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Timeline: Music

Years: c. 45,000 years ago - 2009	Subject: Music
Publisher: HistoryWorld	Online Publication Date: 2012
Current online version: 2012	eISBN: 9780191737015

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BCE CE

Year	Event
c. 45,000 years ago	Neanderthals carve a flute from the leg bone of a young bear, in the region that is now Slovenia Go to Neanderthal man in A Dictionary of Biology (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Prehistory Arts Science
c. 2800 BCE	The harp and the lyre are in use as musical instruments in Mesopotamia Go to lyre in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3100-1000 BCE Performing arts Mesopotamia Asia West Asia Iraq
c. 1500 BCE	A copper trumpet is in use in Egypt, forerunner of the brass instruments of the orchestra Go to copper in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3100-1000 BCE Performing arts Africa North Africa Egypt
c. 500 BCE	The followers of Pythagoras discover the mathematical basis of the octave Go to octave in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 6th century BCE 5th century BCE Performing arts Europe Greece Italy
c. 250 BCE	The organ, using a mechanical device to pump air through a set of musical pipes, is invented in Alexandria by Ctesibius Go to Ctesi'bius in The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3rd century BCE Performing arts Alexandria Africa North Africa Egypt
c. 600	Ritual intoning of the psalms, derived from Jewish synagogues, is formalized in Christian worship as Gregorian chant Go to plainsong in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 6th century 7th century Performing arts Religion Christianity Judaism Asia West Asia Europe
c. 1050	Polyphony brings new complexity of interweaving vocal lines, in the choral singing of abbey or cathedral Go to polyphony in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 11th century Performing arts
c. 1320	Philippe de Vitry, in his Ars Nova ('New Art'), lays out the basis of musical notation Go to Adeste fideles in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 14th century Performing arts Europe France
c. 1397	The keyboard of the organ is adapted in Germany to strings, thus providing the harpsichord - first mentioned in a manuscript of this year Go to harpsichord in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 14th century Performing arts Technology Inventions and discoveries Germany
c. 1400	Guilds of singers and song-writers develop in German towns, calling themselves Meistersinger, or master singers Go to Meistersinger in The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 14th century 15th century Performing arts Germany
1471	The new pope, Sixtus IV, secures his name in history, establishing the Sistine chapel and the Sistine choir Go to Sixtus IV (1414–84) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 15th century Italian Renaissance Architecture Italian architecture Performing arts Papacy Europe Italy
1597	Dafne is performed in Florence, becoming the first example of a new art form - opera Go to Daphne in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 16th century Italian Renaissance Performing arts Opera Florence Europe Italy
1600	A performance in the Oratory in Rome, with music by Emilio de' Cavalieri, is in effect the first oratorio Go to oratorio noun in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 16th century 17th century Baroque Italian Renaissance Performing arts Europe Italy
1607	Claudio Monteverdi presents Orfeo, the first opera to win a lasting place in the international repertory Go to Monteverdi, Claudio (1567–1643) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Baroque Performing arts Opera Europe Italy
1637	The first public opera house, the Teatro San Cassiano, opens in Venice Go to Venice (Italy, USA) in The Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Performing arts Opera Venice Europe Italy
1679	19-year-old Alessandro Scarlatti has a great success in Rome with Gli Equivoci nel Sembiante, the first of his 115 operas Go to Scarlatti, Alessandro (1660–1725) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Baroque Opera Rome Europe Italy
1689	Young gentlewomen in Chelsea give the first performance of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas Go to Purcell, Henry (1659–95) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Baroque Britain 1500-1750 Performing arts Opera British Isles Europe Britain
c. 1695	The first teacher of the virtuoso harpsichordist Domenico Scarlatti is his father, Alessandro Go to Scarlatti, Domenico (1685–1757) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Baroque Europe Italy
1697	In his opera La Caduta de' Decemviri, Alessandro Scarlatti introduces a new form of prelude, later known as the Italian overture, which is an important stage in the development of the symphony Go to Scarlatti, Alessandro (1660–1725) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Baroque Opera Europe Italy
1698	A maker of harpsichords in Florence, Bartolomeo Cristofori, develops the piano ('soft') and forte ('loud') feature which leads to the piano Go to Cristofori, Bartolomeo (4 May 1655) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Performing arts Technology Inventions and discoveries Florence Europe Italy
1709	In a friendly keyboard contest in Rome between Handel and Domenico Scarlatti, the result is a draw – Handel being the winner on the organ and Scarlatti on the harpsichord Go to Handel, George Frideric (1685–1759) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Baroque Rome Europe Italy
1711	Handel's success in London with his opera Rinaldo prompts him to settle in Britain Go to Handel, George Frideric (1685–1759) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1500-1750 Performing arts Opera Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain
1712	The violinist Archangelo Corelli composes his Christmas Concerto, the best known of his influential group of twelve Concerti Grossi Go to Corelli, Arcangelo (1653) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Baroque Europe Italy
c. 1720	The symphony begins to develop as a musical form, deriving from the overtures of operas Go to symphony in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Baroque Performing arts Like the symphony, the string quartet develops during the eighteenth century, moving from simple beginnings to great complexity Go to string quartet noun in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Johann Sebastian Bach compiles the Little Keyboard Book a set of pieces to teach his eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach Go to Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685–1750) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Baroque Performing arts Germany
1721	Johann Sebastian Bach writes the six Brandenburg Concertos for his employer at the court of Köthen Go to Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685–1750) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Baroque Performing arts Germany
1722	J.S. Bach publishes The Well-Tempered Clavier, a collection of 24 Preludes and Fugues Go to Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685–1750) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Baroque Performing arts Germany
1725	Vivaldi publishes the set of violin concertos known as The Four Seasons Go to Vivaldi, Antonio (1675–1741) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Baroque Performing arts Europe Italy
c. 1727	J.S. Bach conducts the first performance of his St Matthew Passion in the St Thomas's church in Leipzig Go to Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685–1750) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Baroque Performing arts Germany Handel composes Zadok the Priest for the crowning of George II, and it has been sung at every subsequent British coronation Go to Handel, George Frideric (1685–1759) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Baroque Britain 1500-1750 Performing arts Politics Dynasties and royalty Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain
1730	The Italian poet Metastasio produces, in Vienna, opera libretti which are used by almost every composer of the day Go to Metastasio (1698–1782) in The Oxford Companion to Theatre and Performance (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Opera Austria
1732	With the performance of Esther Handel taps a rich new vein, the English oratorio Go to Handel, George Frideric (1685–1759) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Baroque Britain 1500-1750 Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain
1741	J.S. Bach publishes his set of Goldberg Variations, supposedly written for performance by the young harpsichordist Johann Gottlieb Goldberg Go to Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685–1750) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Germany
1744	J.S. Bach publishes another set of 24 Preludes and Fugues, as an addition to his previous Well-Tempered Clavier Go to Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685–1750) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Baroque Performing arts Germany
1749	Shortly before his death (in 1750) J.S. Bach completes his Mass in B Minor, worked on over many years Go to Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685–1750) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Baroque Performing arts Germany
1751	By the time of his death the prolific output of Domenico Scarlatti includes 555 sonatas, all but a few for his own instrument, the harpsichord Go to Scarlatti, Domenico (1685–1757) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Baroque Europe Italy
1761	Joseph Haydn enters the service of the Esterházy family, and stays with them for twenty-nine years Go to Haydn, Joseph (1732–1809) in The Oxford Companion to German Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Austria
1762	Johann Sebastian Bach's youngest son, Johann Christian, moves to London and becomes known as the English Bach Go to Bach, Johann Christian (1735–82) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1750-1900 Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Germany Britain The intensely dramatic music of Gluck's Orfeo ed Eurydice introduces a much needed reform in the conventions of opera Go to Gluck, Christoph Willibald (1714–87) in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Opera Austria 6-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart plays for the Habsburg empress Maria Theresa Go to Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756–91) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Austrian empire Habsburgs Performing arts Austria Empires
1763	7-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart begins a three-year concert tour of Europe Go to Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756–91) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Austria
1764	Joseph Haydn's first published work is six string quartets, a form which he subsequently makes very much his own Go to Haydn, Joseph (1732–1809) in The Oxford Companion to German Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Austria
1772	Haydn's Farewell Symphony gives a subtle hint to his employer at Esterházy that it is time for the musicians to return home Go to Haydn, Joseph (1732–1809) in The Oxford Companion to German Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Austria
1775	Yankee Doodle is the most popular song with the patriot troops in the American Revolution Go to Yankee Doodle in The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century American Revolution Performing arts British colonial America European empires from 1415 Europe Empires Wars and Revolutions North America United States
1781	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, now 25, leaves Salzburg to settle in Vienna Go to Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756–91) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Austria
1782	12-year-old Ludwig van Beethoven publishes his first composition, Piano Variations on a March by Dressler Go to Beethoven, Ludwig van (1770–1827) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Germany
1785	Mozart and his friends perform for Haydn the Mozart quartets inspired by Haydn's 'Russian' quartets (op.33), which on publication are dedicated to him Go to Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756–91) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Austria
1786	Mozart's Marriage of Figaro premieres in Vienna and then has a huge success in Prague Go to Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756–91) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Austrian empire Performing arts Opera Austria Empires The emperor Joseph II is reported to have told Mozart that his opera The Marriage of Figaro has 'too many notes' Go to Joseph II (1741–90) in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Austrian empire Habsburgs Performing arts Opera Austria Empires
1787	Mozart's opera Don Giovanni has its premiere in Prague Go to Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756–91) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Opera Bohemia Czech Republic Germany
1790	Mozart's opera Così fan Tutte has its premiere in Vienna, in the court theatre of Joseph II Go to Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756–91) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Austrian empire Habsburgs Performing arts Opera Austria Empires Joseph Haydn sets off for England, where impresario Johann Peter Salomon presents his London symphonies Go to Haydn, Joseph (1732–1809) in The Oxford Companion to German Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1750-1900 Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Austria Britain
1791	A stranger arrives in Vienna with a mysterious commission for Mozart to write a requiem mass, just months before the composer's death Go to requiem in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Austria Mozart's opera The Magic Flute has its premiere in Vienna in a popular theatre run by the librettist, Emanuel Shikaneder Go to Zauberflöte, Die in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Opera Austria Mozart dies, at the age of just 35, leaving his Requiem unfinished Go to requiem in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Austria
1792	A French officer, Rouget de Lisle, writes a stirring anthem for France, soon to be known as the Marseillaise Go to Marseillaise, La in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century French Revolution Performing arts Europe France Wars and Revolutions Beethoven leaves Bonn and goes to Vienna to study composition with Haydn Go to Beethoven, Ludwig van (1770–1827) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Austria Germany
1794	Virtuoso violinist Nicolo Paganini gives his first public performances, in churches in his native Genoa See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Europe Italy
1795	Beethoven makes his first public appearance in Vienna as a pianist, playing either his first or second piano concerto See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Austria
1799	Haydn's oratorio The Creation has its first public performance in Vienna, in the Burgtheater Go to Creation, The in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Performing arts Austria
1800	Beethoven seeks medical advice for a very alarming condition, an increasing deafness Go to Beethoven, Ludwig van in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century 19th century Performing arts Austria Nelson and the Hamiltons visit Haydn, who composes a cantata on the Battle of the Nile for Emma Hamilton to sing Go to Hamilton, Emma (1765–1815) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century 19th century Performing arts Social and domestic Austria Society
1802	At Heiligenstadt, near Vienna, Beethoven writes a letter, to be read only after his death, confronting the tragedy of his inexorable decline into deafness Go to Heiligenstädter Testament in The Oxford Companion to German Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Austria
1804	Beethoven changes the dedication of his third symphony on hearing that his hero, Napoleon, has made himself an emperor Go to Eroica Symphony in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Napoleonic era Performing arts Germany
1805	The first version of Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio, is performed in Vienna under the title Leonore Go to Leonore in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Austria
1808	Beethoven's sixth symphony (the Pastoral) has its first performance in Vienna Go to Pastoral Sonata in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Austria
1814	Beethoven's Mass in D (the Missa Solemnis) has its first performance in Vienna, though still incomplete Go to Mass in D in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Austria The final version of Beethoven's opera Fidelio has its premiere in Vienna Go to Fidelio in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Austria
1816	Rossini's opera The Barber of Seville has its premiere in Rome Go to Rossini, Gioacchino Antonio in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy
1821	Carl Maria von Weber's opera Der Freischutz has its premiere in Berlin Go to Weber, Carl Maria von (1786–1826) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Germany
1822	Austrian composer Franz Schubert begins, but never completes, the great work now known as his 'Unfinished' symphony (no 8.in B minor) Go to Schubert, Franz Peter (1797–1828) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Austria
1823	12-year-old Hungarian pianist Franz Liszt wins a reputation as a virtuoso performer Go to Liszt, Franz (1811–86) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Europe Hungary Austrian composer Franz Schubert writes the song cycle Die Schöne Müllerin ('The beautiful miller's wife') Go to Schubert, Franz Peter (1797–1828) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Austria
1824	Beethoven's ninth symphony (the Choral, because of its finale, setting Schiller's Ode to Joy) has its first performance in Vienna Go to Choral Symphony in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Austria Italian composer Gioacchino Rossini moves to Paris, where he becomes director of the Théatre Italien Go to Rossini, Gioacchino Antonio in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe France Italy
1825	Franz Schubert composes his 'Great' C major symphony (previously often attributed to 1828) Go to Schubert, Franz Peter (1797–1828) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Austria
1826	17-year-old Felix Mendelssohn composes an overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream, amplified with huge success eighteen years later Go to Mendelssohn, Felix (1809–47) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Germany Carl Maria von Weber's opera Oberon has its premiere (in London, at Covent Garden) Go to Weber, Carl Maria von (1786–1826) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Germany
1829	After a century of neglect, the 20-year-old Felix Mendelssohn conducts an influential revival in Berlin of J.S. Bach's St Matthew Passion Go to Bach revival in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Germany Gioacchino Rossini's opera William Tell has its premiere in Paris Go to Guillaume Tell in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe France Italy German composer Felix Mendelssohn visits the Hebrides and see's Fingal's Cave, later the theme of his Hebrides Overture Go to Fingal's Cave in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Germany Britain
1830	The Symphonie fantastique by French composer Hector Berlioz has its premiere in Paris Go to Berlioz, Hector (1803–69) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Europe France
1831	Samuel Francis Smith's patriotic hymn America is sung for the first time on July 4 in Boston Go to “America in The Concise Oxford Companion to American Literature (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Literature American literature Literature in English Poetry North America United States
1832	Gaetano Donizetti's opera L'elisir d'amore has its premiere in Milan Go to Donizetti, Gaetano (1797–1848) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy Robert Schumann's first published composition is Papillons ('Butterflies'), twelve short dance pieces for piano Go to Schumann, Robert in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Germany Mendelssohn's concert overture The Hebrides (Fingal's Cave) has its premiere in London's Covent Garden Go to Fingal's Cave in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1833	Hector Berlioz marries an Irish actress, Harriet Smithson, with whom he has been obsessed since seeing her play Ophelia and Juliet in 1827 Go to Smithson, Harriet (1800–54) in Brewer's Dictionary of Irish Phrase & Fable (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts British Isles Europe France Ireland Britain
1835	Gaetano Donizetti's opera Lucia di Lammermoor has its premiere in Naples Go to Donizetti, Gaetano (1797–1848) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy
1837	Hector Berlioz's requiem mass, the Grande messe des morts, has its first performance in Paris Go to Berlioz, Hector (1803–69) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Europe France
1839	Polish composer Frédéric Chopin completes his Preludes under difficult conditions in Majorca Go to Chopin, Frédéric François (1810–49) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Europe Poland Spain
1840	Robert Schumann composes the song cycle Frauenliebe und -Leben ('Woman's Love and Life') Go to Schumann, Robert Alexander (1810–56) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Germany Robert Schumann marries the pianist Clara Wieck, daughter of his first teacher Go to Schumann, Clara Josephine Wieck (1819–96) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Germany
1842	The success of the opera Nabucco, premiered in Milan, is a turning point in the fortunes of Giuseppe Verdi Go to Verdi, Giuseppe (1813–1901) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy Edwin Pearce Christy launches the Virginia Minstrels, later to become America's most popular minstrel show under the name Christy's Minstrels Go to Christy Minstrels in The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts North America United States
1843	The Flying Dutchman is the first of Richard Wagner's major operas to be staged, with its premiere in Dresden Go to Wagner, Richard (1813–83) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Germany Mendelssohn's overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream, amplified now with incidental music, is greeted as a masterpiece at a performance of the play in Potsdam Go to Mendelssohn, Felix (1809–47) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Germany
1846	Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah has its premiere in England, in the city of Birmingham Go to Mendelssohn, Felix (1809–47) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1848	Oh! Susannah is in the first published collection of popular songs by Stephen Collins Foster Go to Foster, Stephen in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts North America United States
1849	In Vienna the younger Johann Strauss succeeds his father as the Waltz King Go to Strauss, Johann (1825–99) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Austria
1850	Jenny Lind, the 'Swedish Nightingale', has a great success touring the USA in a show presented by P.T. Barnum Go to Lind, Jenny (1820–87) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Sweden North America United States
1851	Giuseppe Verdi's opera Rigoletto, based on a play by Victor Hugo, is a huge success at its premiere in Venice Go to Verdi, Giuseppe (1813–1901) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Venice Europe Italy Richard Wagner writes an anti-Semitic tract, Jewishness in Music Go to Wagner, Richard (1813–83) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Judaism Germany
1853	Giuseppe Verdi's opera Il Trovatore is a success at its premiere in Rome Go to Verdi, Giuseppe (1813–1901) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy Just six weeks after the success of Il Trovatore, Giuseppe Verdi's opera La Traviata is a disaster at its premiere in Venice Go to Verdi, Giuseppe (1813–1901) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Venice Europe Italy
1854	Robert Schumann throws himself into the Rhine, in an attempt to commit suicide, and spends the last two years of his life in an asylum Go to Schumann, Robert Alexander (1810–56) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Germany
1858	Hector Berlioz completes his 4-hour opera The Trojans (not performed as a complete work until 1890) Go to Berlioz, Hector (1803–69) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe France
1859	The opera Faust, by French composer Charles Gounod, has its premiere in Paris Go to Gounod, Charles François (1818–93) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe France
1861	An official National Eisteddfod is held for the first time in Wales, in Aberdare Go to eisteddfod in The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Performing arts Theatre Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 Wales British Isles Europe Britain
1865	Richard Wagner's opera Tristan and Isolde has its premiere in the Munich court theatre Go to Tristan und Isolde in The Oxford Companion to German Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Germany
1867	Modest Mussorgsky composes his orchestral work St John's Night on the Bare Mountain, based on a story by Gogol Go to Night on the Bare Mountain in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Europe Russia The first collection of 'Negro Spirituals' is published in book form in the US as Slave Songs of the United States Go to spiritual in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Literature American literature Literature in English Poetry North America United States
1868	Richard Wagner's opera The Mastersingers of Nuremberg has its premiere in Munich Go to Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Die in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Germany
1869	Johannes Brahms' German Requiem, setting passages from Luther's translation of the Bible, has its first complete performance in Leipzig Go to Deutsches Requiem, Ein in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Germany Das Rheingold, with its premiere in Munich, is the first part of Richard Wagner's Ring cycle to be staged Go to Rheingold, Das in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Germany
1870	Coppélia, with choreography by Arthur Saint-Léon to music by Delibes, has its premiere at the Paris Opera Go to Coppélia in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Dance Europe France Richard Wagner marries Cosima, the daughter of the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt Go to Wagner, Cosima (1837) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Germany
1871	Giuseppe Verdi's opera Aida, is commissioned for the Cairo opera house, part of the process of Egypt becoming westernized Go to Aida in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Africa North Africa Egypt
1874	Modest Mussorgsky's opera Boris Godunov has its premiere in St Petersburg Go to Boris Godunov in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe Russia Johann Strauss's operetta Die Fledermaus has its premiere in Vienna Go to Fledermaus, Die in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Austria Mussorgsky composes Pictures at an Exhibition as a piece for piano in memory of an exhibition by the Russian painter Victor Hartmann Go to Pictures at an Exhibition in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Europe Russia
1875	Georges Bizet's opera Carmen has its premiere in Paris and meets at first with a lukewarm response Go to Carmen in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe France
1876	Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky begins an intense correspondence with a wealthy patron, Nadezhda von Meck Go to Meck, Nadezhda von (1831) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Europe Russia Richard Wagner's sequence of four operas, The Ring of the Nibelungen, has its first complete performance at Bayreuth Go to Bayreuth Festival in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Germany Johannes Brahms' first symphony has its premiere in Karlsruhe Go to Brahms, Johannes (1833–97) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Germany
1877	The ballet Swan Lake, with choreography by Julius Wenzel Reisinger to music by Tchaikovsky, has its premiere at the Bolshoi in Moscow Go to Reisinger, Julius Wenzel (14 Dec. 1828) in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Dance Europe Russia
1878	Czech composer Anton Dvorák writes his first set of Slavonic Dances, originally as piano duets Go to Dvorák, Antonín (1841–1904) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Bohemia Czech Republic
1879	Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin, based on Pushkin's poem, has its premiere in Moscow Go to Onegin, Eugene in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe Russia
1880	Russian composer Alexander Borodin writes In the Steppes of Central Asia as part of the silver jubilee celebrations for Alexander II Go to Borodin, Alexander Porfirevich (1833–87) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Europe Russia Johannes Brahms' Academic Festival Overture is performed first at Breslau university, which has conferred on him an honorary Ph.D. Go to Academic Festival Overture in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Germany
1887	Alexander Borodin dies without finishing his opera Prince Igor (completed later by Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov) Go to Prince Igor in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe Russia Giuseppe Verdi's opera Otello has its première at La Scala in Milan Go to Otello in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy The Australian soprano Nellie Melba makes her operatic debut as Gilda in Rigoletto in Brussels Go to Melba, Nellie (1861) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Australia and Oceania Europe Belgium Australia
1889	The tone poem Don Juan, by the 25-year-old Richard Strauss, has a passionately mixed response at its premiere in Weimar Go to Strauss, Richard (1864–1949) in The Oxford Companion to English Literature (7 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Germany English musicologist George Grove completes publication of his four-volume Dictionary of Music and Musicians Go to Grove, Sir George (1820–1900) in The Oxford Companion to British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Austrian composer Gustav Mahler conducts the premiere in Budapest of his first symphony, described as a 'symphonic poem' Go to symphonic poem in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Austria
1890	Sleeping Beauty, with choreography by Petipa to music by Tchaikovsky, has its premiere in St Petersburg Go to Sleeping Beauty, The in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Dance Europe Russia
1891	A Gaelic pressure group, the Highland Association, is founded to preserve the indigenous poetry and music of Scotland Go to Mod, Royal National in The Oxford Companion to Scottish History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Performing arts Literature English literature Poetry Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 Scotland British Isles Europe Britain
1892	Dvorák takes a job in New York as director of the National Conservatory, returning to Prague in 1895 Go to Dvorák, Antonín (1841–1904) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts North America United States The Nutcracker, with choreography by Lev Ivanov to music by Tchaikovsky, has its premiere in St Petersburg Go to Nutcracker, The in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Dance Europe Russia The French chef Auguste Escoffier creates and names a dessert in honour of the Australian soprano Nellie Melba Go to Melba in An A-Z of Food and Drink (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Social and domestic Australia and Oceania Europe France Society Australia
1893	Giacomo Puccini has his first success when his opera Manon Lescaut opens in Turin Go to Manon Lescaut in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy In Falstaff Giuseppe Verdi writes his last opera, and his only comedy since the early days of his career. Go to Falstaff in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy Anton Dvorák's Ninth Symphony, subtitled 'From the New World', has its first performance in New York Go to New World, From the in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts North America United States Tchaikovsky's symphony no. 6, known as the 'Pathetic' or Pathétique, has its premiere in St Petersburg Go to ‘Pathetic’ Symphony in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Europe Russia Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky dies after a short illness, possibly from cholera or perhaps in sinister circumstances that remain the subject of controversy Go to Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilich (1840–93) in The Oxford Companion to English Literature (7 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Europe Russia Hansel and Gretl, an opera by German composer Engelbert Humperdinck, has its premiere in Weimar Go to Hänsel und Gretel in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Germany
1894	Claude Debussy's tone poem L'Après-midi d'un faune has its premiere in Paris Go to Après-midi d'un faune', Prélude à ‘L’ in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Europe France The tenor Enrico Caruso makes his debut in his home town of Naples Go to Caruso, Enrico (25 Feb. 1873) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy
1895	Swan Lake is performed in St Petersburg in its definitive version, with choreography shared between Lucien Petipa and Lev Ivanov Go to Swan Lake in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Dance Europe Russia Australia has a catchy new song in "Waltzing Matilda", written by Banjo Paterson to music by Christina Macpherson Go to ‘Waltzing Matilda’ in The Oxford Companion to Australian History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Australia and Oceania Australia A promenade concert, presented by Henry Wood in London's Queen's Hall, turns out to be the beginning of a very long tradition Go to Promenade Concerts in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1896	Giacomo Puccini's opera La Bohème has an unsuccessful premiere in Turin Go to bohème, La in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy Jean Sibelius's 'symphonic legend' The Swan of Tuonela has its premiere in Helsinki Go to Sibelius, Jean (1865–1957) in The Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Europe
1897	Jewish composer Gustav Mahler is baptized a Christian so as to be eligible to conduct the Vienna Opera Go to Mahler, Gustav (1860–1911) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Judaism Austria Rachmaninov's First Symphony has a disastrous premiere in St Petersburg, probably caused by the incompetence of Glazunov as conductor Go to Rachmaninov, Sergei (1873–1943) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Europe Russia
1898	The Australian soprano Nellie Melba forms the Melba Grand Opera Company as a touring venture in the USA Go to Melba, Nellie (1861) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Opera North America United States
1899	Edward Elgar teases with the word 'enigma' printed at the head of his orchestral Variations on an Original Theme Go to ‘Enigma’ Variations in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg composes the string sextet Verklärte Nacht Go to Transfigured Night in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Performing arts Austria
1900	Giacomo Puccini's Tosca brings in the new century with a January premiere in Rome Go to Tosca in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century 1900s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy Enrique Granados completes the ten piano pieces forming his Danzas españolas Go to Granados (y Campina), Enrique (27 July 1867) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe Spain Jean Sibelius's Finlandia stirs national instincts in Helsinki Go to Finlandia in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe Finland Edward Elgar writes the oratorio Dream of Gerontius, setting Cardinal Newman's poem of the same title Go to Dream of Gerontius, The in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 1900s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Gustave Charpentier's opera Louise has Paris premiere at the Opéra-Comique Go to Louise in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century 1900s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe France
1901	Vast crowds line the streets for the Milan funeral of a national hero, the 87-year-old composer Giuseppe Verdi Go to Verdi, Giuseppe (1813–1901) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy Rusalka, by the Czech composer Anton Dvorák, is performed in Prague Go to Rusalka in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Opera Bohemia Czech Republic The first of Edward Elgar's five Pomp and Circumstance marches has a trio section that becomes "Land of Hope and Glory" Go to Pomp and Circumstance in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Performing arts War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Sergei Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto gives him renewed confidence after the disaster of his First Symphony in 1897 Go to Rachmaninov, Sergei (1873–1943) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe Russia Frederick Delius completes his opera A Village Romeo and Juliet, but it is not performed until 1907 in Berlin Go to Village Romeo and Juliet, A in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Performing arts War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1902	Land of Hope and Glory' features in its lasting form as the finale of Elgar's Coronation Ode for Edward VII Go to Coronation Ode in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Performing arts War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles British monarchs - from 1066 Europe Rulers and politicians Britain Hughie Cannon writes 'Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home' for a minstrel, John Queen Go to dixieland in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Claude Debussy's opera Pelléas et Mélisande has its premiere in Paris Go to Pelléas et Mélisande in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe France Gustav Mahler marries Alma, daughter of the artist Emil Jakob Schindler Go to Mahler-Werfel, Alma (Maria) (31 Aug. 1879) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Austria The tenor Enrico Caruso cuts his first phonograph records in Milan, beginning an immensely successful recording career Go to Caruso, Enrico (25 Feb. 1873) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe Italy
1903	Sibelius writes Valse Triste as incidental music to a play, Kuolema, by his brother-in-law Arvid Järnefelt Go to Valse triste in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe Maurice Ravel sets to music romantic oriental poems by Tristan Klingsor in his song-cycle Shéhérazade Go to Ravel, (Joseph) Maurice (1875–1937) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe France Italian tenor Enrico Caruso makes his US debut at the New York Metropolitan Opera Go to Caruso, Enrico (1873–1921) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Opera North America United States
1904	Leos Janacek's opera Jenufa, based on a play by Gabriela Preissová, has its premiere in Brno Go to Jenůfa in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Opera Bohemia Czech Republic Giacomo Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly falls victim at La Scala to claques paid for by rivals Go to Madama Butterfly in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy Hughie Cannon writes the music and words for the song originally titled "He Done Me Wrong" in the US musical Frankie and Johnny Go to Frankie and Johnny in The Oxford Companion to American Literature (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Theatre North America United States Alban Berg and Anton Webern study composition with Arnold Schoenberg in Vienna Go to Webern, Anton Friedrich Wilhelm von (1883–1945) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Austria Alexander Scriabin completes his Third Symphony, The Divine Poem, which is given its first performance in Paris in 1905 Go to Scriabin, Alexander Nikolayevitch (1872–1915) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe Russia Australian soprano Nellie Melba makes the first of a great many recordings Go to Melba, Nellie (1861) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts North America United States
1905	Henry Wood sets 'Rule Britannia' in his Fantasia on British Sea Songs, providing a traditional favourite for the last night of the Proms Go to Fantasia on British Sea Songs in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Performing arts War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Karol Szymanowski and other Polish composers form a group that soon becomes known as Young Poland Go to Szymanowski, Karol (1882) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe Poland The Russian composer Alexander Scriabin becomes influenced by the theosophy of Madame Blavatsky Go to Scriabin, Alexander (1872) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe Russia Claude Debussy completes the three symphonic sketches forming La Mer Go to Debussy, (Achille) Claude (1862–1918) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe France Gustav Mahler's cycle of five songs, Kindertotenlieder, is its first performance in Vienna Go to Kindertotenlieder in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Austria Richard Strauss's Salome, based on Oscar Wilde's play, has wide success in spite of censorship difficulties Go to Salome in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Opera Germany Franz Lehár's operetta The Merry Widow opens in Vienna at the start of an immensely successful run Go to Merry Widow, The in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Opera Austria
1906	In Charles Ives' composition The Unanswered Question the trumpet repeatedly asks 'the perennial question of existence' Go to Ives, Charles Edward (1874–1954) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Ethel Smyth's most successful opera, The Wreckers, is premiered in Leipzig Go to Wreckers, The in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Performing arts Opera War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1907	Frederick Delius's Walk to the Paradise Garden is added to his opera A Village Romeo and Juliet to cover a scene change during the Berlin premiere Go to Walk to the Paradise Garden, The in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Performing arts War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev presents five concerts of Russian music in Paris Go to Diaghilev, Serge (31 March 1872) in The Continuum Companion to Twentieth Century Theatre (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe France Frederick Delius completes Brigg Fair, an 'English Rhapsody' for orchestra, first performed in Liverpool in 1908 Go to Delius, Frederick (1862–1934) in The Oxford Companion to British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Performing arts War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Harry Lauder has a hit in the USA with his recording of I Love a Lassie Go to Lauder, Sir Harry MacLennan (1870–1950) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts North America United States
1908	Jack Norworth and Albert von Tilzer write Take Me Out to the Ball Game, which becomes one of the most popular songs in the USA Go to Norwoth, Jack (1879–1959) in The Oxford Companion to the American Musical (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Sergei Diaghilev presents Fyodor Chaliapin in Boris Godunov at the Paris Opera Go to Chaliapin, Fyodor (Ivanovich) (1/13 Feb. 1873) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe France Claude Debussy completes Children's Corner, pieces for piano which include 'Golliwog's Cake Walk' Go to Children's Corner in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe France Jack Norworth and Nora Bayes write "Shine on, Harvest Moon" for The Follies of 1908 Go to Ziegfeld Follies in The Oxford Companion to American Theatre (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Arnold Schoenberg abandons tonality in his String Quartet No. 2 Go to Schoenberg, Arnold Franz Walter (1874–1951) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Austria Alexander Scriabin's orchestral work, Poem of Ecstasy, has its first performance in New York Go to Scriabin, Alexander Nikolayevitch (1872–1915) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe Russia
1909	The opera Elektra, the first collaboration between Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal, has its premiere in Dresden Go to Elektra in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Opera Germany Michel Fokine becomes the choreographer for the ballet company that Sergei Diaghilev is taking to Paris Go to Fokine, Michel (1880–1942) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Dance Europe France Ralph Vaughan Williams sets poems by Housman in On Wenlock Edge Go to Vaughan Williams, Ralph (1872–1958) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Performing arts War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Arnold Schoenberg composes his opera for a single voice, Erwartung, which remains unperformed until 1924 in Prague Go to Schoenberg, Arnold Franz Walter (1874–1951) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Austria Isaac Albéniz completes his series of 12 piano pieces published under the title Iberia. Go to Albéniz, Isaac (1860) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe Spain 15-year-old Andrés Segovia gives his first public performance as a guitarist in Granada Go to Segovia, Andrés in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe Spain Vaughan Williams first symphony, which he names A Sea Symphony, is first performed at the Leeds Festival Go to Vaughan Williams, Ralph (1872–1958) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Performing arts War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Sergei Rachmaninov premieres his Third Piano Concerto during his tour of the USA as a pianist Go to Rachmaninov, Sergei (1873) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Europe Russia Thomas Beecham uses his personal fortune from Beecham's Pills to found his first orchestra, the Beecham Symphony Orchestra Go to Beecham, Thomas (1879) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Performing arts War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Golden Cockerel has its premiere in Moscow Go to Rimsky‐Korsakov, Nikolay (1844) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Russia
1910	Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis is first performed in Gloucester Go to Vaughan Williams, Ralph (1872–1958) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1910s 20th century Performing arts War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Fritz Kreisler is the soloist in the first performance of Edward Elgar's Violin Concerto Go to Kreisler, Fritz (1875) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1910s 20th century Performing arts War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Alban Berg and Anton Webern follow Schoenberg in developing atonal music Go to Berg, Alban (1885) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Austria Gustav Mahler conducts in Munich the first performance of his Eighth Symphony, subsequently known as the 'Symphony of a Thousand' Go to Mahler, Gustav (1860) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Germany Schéhérazade, with choreography by Fokine, music by Rimsky-Korsakov and designs by Bakst, is premiered by the Ballets Russes in Paris Go to Scheherazade in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Dance Europe France The Firebird brings together Fokine (choreography), Stravinsky (music) and Golovine and Bakst (sets and costumes) Go to Firebird in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Dance Europe France Alexander Scriabin completes Prometheus, the Poem of Fire, first performed in Moscow in 1911 Go to Scriabin, Alexander (1872) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Europe Russia The Snowman, a pantomime opera by the 11-year-old Erich Korngold, is a huge success in Vienna Go to Korngold, Erich (1897) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Austria Thomas Beecham sponsors and conducts his own season of opera at Covent Garden Go to Beecham, Thomas (1879) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Giacomo Puccini's opera Girl of the Golden West premieres in New York Go to Puccini, Giacomo (1858) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Opera North America United States
1911	Richard Strauss changes musical direction with his opera Der Rosenkavalier, once again with libretto by Hugo von Hoffmannsthal Go to Strauss, Richard (1864–1949) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Opera Germany Ethel Smyth's The March of Women has its premiere at a suffragette event in London's Albert Hall Go to Smyth, Ethel (1858) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Al Jolson makes his first recording, That Haunting Melody, for the Victor label Go to Jolson, Al (1886–1950) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Spanish composer Enrique Granados completes his Goyescas, seven pieces for piano Go to Granados, Enrique (1867) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Europe Spain Scott Joplin completes a ragtime opera, Treemonisha Go to Joplin, Scott (?1868) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts North America United States The ballet Petrushka brings together Fokine (choreography), Stravinsky (music) and Benois (sets and costumes) Go to Petrushka in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Dance Europe France Bruno Walter conducts in Munich the first performance of Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde, a few months after the composer's death Go to Mahler, Gustav (1860) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Germany French composer Henri Duparc publishes a complete edition of his songs Go to Duparc, Henri (1848) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Europe France Rudolph Wurlitzer's company in the USA produces the first of its famous movie theatre organs Go to Wurlitzer in A Dictionary of Modern Design (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Social and domestic Society North America United States The US composer Irving Berlin writes 'Alexander's Ragtime Band' Go to Berlin, Irving (1888–1989) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Jelly Roll Morton plays in New York his Jelly Roll Blues (published in 1915) Go to Morton, Jelly Roll (1885–1941) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts North America United States
1912	Carl Nielsen's Third Symphony, first performed in Copenhagen, brings him international renown Go to Nielsen, Carl (1865) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Europe Denmark Daphnis and Chloe, with choreography by Fokine, music by Ravel and designs by Bakst, is premiered by the Ballets Russes in Paris Go to Daphnis and Chloe in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Dance Europe France Arnold Schoenberg sets Pierrot Lunaire for a solo voice, reciting the text to the accompaniment of a quintet Go to Schoenberg, Arnold (1874) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Austria The Berlin Opera Ballet is founded to perform in the city's new opera house Go to Berlin Opera Ballet in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Dance Opera Germany Memphis Blues is composed by 'father of the blues' W.C. Handy Go to Handy, W. C. (1873) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts North America United States The opera Ariadne auf Naxos, by Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal, has its first premiere in Stuttgart Go to Strauss, Richard (1864–1949) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Opera Germany Ethel Smyth, in Holloway jail, conducts her fellow prisoners in a suffragette anthem composed by herself Go to Smyth, Ethel (1858) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1913	Igor Stravinsky and Vaslav Nijinsky provoke uproar in Paris with The Rite of Spring for Ballets Russes Go to Rite of Spring, The in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Dance Europe France 18-year-old Norwegian soprano Kirsten Flagstad makes her debut in Oslo Go to Flagstad, Kirsten Malfrid (1895–1962) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Europe Norway Frederick Delius completes On Hearing the first Cuckoo in Spring, first performed this same year in Leipzig Go to Delius, Frederick (1862–1934) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain John Ireland sets Masefield's poem Sea Fever to music Go to Ireland, John (1879) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain The march Colonel Bogey is written and published by a Royal Marine bandleader under the pseudonym Kenneth Alford Go to Colonel Bogey in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1914	Vaughan Williams writes a romance for violin and orchestra, The Lark Ascending, inspired by George Meredith's poem of the same name Go to Vaughan Williams, Ralph (1872) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain The tenor Beniamino Gigli wins an international singing competition in Parma, and makes his operatic debut later in the same year Go to Gigli, Beniamino (1890–1957) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy Vaughan Williams' London Symphony, including picturesque sounds of the city's street life, is first performed Go to Vaughan Williams, Ralph (1872) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Ivor Novello has a great success with his topical song Keep the Home Fires Burning (with lyrics by Lena Ford) Go to Novello, Ivor (1893–1951) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1915	Manuel de Falla's ballet El Amor Brujo, including the 'Ritual Fire Dance', is performed in Paris Go to Falla, Manuel de (1876) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Dance Europe France Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag, by George Asaf and Felix Powell, rapidly becomes one of the most popular songs of the day See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Social and domestic War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1916	The opera Goyescas, by Spanish composer Enrique Granados, has its premiere in New York Go to Granados, Enrique (1867) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Spain North America United States Enrique Granados, on the last leg of his return from New York, is one of many civilians to die when the Sussex is torpedoed by a U-boat in the English Channel Go to Granados, Enrique (1867) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Europe Spain North America United States The success of Jenufa in Prague finally brings international recognition to Leos Janacek, already in his sixties Go to Janáček, Leoš (1854) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Opera Bohemia Czech Republic Manuel de Falla completes his piece for piano and orchestra, Nights in the Gardens of Spain Go to Falla, Manuel de (1876) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Europe Spain "If You Were the Only Girl in the World" features in the London musical The Bing Boys are Here Go to Grey Clifford in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Ottorino Respighi completes his symphonic poem for orchestra Fountains of Rome, first performed in Rome the following year Go to Respighi, Ottorino (1879) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Rome Europe Italy Hubert Parry sets profoundly evocative verses by William Blake and gives his composition the title Jerusalem Go to Parry, Hubert (1848) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Jerusalem Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Gustav Holst completes his orchestral suite c, not performed in its entirety until 1920 Go to Holst, Gustav (1874) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1917	New York responds with enthusiasm when the Original Dixieland Jazz Band performs a new kind of music in Reisenweber's restaurant Go to Original Dixieland Jazz Band in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts North America United States John Ireland's Second Violin Concerto meets with immediate approval Go to Ireland, John Nicholson (1879–1962) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Parade brings together Massine (choreography), Satie (music), Cocteau (libretto) and Picasso (sets and costumes) Go to Parade in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Dance Europe France Manuel de Falla's ballet The Three-Cornered Hat is produced by Diaghilev with choreography by Massine and designs by Picasso Go to Three-Cornered Hat, The in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Dance Europe France Otto Klemperer starts a seven-year spell as music director of Cologne opera, and begins to acquire an international reputation Go to Klemperer, Otto (1885–1973) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Germany
1918	Béla Bartók's opera Duke Bluebeard's Castle is finally staged in Budapest, nine years after its composition Go to Bartók, Béla (1881) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Hungary
1919	Composer and pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski becomes prime minister of the newly independent Poland Go to Paderewski, Ignacy Jan (1860–1941) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Politics Europe Poland Edward Elgar completes his last great work, the Cello Concerto in E minor Go to Elgar, Edward (1857) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Léonide Massine, Ottorino Respighi and André Derain collaborate on the ballet La Boutique Fantasque Go to Boutique fantasque, La in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Dance Europe France Darius Milhaud provides the score for Jean Cocteau's pantomime ballet Le Boeuf sur le toit Go to Milhaud, Darius (1892–1974) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Dance Europe France The prime minister of Poland, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, resigns his post so as to concentrate on his concert career Go to Paderewski, Ignacy Jan (1860) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Politics Europe Poland
1920	Charles Ives publishes his Piano Sonata No. 2, Concord, Mass., 1840-60, usually known as the Concord Sonata Go to Ives, Charles (1874) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 20th century Performing arts North America United States A group of composers in Paris - Auric, Durey, Honegger, Milhaud, Poulenc and Tailleferre - become known as 'les Six' Go to Six, Les in The New Oxford Companion to Literature in French (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 20th century Performing arts Europe France Gustav Holst's Hymn of Jesus has its premiere in London, conducted by the composer Go to Holst, Gustav (1874) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1921	Taras Bulba, a rhapsody for orchestra by Leos Janacek, is first performed in Brno Go to Janáček, Leoš (1854) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 20th century Performing arts Bohemia Czech Republic Janacek's opera Kátya Kabanová, based on Ostrovsky's play The Storm, has its premiere in Brno Go to Káťa Kabanová in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 20th century Performing arts Opera Bohemia Czech Republic
1922	William Walton and Edith Sitwell give a private performance of their entertainment Façade, setting poems by Sitwell Go to Sitwell, Dame Edith Louisa (1887–1964) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain The German conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler is appointed to the Berlin Philharmonic, and spends most of the rest of his life with the orchestra Go to Furtwängler, Wilhelm (1886–1954) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Germany
1923	Bessie Smith has a big hit with her first record, Downhearted Blues, selling two million copies within a year Go to Smith Bessie in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Albert Roussel's opera-ballet Padmâvâti is premiered in Paris Go to Roussel, Albert (1869) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Dance Opera Europe France Arnold Schoenberg's Suite for piano is his first piece entirely in the 12-note serial method Go to Schoenberg, Arnold (1874) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Austria Zoltan Kod´ly's work for tenor, chorus and orchestra, Psalmus Hungaricus, has its first performance in Budapest Go to Kodály, Zoltán (1882) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Europe Hungary Arthur Honegger's Pacific 231, inspired by the sounds of a steam train, has its first performance in Paris Go to Honegger, Arthur (1892) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Europe France Paul Hindemith sets Rainer Maria Rilke's song-cycle Das Marienleben Go to Hindemith, Paul (16 Nov. 1895) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Germany
1924	George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue has its first performance, at the Aeolian Hall in New York Go to Gershwin, George (1898) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Le Train Bleu brings together Bronislava Nijinska (choreography), Darius Milhaud (music), and Coco Chanel (costumes) Go to Train bleu, Le in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Dance Europe France Ottorino Respighi's symphonic poem Pines of Rome has its first performance in Rome Go to Respighi, Ottorino (1879) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Europe Italy 7-year-old Yehudi Menuhin gives his first professional recital, playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in San Francisco Go to Menuhin, Yehudi, Baron (1916–1999) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Leos Janacek's opera The Cunning Little Vixen, based on verses by Rudolf Tesnohlídek, is premiered in Brno Go to Janáček, Leoš (1854) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Opera Bohemia Czech Republic Giacomo Puccini dies without finishing his opera Turandot, which is subsequently completed by Franco Alfani Go to Puccini, Giacomo (1858) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy
1925	Trumpeter Louis Armstrong, in Chicago, forms the Hot Five with his wife on piano and three New Orleans musicians on trombone, clarinet and guitar Go to Armstrong, Louis (1900–1971) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Maurice Ravel and Colette provide music and libretto for the opera The Child and the Enchantments Go to Ravel, Maurice (7 Mar. 1875) in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe France Anton Webern again follows Schoenberg, this time into serialism, when he adopts the 12-note method for his Three Traditional Rhymes Go to Webern, Anton (1883) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Austria Alban Berg's opera Wozzeck has its premiere in Berlin Go to Berg, Alban (1885) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Opera Austria Germany
1926	19-year-old Dmitry Shostakovich wins immediate attention with the public performance of his first symphony, his graduation piece from Leningrad Conservatory Go to Shostakovich, Dmitry (1906) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Europe Russia Karel Szymanowski's opera King Roger has its first performance in Warsaw Go to Szymanowski, Karol (1882) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Poland Leos Janacek completes his powerfully scored orchestral work Sinfonietta Go to Janáček, Leoš (1854) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Bohemia Czech Republic Jelly Roll Morton and his new group of seven, the Red Hot Peppers, record their first classic, Black Bottom Stomp Go to Morton, Jelly Roll (1885–1941) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Zoltán Kodály's opera Háry J´nos has its first performance in Budapest Go to Kodály, Zoltán (1882) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Europe Hungary Béla Bartók's ballet The Miraculous Mandarin has its premiere (in Cologne) some eight years after he began work on it Go to Miraculous Mandarin, The in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Dance Europe Hungary 23-year-old US crooner Bing Crosby makes his first record, singing I've Got the Girl with the Paul Whiteman band Go to Crosby, Bing (1904–1977) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Jean Sibelius's tone-poemTapiola has its premiere in New York Go to Sibelius, Jean (1865–1957) in The Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Europe Leos Janacek's opera The Makropoulos Affair, based on the play by Karel Capek, has its first performance in Brno Go to Janáček, Leoš (1854–1928) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Opera Bohemia Czech Republic
1927	Ernst Krenek's jazz opera Jonny Strikes Up has its premiere in Leipzig Go to Krenek, Ernst (1900–91) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Opera Germany 11-year-old Yehudi Menuhin gives a sensational performance of the Beethoven Violin Concerto in the Carnegie Hall, conducted by Fritz Busch Go to Menuhin, Yehudi, Baron (1916–1999) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Leos Janacek's Glagolitic Mass has its first performance in his home town, Brno Go to Glagolitic Mass in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Bohemia Czech Republic
1928	Pine Top' Smith records Pinetop's Boogie-Woogie, the first recording to be labelled boogie-woogie Go to Smith Clarence 'Pine Top' in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Gershwin's orchestral work An American in Paris (with parts for four taxi-horns) has its first performance in New York Go to Gershwin, George (1898–1937) in The Oxford Companion to American Literature (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts North America United States George Balanchine creates Apollo for Ballets Russes, to music by Igor Stravinksy Go to Apollo in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Dance North America United States Maurice Ravel writes Boléro as music for a ballet choreographed by Nijinska with designs by Benois Go to Bolero in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Dance Europe France The Threepenny Opera, by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, opens to great acclaim in Berlin Go to Threepenny Opera, The in The Oxford Dictionary of Plays (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Opera Theatre Germany Eric Fenby devotes himself to Frederick Delius, taking dictation to write down the scores of the blind composer's new works Go to Delius, Frederick (1862–1934) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Karol Szymanowski's Stabat Mater is performed in Warsaw and brings him international fame Go to Stabat Mater Dolorosa in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Europe Poland
1929	20-year-old French composer Olivier Messiaen publishes eight Preludes for piano Go to Messiaen, Olivier (1908–1992) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Europe France Jazz musician Fats Waller begins recording with his Buddies, one of the first racially integrated groups in the US music industry Go to Waller, Fats (1904–1943) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts North America United States George Formby makes the first records featuring what becomes his trademark, the ukulele Go to Formby, George (1904–61) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1930	The opera Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht, opens in Leipzig Go to Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Opera Germany Heitor Villa-Lobos composes the first of his Bachianas Brasileiras Go to Villa-Lobos, Heitor (1887–1959) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Latin America South America The steel-band tradition begins to develop in Trinidad, with adapted metal objects taking the place of traditional skin drums Go to steel band in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Latin America Caribbean English composer John Ireland's Piano Concerto has its first performance Go to Ireland, John (Nicholson) (13 Aug. 1879) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Australian-born composer Percy Grainger writes variations on Handel's tune The Harmonious Blacksmith Go to Grainger, Percy Aldridge (1882–1961) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Australia and Oceania Europe Australia Britain The British Broadcasting Corporation forms a Symphony Orchestra with Adrian Boult as the first music director Go to Boult, Sir Adrian (Cedric) (8 April 1889) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1931	Frederick Ashton choreographs Façade for the Camargo Society, using Walton's score Go to Façade in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Dance Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain The Star-Spangled Banner is made the official US national anthem Go to “Star-Spangled Banner, The,” in The Concise Oxford Companion to American Literature (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts North America United States
1932	16-year-old Yehudi Menuhin records the Elgar violin concerto, conducted by the composer Go to Menuhin, Yehudi, Baron (1916–1999) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain English conductor Thomas Beecham founds another orchestra, calling it the London Philharmonic Go to Beecham, Sir Thomas (1879–1961) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1933	Unknown American blues singer Huddie Ledbetter, or Leadbelly, is first recorded singing in the Louisiana State Penitentiary Go to Leadbelly (1888–1949) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Arabella, by Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal, is first performed four years after von Hofmannsthal's death left it incomplete Go to Arabella in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Opera Germany Arnold Schoenberg leaves his teaching post in Germany, now under Nazi control, and in 1934 settles in Los Angeles Go to Schoenberg, Arnold Franz Walter (1874–1951) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Germany North America United States
1934	Dmitry Shostakovich's opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District has its premiere in Leningrad's Maly Theatre Go to Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Russia The first opera festival at Glyndebourne, a country house in Sussex, opens with a performance of Mozart's Marriage of Figaro Go to Glyndebourne Festival in The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Opera Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Erich Korngold, one of Austria's most admired composers, moves to Hollywood Go to Korngold, Erich Wolfgang (29 May 1897) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Germany North America United States Jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grapelli form the Quintet du Hot Club de France Go to Reinhardt, Django (1910–1953) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Europe France Sergei Rachmaninov writes the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini in his villa beside Lake Lucerne Go to Rachmaninov, Sergei (1873–1943) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Europe Russia Swedish tenor Jussi Björling makes his debut in Stockholm, in Puccini's Manon Lescaut Go to Björling, Jussi (5 Feb. 1911) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Sweden Paul Hindemith's opera Mathis der Maler is banned by the Nazis and is not performed until 1938 in Zurich Go to Mathis der Maler in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Opera Germany
1935	The German composer Kurt Weill moves to New York, where he writes Broadway musicals Go to Weill, Kurt (1900–1950) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Germany North America United States Arthur Honegger's opera Joan of Arc at the Stake has its premiere in Basel Go to Honegger, Arthur (1892–1955) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Europe France Alban Berg writes his Violin Concerto, commissioned by Louis Krasner, in memory of Manon Gropius Go to Berg, Alban (1885–1935) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Austria French cabaret singer Edith Gassion acquires the nickname la môme piaf ('the little sparrow'), and so becomes Edith Piaf Go to Piaf, Edith (1915–1963) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Europe France Leningrad's opera and ballet company is renamed the Kirov, in memory of the city's recently assassinated commissar Go to Kirov, Sergei Mironovich (28 Mar. 1886) in A Dictionary of Political Biography (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Dance Opera Communism Europe Russia Italian baritone Tito Gobbi makes his operatic debut in Gubbio in Bellini's La Somnambula Go to Gobbi, Tito (1915–1984) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy George Gershwin's 'folk opera' Porgy and Bess, based on the novel by DuBose Heyward, opens on Broadway Go to Porgy and Bess in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Opera North America United States US jazz pianist William ('count') Basie acquires his own orchestra Go to Basie, Count (1904–1984) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Alban Berg's opera Lulu is incomplete when the composer dies Go to Lulu in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Opera Austria
1936	The new sound of jazz clarinettist Benny Goodman's touring band brings him the title 'King of Swing' Go to Goodman, Benny (1909–1986) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts North America United States US composer Aaron Copland writes El Salón México, using popular Mexican tunes Go to Copland, Aaron (1900–1990) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Latin America Mexico North America United States Paul Robeson sings 'Ol' Man River' in the film of Jerome Kern's Showboat Go to Robeson, Paul (1898–1976) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Theatre North America United States On Stalin's orders Dmitry Shostakovich is attacked in Pravda for providing 'chaos instead of music' Go to Shostakovich, Dmitri Dmitrievich (1906–75) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Politics Communism Europe Russia Carl Orff's cantata Carmina Burana has its premiere in Frankfurt Go to Carmina Burana in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Germany Rachmaninov completes his Third Symphony, and records it two years later with the Philadelphia Orchestra Go to Rachmaninov, Sergei (1873–1943) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Europe Russia
1937	US trombonist Glenn Miller forms his first band, the Glenn Miller Orchestra Go to Miller, (Alton) Glenn (1904–1944) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts North America United States William Walton writes Crown Imperial for the coronation of George VI Go to Walton, Sir William Turner (1902–83) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1938	The first of many ballets to Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet score is premiered in Czechoslovakia Go to Prokofiev, Sergei Sergeievich (1891–1953) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Dance Bohemia Europe Czech Republic Russia
1939	Marian Anderson's concert at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington effectively launches the US civil rights movement Go to Anderson, Marian (27 Feb 1897) in The Grove Book of Opera Singers (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Politics Protest and rebellion North America United States Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears give a series of recitals in the USA at the start of a lifelong partnership Go to Pears, Sir Peter Neville Luard (1910–1986) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Opera Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain North America United States Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan becomes music director of the Berlin State Opera Go to Karajan, Herbert von (1908–1989) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Opera Germany British pianist Myra Hess begins a wartime series of lunchtime concerts in London's National Gallery Go to Hess, Dame Myra (25 Feb. 1890) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Igor Stravinsky moves to the USA from Paris, his home for nearly 30 years, and settles in Hollywood Go to Stravinsky, Igor Feodorovich (1882–1971) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Europe France North America United States Joaquin Rodrigo's concerto for guitar and orchestra, the Concierto de Aranjuez, has its first performance in Barcelona Go to Rodrigo, Joaquín (1901–1999) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts Europe Spain The US jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker acquires the nickname 'Yardbird', or simply 'Bird' Go to Parker, Charlie (1920–1955) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Performing arts North America United States
1940	Richard Addinsell writes the Warsaw Concerto as music for the film Dangerous Moonlight Go to Addinsell, Richard (13 Jan. 1904) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Film Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1941	English composer Michael Tippett completes his oratorio A Child of our Time (not performed until 1944) Go to Child of our Time, A in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Greek soprano Maria Callas sings her first Tosca, in the opera house in Athens Go to Callas, Maria (1923–1977) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Greece
1942	Dmitry Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony, mainly written during the siege of Leningrad, has its premiere in Kuybishev Go to Shostakovich, Dmitri (25 Sept. 1906) in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Europe Russia US choreographer Merce Cunningham begins a long creative partnership with the composer John Cage Go to Cage, John (5 Sept. 1912) in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Dance North America United States French music student Pierre Boulez joins a harmony class taught by Olivier Messiaen at the Paris Conservatoire Go to Boulez, Pierre (1925) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Europe France US crooner Bing Crosby sings Irving Berlin's White Christmas Go to Crosby, Bing (1904–1977) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts North America United States
1943	English contralto Kathleen Ferrier makes her London début in Handel's Messiah in Westminster Abbey Go to Ferrier, Kathleen (1912–1953) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain British conductor John Barbirolli is appointed to direct the Hallé orchestra Go to Barbirolli, Sir John (2 Dec. 1899) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1944	Aaron Copland's ballet Appalachian Spring has choreography by Martha Graham Go to Appalachian Spring in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Dance North America United States
1945	Benjamin Britten's opera Peter Grimes has its premiere in London, at the Sadler's Wells theatre Go to Peter Grimes in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Opera Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Igor Stravinsky's Symphony in Three Movements, premiered in New York, derives from music written for or inspired by films Go to Stravinsky, Igor Feodorovich (1882–1971) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Europe Russia North America United States Austrian composer Anton Webern is accidentally killed near Salzburg by a soldier in the US occupation force Go to Webern, Anton Friedrich Wilhelm von (1883–1945) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Austria
1946	Sonatine, for flute and piano, brings early success to French composer Pierre Boulez Go to Boulez, Pierre (1925– ) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Europe France Bulgarian bass Boris Christoff makes his debut in Puccini's La Bohème in Reggio Calabria Go to Christoff, Boris (Kirilov) (18 May 1914) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Benjamin Britten bases his Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra on a theme by Purcell Go to Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, The in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain German conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler is acquitted of the charge of collaborating with the Nazis Go to Furtwängler, (Gustav Heinrich Ernst Martin) Wilhelm (25 Jan. 1886) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Germany British conductor Thomas Beecham founds the third orchestra of his career, calling it the Royal Philharmonic Go to Beecham, Sir Thomas (1869–1961) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1947	Francis Poulenc makes an opera of Guillaume Apollinaire's play Les Mamelles de Tirésias ('The Breasts of Tiresias') Go to Poulenc, Francis Jean Marcel (1899–1963) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe France Saxophonist 'Bird' Parker forms his own quintet in New York, often to be heard at Minton's Playhouse in Harlem Go to Parker, Charlie (1920) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts North America United States
1948	The Cello Sonata by US composer Elliott Carter introduces 'metric modulation' Go to metric modulation in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Richard Strauss completes his Four Last Songs in the year before his death Go to Vier letzte Lieder in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Germany Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears together establish an annual festival in the Suffolk seaside town of Aldeburgh Go to Aldeburgh Festival in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain French composer Pierre Schaeffer writes the first pieces of musique concrète, and coins the term Go to musique concrète in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Europe France Olivier Messiaen completes Turangaîlila-symphonie, a symphony in ten movements for an orchestra including ondes martenot Go to Turangalîla-symphonie in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Europe France Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, to music by Prokofiev, is the first full-length ballet by an English choreographer Go to Ashton, (Sir) Frederick (17 Sept. 1904) in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Performing arts Dance Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1950	Kirsten Flagstad sings the posthumous premiere, in London, of Richard Strauss's Four Last Songs Go to Flagstad, Kirsten (1895) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Germany Britain
1951	The Rake's Progress, with music by Igor Stravinsky and libretto by W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman, has its premiere in Venice Go to Rake's Progress, The in A Dictionary of Opera Characters (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Venice Europe Italy
1952	Hans Werner Henze's first full-length opera, Boulevard Solitude, has its premiere in Hanover Go to Henze, Hans Werner (1926– ) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Opera Germany In his first book of Structures, for two pianos, Pierre Boulez provides a classic of serial music Go to Boulez, Pierre (26 March 1925) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Europe France Vaughan Williams bases his seventh symphony, Sinfonia Antartica, on his score for the film Scott of the Antarctic Go to Vaughan Williams, Ralph (1872–1958) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain US composer John Cage's 4'33" consists of precisely that number of minutes and seconds of silence Go to Cage, John (1912–1992) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts North America United States The Modern Jazz Quartet, led by pianist John Lewis, plays in the sophisticated style that becomes known as 'cool jazz' Go to Modern Jazz Quartet in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts North America United States
1953	English composer William Walton writes Orb and Sceptre for the coronation of Elizabeth II Go to Orb and Sceptre in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles British monarchs - from 1066 Europe Rulers and politicians Britain Dmitry Shostakovich's Tenth Symphony has its first performance in Leningrad nine months after the death of Stalin Go to Shostakovich, Dmitry (1906) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Europe Russia French composer Olivier Messiaen uses birdsong with piano and orchestra in his Waking of the Birds Go to Messiaen, Olivier (Eugène Prosper Charles) (10 Dec. 1908) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Europe France
1954	Bill Haley & His Comets record Rock Around the Clock, providing an early classic of US rock and roll Go to Haley, Bill, And His Comets - Rock Around The Clock in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts North America United States US truck driver Elvis Presley makes his first commercial recordings, for Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee Go to Presley, Elvis Aaron (1935–1977) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts North America United States William Walton's opera Troilus and Cressida has its premiere at Covent Garden Go to Walton, William (1902) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Opera Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1955	Michael Tippett's first opera, A Midsummer Marriage, has its premiere at Covent Garden Go to Tippett, Michael (1905) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Opera Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Canadian pianist Glenn Gould wins international fame with his recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations Go to Gould, Glenn Herbert (1932–82) in The Oxford Companion to Canadian History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts North America Canada Jazz trumpeter Miles Davis forms his own quintet, extending it in 1958 to a sextet Go to Davis, Miles Dewey (1926–1991) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts North America United States
1956	Heartbreak Hotel, Presley's first recording for RCA, goes to the top of all three US charts Go to Presley, Elvis Aaron (1935–1977) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Karlheinz Stockhausen's Song of the Children combines electronic sounds and the human voice Go to Stockhausen, Karlheinz (1928–2007) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Germany Hans Werner Henze's opera The Stag King has its premiere in Berlin Go to König Hirsch in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Opera Germany The ballet Spartacus, with music by Aram Khachaturian, has its premiere in Leningrad Go to Spartacus in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Dance Europe Russia
1957	Arnold Schoenberg's opera Moses and Aaron, incomplete at his death, has its premiere in Zurich Go to Moses und Aron in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Opera Switzerland Polish-born British composer Andrzej Panufnik wins an international reputation with his Sinfonia elegiaco Go to Panufnik, Sir Andrzej (24 Sept. 1914) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Europe Poland German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen uses three separate orchestras to achieve acoustic space in Gruppen Go to Stockhausen, Karlheinz (1928–2007) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Germany
1958	18-year-old British pop singer Cliff Richard has his first hit single with Move It Go to Richard, Sir Cliff (1940– ) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1959	Francis Poulenc and Jean Cocteau collaborate on La Voix Humaine, a concerto for soprano voice and orchestra Go to Voix humaine, La in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Europe France Australian soprano Joan Sutherland becomes a star overnight with her performance at Covent Garden in Lucia di Lammermoor Go to Sutherland, Dame Joan (1926–2010) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Performing arts Opera Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Australia and Oceania Europe Australia Britain
1960	A Liverpool group of musicians call themselves Long John & the Silver Beatles – a name soon shortened to something more memorable Go to Beatles, The in Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern World (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain US jazz saxophonist John Coltrane forms his own 'hard bop' group Go to Coltrane, John William (1926–1967) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts North America United States 20-year-old Spanish tenor Placido Domingo sings his first major role, as Alfredo in La Traviata in the Mexican city of Monterrey Go to Domingo, Placido (1941– ) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Spain Latin America Central America Mexico
1961	Atmosphères, by the Hungarian composer György Ligeti, achieves a mysterious blend of sound in what he calls 'micropolyphony' Go to Ligeti, György Sándor (1923– ) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Europe Hungary Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti makes his operatic debut in Reggio Emilia, as Rodolfo in La Bohème Go to Pavarotti, Luciano (1935–2007) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Italy Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski uses 'aleatory counterpoint' in his Venetian Games Go to Lutosławski, Witold (1913) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Europe Poland
1962	US singer Bob Dylan writes one of his best-known songs, Blowin' in the Wind (included in his 1963 album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan) Go to Dylan, Bob (1941– ) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts North America United States The Rolling Stones, led by Mick Jagger, give their first performance as a group, in London's Marquee Club Go to Rolling Stones in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, setting poems by Wilfred Owen, is first performed in the rebuilt Coventry Cathedral Go to War Requiem in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Literature English literature Literature in English Poetry Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain 17-year-old English cellist Jacqueline du Pré creates a stir playing Elgar's concerto in the Royal Festival Hall Go to du Pré, Jacqueline (1945–1987) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Dmitry Shostakovich's Thirteenth Symphony sets poems from Yevtushenko's Babi Yar I Go to Babi‐Yar in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Europe Russia
1963	Bob Marley and five others form a band, the Wailers, that will for the first time give Jamaican music a global following Go to Marley Bob in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Latin America Caribbean
1964	The Beatles reach number one in both the UK and the US with their single 'Can't Buy Me Love' Go to Beatles, The in Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern World (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1965	Maria Callas gives her last performance, as Tosca at Covent Garden in London Go to Callas, Maria (1923–1977) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Opera Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Greece Britain
1966	The Whale, a cantata by English composer John Tavener, has its premiere at the inaugural concert of the London Sinfonietta Go to Tavener, John Kenneth (1944– ) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1967	British composers Harrison Birtwistle and Peter Maxwell Davies found the Pierrot Players Go to Pierrot Players in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain English cellist Jacqueline du Pré marries Israeli pianist Daniel Barenboim Go to du Pré, Jacqueline (1945–1987) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Asia West Asia Palestine and Israel Europe Britain The Beatles release an immensely successful album, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, with a cover by British pop-artist Peter Blake Go to Beatles - Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1968	Karlheinz Stockhausen's Stimmung ('Tuning') employs six unaccompanied voices for 75 minutes Go to Stimmung in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Germany
1969	Peter Maxwell Davies writes Eight Songs for a Mad King for the Pierrot Players Go to Songs for a Mad King in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Nearly half a million people turn up for the Woodstock Music Festival at a dairy farm in Bethel, New York Go to Woodstock in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Italian composer Luciano Berio completes his Sinfonia for eight voices and orchestra Go to Berio, Luciano (1925) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Performing arts Europe Italy
1970	Polish composer Andrzej Panufnik's Universal Prayer, a cantata setting poetry by Alexander Pope, has its premiere in New York Go to Panufnik, Sir Andrzej (24 Sept. 1914) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Papacy Europe Poland Polish composer Witold Lutoslawksi writes a cello concerto for Mstislav Rostropovich Go to Lutosławski, Witold (1913) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Europe Poland Michael Tippett's opera The Knot Garden has its premiere at Covent Garden Go to Knot Garden, The in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Opera Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1971	Indian sitar-player Ravi Shankar composes the first of his two concertos for sitar and orchestra Go to Shankar, Ravi (7 April 1920) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Asia South Asia India (the subcontinent) India (republic) 95-year-old Spanish cellist Pablo Casals conducts in New York his Hymn to the United Nations Go to Casals, Pablo (1876) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Europe Spain North America United States Peter Maxwell Davies moves to the Orkneys, where he founds (in 1977) the St Magnus Festival Go to Davies, Sir Peter Maxwell (1934– ) in The Oxford Companion to English Literature (7 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1972	Ultimos Ritos ('Last Rites'), an oratorio by John Tavener, has its first performance in Haarlem in the Netherlands Go to Tavener, John Kenneth (1944– ) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Peter Maxwell Davies's opera Taverneris performed at Covent Garden Go to Davies, Sir Peter Maxwell (1934– ) in The Oxford Companion to English Literature (7 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Opera Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Russian composer Alfred Schnittke's First Symphony alarms the Soviet authorities and is denied a Moscow premiere Go to Schnittke [Schnitke], Alfred (Garriyevich) (24 Nov. 1934) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Europe Russia
1973	Elvis Presley performs in Honolulu in the Aloha Concert, the first programme to be broadcast live round the world by satellite Go to Presley, Elvis - Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts North America United States The score of the film The Sting revives interest in Scott Joplin and ragtime Go to Joplin, Scott (1868–1917) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Film North America United States The career of virtuoso cellist Jacqueline du Pré's is cut short by multiple sclerosis Go to du Pré, Jacqueline (1945–1987) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain The Sydney Opera House opens with a performance by Australian Opera of Prokofiev's War and Peace Go to Sydney Opera House in The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Architecture Performing arts Opera Australia and Oceania Australia
1975	David Hockney begins a new career as a set designer, with The Rake's Progress by Stravinksky at Glyndebourne Go to Hockney, David (1937– ) in A Dictionary of Modern and Contemporary Art (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Opera Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain The British group the Sex Pistols launch punk rock, with their first gig at St Martin's School of Art in London Go to Sex Pistols in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1976	Polish composer Henryk Górecki completes his Third Symphony Go to Górecki, Henryk (1933) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Europe Poland Pierre Boulez establishes in Paris IRCAM, an advanced institute for research into the techniques of modern music Go to Boulez, Pierre (1925) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Europe France
1977	Estonian composer Arvo Pärt completes his choral work Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten Go to Pärt, Arvo (1935) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Europe Elvis Presley dies, aged 42, at his home in Memphis, Tennessee Go to Presley, Elvis Aaron (1935–1977) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts North America United States
1978	Hungarian composer György Ligeti's opera Le Grand Macabre has its premiere in Stockholm Go to Ligeti, György (1923) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Performing arts Europe Hungary
1980	Beatle John Lennon is murdered by a psychopath on the steps of his and Yoko Ono's apartment block in New York Go to Lennon, John (1940–1980) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts North America United States
1981	Karlheinz Stockhausen's Thursday from Light, the first of a seven-part opera cycle, is performed in Milan Go to Stockhausen, Karlheinz (22 Aug. 1928) in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts Opera Germany
1982	Michael Jackson's releases the album Thriller, which goes on to sell 40 million copies in ten years Go to Jackson, Michael (1958–2009) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts North America United States
1983	The US system MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) becomes the industry standard for electronic communication in music Go to MIDI in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts Technology Inventions and discoveries North America United States Philips and Sony jointly introduce a new device, the compact disc Go to compact disc in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts Technology Inventions and discoveries Asia East Asia Japan Europe Netherlands Olivier Messiaen's opera St Francis of Assisi has its premiere in Paris Go to Messiaen, Olivier (1908–1992) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe France
1984	Luciano Berio's opera Un re in ascolto has its premiere in Salzburg Go to Berio, Luciano (1925–2003) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Germany Italy Madonna (Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone) releases her second album, Like a Virgin, that goes on to sell millions Go to Madonna (1958) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts North America United States The opera Akhnaten, by US composer Philip Glass, has its first performance in Stuttgart Go to Glass, Philip (1937) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts Opera North America United States Bob Geldof forms Band Aid and releases for Ethiopian famine relief the best-selling UK single Do they know its Christmas? Go to Geldof, Bob (1954– ) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts British Isles Europe Ireland Britain
1985	Live Aid, an all-day concert for famine relief in Africa, is held simultaneously in London and Philadelphia Go to Band Aid/Live Aid in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain North America United States
1986	Harrison Birtwistle's second opera, The Mask of Orpheus, brings him an international reputation Go to Birtwistle, Sir Harrison (1934– ) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts Opera Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki's opera The Black Mask is premiered in Salzburg Go to Penderecki, Krzysztof (1933) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts Opera Europe Poland The Beastie Boys' Licensed to Ill becomes the first rap (or hip hop) album to top the US chart Go to Beastie Boys in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts North America United States
1987	John Adams' opera Nixon in China is performed in Houston Go to Adams, John (15 Feb. 1947) in The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts Opera North America United States
1988	English composer Mark-Anthony Turnage's first opera, Greek, is premiered in Munich Go to Turnage, Mark‐Anthony (1960) in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts Opera Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1990	Three tenors (Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras) sing at a concert in Rome to celebrate the World Cup Go to Three Tenors, The in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music (5 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1990s 20th century Performing arts Sports and games Rome Europe Italy Society
1991	The US rock group Nirvana become the leading performers of grunge Go to Nirvana (USA) in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1990s 20th century Performing arts North America United States
1992	Eric Clapton's album Unplugged includes 'Tears in Heaven', mourning the death of his four-year-old son Go to Clapton, Eric (1945– ) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1990s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1996	The British pop group Spice Girls sell millions of their first album, Spice, breaking all previous UK records Go to Spice Girls (1996) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1990s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1997	Bob Dylan produces one of his finest albums, Time out of Mind Go to Dylan Bob in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1990s 20th century Performing arts North America United States Elton John sings a revised version of Candle in the Wind in Westminster Abbey, as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales Go to John, Sir Elton Hercules (1947– ) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1990s 20th century Performing arts Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 Wales Europe Britain
2000	Rap artist Eminem's album The Marshall Mathers LP enters the US charts at no. 1 Go to Eminem in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 21st century Performing arts North America United States
2003	US singer Britney Spears creates a new record when she has a fourth successive album (In the Zone) go straight to the top of Billboard 200 Go to Spears Britney in Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 21st century Performing arts North America United States
2009	The sudden death of the pop star Michael Jackson triggers a world-wide emotional response Go to Jackson, Michael (1958-2009) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 21st century Performing arts North America United States

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date: 07 December 2023

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