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Overview of the events of 1953 in British music
List of years in British music
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This is a summary of 1953 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
14 January – Ralph Vaughan Williams 's Sinfonia antartica [ 1] 3 February – Contralto Kathleen Ferrier , suffering from terminal cancer (unknown to the public), gives a critically acclaimed performance on the first night of a new English-language production of Gluck 's Orfeo ed Euridice Royal Opera House , Covent Garden.[ 2] 6 February – During the second performance of Orfeo , Kathleen Ferrier's left femur gives way; she completes the performance before going to hospital for treatment.[ 3] 1 April – First record by any UK act to reach number one in the UK Singles Chart , The Stargazers ' recording of "Broken Wings ".[ 4] 26 May – In the 1953 Coronation Honours , Herbert Howells receives a CBE and Benjamin Britten is appointed a Companion of Honour .[ 5] 2 June
The Coronation of Elizabeth II , William McKie , who had been in charge of music at the royal wedding in 1947, is organist.[ 6] music , such as Handel 's "Zadok the Priest ", Hubert Parry 's "I was glad " and Samuel Sebastian Wesley 's "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace", specially commissioned works performed at the ceremony include Ralph Vaughan Williams 's "O Taste and See", William Walton 's "Orb and Sceptre ", Arthur Bliss 's "Processional", Arnold Bax's "Coronation March", and the Canadian composer Healy Willan 's anthem "O Lord our Governor".
On the evening of the coronation, Sadler's Wells Ballet stages the first performance of Malcolm Arnold 's official coronation ballet Homage to the Queen Frederick Ashton and Robert Irving conducting.[ 7] 9 June – Kathleen Ferrier writes to the secretary of the Royal Philharmonic Society , thanking them for the award of the gold medal; it is thought to be the last letter she ever signed in person.[ 8] 29 August – Michael Tippett 's Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli [ 1] October – Sir Arthur Bliss replaces Sir Arnold Bax as Master of the Queen's Music .
19 September – Sir Hubert Parry 's 1916 setting of William Blake 's "Jerusalem " first appears as a permanent feature of the Last Night of the Proms (televised).[ 9] 19 October – Opening of the Covent Garden opera season, with a production of Wagner 's Die Walküre Allegri Quartet formed.See List of UK top-ten singles in 1953
Film and Incidental music [ edit ] 28 January – Chris Carter , English DJ and producer22 February – Graham Lewis , bass player3 March – Robyn Hitchcock , singer-songwriter9 April – John Howard , singer-songwriter15 May – Mike Oldfield , composer8 June – Bonnie Tyler , singer19 June – Simon Wright , English drummer (AC/DC , Dio , and UFO )22 July
27 July – Eibhlis Farrell , composer2 August – Donnie Munro , Scottish singer and guitarist (Runrig )3 August – Ian Bairnson , multi-instrumentalist (Alan Parsons Project)10 August – Gillian Elisa , actress, singer, and comedian23 August – Bobby G , singer (Bucks Fizz )16 October – Brinsley Forde , singer (Aswad )21 October – Eric Faulkner , guitarist, songwriter, and singer (Bay City Rollers )12 November – Calum Macdonald , percussionist with Runrig 18 January – Arthur Wood , conductor and composer, 7830 April – Lily Brayton , musical theatre star, 76[ 10] 15 May – Mabel Love , dancer, 78[ 10] 19 May – Frank Mullings , operatic tenor, 72[ 11] 21 September – Roger Quilter , composer, 75[ 12] 3 October – Sir Arnold Bax , composer, Master of the King's (and later Queen's) Musick, 69[ 13] 8 October – Kathleen Ferrier , contralto, 41 (cancer)[ 14] 26 November – Sir Ivor Atkins , organist and choirmaster, 83[ 15] 11 December – Albert Coates , conductor and composer, 71[ 16] date unknown – John Reynders , film score composerGeneral
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