 – Boris Vian, French writer, poet, singer and musician (d. 1959)
* March 16 – John Addison, British film composer (d. 1998)
* March 17 – John La Montaine, American composer (d. 2013)
* March 22 – Fanny Waterman, pianist and music educator (d. 2020)
* March 23 – Geoffrey Bush, British composer, writer and broadcaster (d. 1998)
* April 7 – Ravi Shankar, Indian sitarist (d. 2012)
* April 12
** The Cox Twins, music hall entertainers (Frank, d. 2007; Fred, d. 2013)
** Anita Ellis, Canadian-American singer and actress (d. 2015)
* April 21 – Bruno Maderna, conductor and composer (d. 1973)
* April 23 – Louis Barron, film composer (d. 1989)
* April 27 – Guido Cantelli, Italian conductor (d. 1956)
* April 29 – Harold Shapero, composer (d. 2013)
* May 2 – Jean-Marie Auberson, violinist and conductor (d. 2004)
* May 4 – Ronald Chesney, harmonica player and comedy scriptwriter (d. 2018)
* May 13 – Gareth Morris, flautist (d. 2007)
* May 18 – Lucia Mannucci, Italian singer (Quartetto Cetra) (d. 2012)
* May 20 – Betty Driver, British singer and actress (d. 2011)
* May 21 – Bill Barber, jazz musician (d. 2007)
* May 23 – Helen O'Connell, American big band singer (d. 1993)
* May 26 – Peggy Lee, singer and songwriter (d. 2002)
* June 6
** Dino Asciolla, violinist (d. 1994)
** Jan Rubeš, Czech-Canadian bass opera singer, actor (d. 2009)
** Robert Turner, composer (d. 2012)
* June 10 – Bonnie Davis, R&B singer (d. 1976)
* June 11 – Hazel Scott, jazz/classical pianist and singer (d. 1981)
* June 19 – Johnny Douglas, film composer and conductor (d. 2003)
* June 20 – Danny Cedrone, American guitarist and bandleader (d. 1954)
* June 25 – Ozan Marsh, American concert pianist (d. 1992)
* June 26 – Leonid Hambro, pianist (d. 2006)
* July 1 – Amália Rodrigues, Portuguese singer and actress (d. 1999)
* July 13
** Anna Halprin, American dancer (d. 2021)
** Don Ralke, American music arranger (d. 2000)
* July 14 – Marijohn Wilkin, American country and gospel songwriter (d. 2006)
* July 19 – Robert Mann, American violinist (d. 2018)
* July 20
** Carmen Carrozza, Italian-born American accordionist (d. 2013)
** Thanga Darlong, Indian folk musician (d. 2023)
* July 21
** Isaac Stern, Ukrainian-born violinist (d. 2001)
** Manuel Valls, Spanish composer (d. 1984)
* July 23 – Amália Rodrigues, Portuguese fado singer and actress (d. 1999)
* July 31 – Walter Arlen, Austrian-born American composer (d. 2023)
* August 7 – Françoise Adret, French ballet dancer, choreographer (d. 2018)
* August 8
** Leo Chiosso, Italian lyricist (d. 2006)
** Jimmy Witherspoon, blues singer (d. 1997)
* August 26 – Emil Cadkin, film composer (d. 2020)
* August 29 – Charlie Parker, jazz musician (d. 1955)
* September 3 – Chabuca Granda, Peruvian singer and composer (d. 1983)
* September 7 – Al Caiola, American guitarist, composer, arranger (d. 2016)
* September 14 – Cascarita [a.k.a. Orlando Guerra], Cuban music singer (d. 1975)
* September 17 – Jean Perrin, composer (d. 1989)
* September 23
** Alexander Arutiunian, Armenian composer (d. 2012)
** Mickey Rooney, actor and entertainer (d. 2014)
* September 25 – Anne Triola, American actress, singer and musician (d. 2012)
* September 28 – Irma Baltuttis, singer and entertainer (d. 1958)
* October 5 – Vincent DeRosa, American musician (d. 2022)
* October 9 – Yusef Lateef, American jazz musician and composer (d. 2013)
* October 13 – Albert Hague, songwriter (d. 2001)
* October 24 – Steve Conway, British singer (d. 1952)
* October 27 – Nanette Fabray, actress and singer (d. 2018)
* October 31 – Joseph Gelineau, French composer (d. 2008)
* November 23 – Enrico De Angelis, Italian singer and entrepreneur (d. 2018)
* December 6 – Dave Brubeck, jazz pianist (d. 2012)
* December 13 – Teo Usuelli, Italian film composer (d. 2009)
* December 14 – Clark Terry, American jazz musician and composer (d. 2015)
* December 19 – Little Jimmy Dickens, American country music singer-songwriter (d. 2015)
* December 31 – Rex Allen, American actor, singer and songwriter (d. 1999)

## Deaths

* January 8 – Maud Powell, violinist (b. 1867; heart attack)
* January 16 – Reginald De Koven, US music critic and composer (b. 1859)
* January 18 – Giovanni Capurro, poet, co-writer of "O Sole Mio" (b. 1859)
* January 21 – John Henry Maunder, composer (b. 1858)
* January 24 – William Percy French, songwriter (b. 1854; pneumonia)
* February 2 – Theo Marzials, singer and composer (b. 1850)
* February 11 – Gaby Deslys, dancer and actress (b. 1881; Spanish flu)
* February 12 – Émile Sauret, violinist and composer (b. 1852)
* February 23 – Alexander Ilyinsky, music teacher and composer (b. 1859)
* March 20 – Eva Mylott, operatic contralto (b. 1875; domestic accident)
* April 4 – Carl Bohm, pianist and composer (b. 1844)
* April 8 – Charles Griffes, composer (b. 1884; Spanish flu)
* April 19 – Mathilde Mallinger, lyric soprano (b. 1847)
* May 6 – Hortense Schneider, operatic soprano (b. 1833)
* May 25 – Georg Jarno, composer of operettas (b. 1868)
* May 28 – Hardwicke Rawnsley, hymn-writer (b. 1851; heart attack)
* June 27 – Adolphe-Basile Routhier, lyricist (b. 1839)
* June 28 – Pauline Rita, singer and actress (b. c.1842; long illness)
* July 17 – Dorothy Goetz, first wife of Irving Berlin (b. 1892; typhoid)
* July 26 – Carlos Troyer, composer (b. 1837)
* August 13 – Carlos Hartling, German-born composer of the Honduras national anthem (b. 1869)
* August 29 – Gustav Jenner, composer and conductor (b. 1865)
* October 1 – Vladimir Rebikov, Russian pianist and composer (b. 1866)
* October 2 – Max Bruch, composer (b. 1838)
* October 16 – Alberto Nepomuceno, composer and conductor (b. 1864)
* November 6 – Maria Waldmann, operatic mezzo-soprano associated with Verdi (b. 1844)
* December 14 – George J. Gaskin, singer (b. 1863)
* December 31 – Paloke Kurti, Albanian composer (b. 1860)