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Classical Music

The term "classical" has many connotations and is a broad, somewhat imprecise term, but there are a number of ways that classical music is identified. The present page aims at distinguishing between the many meanings "classical" can have in the realm of music. Classcial music is a style of art music of any culture, as distinguished from folk or popular music or jazz; European music of the classical period, composed from about 1750 to 1825. Works by Franz Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven exemplify this style. Practically, the term is restricted to 18th and early 19th centure music, roughly from Bach through Beethoven. The works of this period are consistently performed by orchestras and so could be said to have become classics. Classicalmusic is connsidered a traditional genre of music conforming to an established form and appealing to critical interest and developed musical taste.

BC (Before Christ)

-4000 Harps and Flutes played in Egypt
-3500 Lyres and Double Clarinets played in Egypt
-3000 The Chinese court musician cuts first bamboo pipe
-2500 Chinese music moves to a five tone scale
-2000 Trumpets are reportedly played in Denmark
-2000 Percussion instruments added to Egyptian orchestral music
-1500 Hittites use guitar, lyre, trumpet, tamborine to make music
-1500 Harps used to accompany dances in Egypt
-1000 Professional musicians provide background for religous ceremonies in Israel
-800 Five tone and Seven tone scales appear in Babylon
-800 Earliest known written music. A hymn on a tablet in Sumeria, written in cuniform
-800 In Greece, music is part of daily life; choral and dramatic music develops; intinerant musicians called Rhapsodes travel from city to city.
-700 New art forms for songs appear. Flute and lyre become popular as accompanying instruments.
-700 Seven string lyre introduced
-700 Terpander writes for solo voice with instruments.
-700 Arion, Greek composer and poet introduces strophe and antistrophe
-600 Pythagoras introduces octave to music. (semi legendary)
-600 Modes appear in music
-600 Indian Vina appears, two hollow gourds connected by strings and bamboo reed. Considered the precurser to all hollow instruments.
-520 Pindar, Greek Composer and Poet born.
-500 Pindar begins to write his odes.
-500 Greek Choral music reaches its zenith.
-500 Typical greek instruments aulos, cithara, lyre.
-500 Pythgoras further explores musical theory
-500 St. Romanos, called Melodos, writes his hymns for Chritmas, Easter and the Passion.
-447 Pindar dies.
-400 Trumpet playing competitions become popular in Greece.
-340 Aristotle lays the foundations of musical theory.
-320 Aristoxenes defines rhythm as tripartite.
-50 Earliest form of the oboe used in Rome.
-38 Chinese octave is subdivided into 60 notes.

0 - 1000AD

350 Foundation of Schola Cantorum for church song, Rome.
386 Hymn singing introduced by Ambrose, Bishop of Milan.
390 The First “Hallelujah” hymns sung in the Christian Churches.
450 First use of alternative singing between the precentor and community at Roman Church services, patterned after Jewish traditions.
500 Boethius writes “ De Institutione Musica”
500 In Peru, flutes, tubas and drums in use.
521 Boethius introduces Greek musical letter notation to the West.
600 Pope Gregory orders the compilation of church chants, titled “Antiphonar”.
600 Pope Gregory founds the Schola Cantorum in Rome.
609 The crwth, a Celtic string insturment, appears.
619 Chinese start to use orchestras with hundreds of players.
650 Neumes, notation for groups of notes used in music. This system is used in the West until 1050.
725 The court orchestra of Emporor Ming-Huang of China represents the high musical culture of the T’ang dynasty; no harmony or polyphony, five note scale without semitones; flutes, guitars, bells, gongs, drums.
744 Singing school established at the Monastery of Fulda.
750 Gregorian church music is sung in Germany, France, and England.
750 Wind Organs, originally from Byzantium, start to replace water organs in Europe.
790 Schools for church music established at Paris, Cologne, Soissons and Metz, all under the supervision of the Schola Cantorum in Rome.
800 Poems sung to music at Charlemagne’s court.
850 Origin of Church Modes in music. 750 years later modes are tranformed into the major and minor scales
855 Earliest known attempts at polyphonic music.
870 “Musica enchiriadis,” a musical manuscriptusing Latin letters for musical notation.
889 Regino, Abbot of Prum, writes his treatise on church music: “De harmonica institutione”
890 Ratbert of St. Gallen born, hymn writer and composer.
900 Beginnings of part song in fourths, fifths and octaves.
900 Development of neumes in musical notation.
942 Kettledrums and trumpets brought to Europe by the Arabs.
980 Organ with 400 pipes finished at Winchester Monastery, England.
980 “Antiphonarium Codex Montpellier” written, important musical manuscript.
990 Development of systematic musical notation.
995 Guido d’Arezzo Italian music theorist and teacher born.
1000 Musical notation improved by Guido d’Arrezo.

1000-1300

1000 Musical notation improved by Guido d’Arrezo.
1008 Berno, Abbot of Reichenau writes his books on musical theory.
1015 Sight singing introduced at Pomposa Monastery near Ravenna.
1026 Guido D’Arrezo introduces solmization in music. (do, re, mi, fa, sol, la)
1041 Magister Franco first music critic.
1050 Guido d’Arezzo dies.
1050 Polyphonic singing replaces Gregorian chant.
1050 Oldest surviving German Christmas carol “sys willekommen heirre kerst”
1050 The harp arrives in Europe.
1050 Time values given to musical notation.
1065 Wilhelm von Hirsau German Benedictine monk writes manuels on musical theory.
1100 Beginnings of secular music
1100 Music school of St. Martial at Limoges develops polyphonic style.
1125 Beginning of troubadour and trouvere music in France
1150 Troubadour music in southern France becomes organized
1150 New dance forms begin to appear in France and Germany
1151 Leoninus, French composer begins to work in the “Ars antigua” style.
1152 “Ladies’ strophe” the earliest German “ Minnelieder.
1157 Kurenberg, the first famous German minnesinger is born
1200 “Faux bourdon” style begins in English music.
1200 Professional bards begin to appear in Ireland.
1200 Cymbals introduced as musical instrument.
1200 “Carmina Burana” German collection of Latin monastic songs.
1220 Boy’s Choir at Kreuz-Kirche, Dresden founded.
1225 “ Summer is icumen in,” probably the earliest English round.
1238 Adam de la Halle, French composer of musical plays is born.
1250 Beginnings of choral Passion
1250 The “Portatio” a portable small organ is invented.
1250 Master Perotinus becomes the main representative of the French “Ars Antigua”
1260 The first mastersinger school is started in Mainz.
1262 Adam de la Halle writes”LeJeu de la Feuillee.” first French “Operette”.
1265 Franco of Cologne and Pierre de la Croix develop the musical form of the motet.
1270 Giovanni da Cascia, Italian composer born.
1285 Adam de la Halle composes “Jeu de Robin et Marion”.
1287 Adam de la Halle dies.
1289 Jean de Muris, French composer is born.
1290 Phillipe de Vitry, French composer born.
1300 The “Jongleurs” professional musical entertainers in France.
1300 Guillaume de Machaut, French composer, born.

1301-1400

1304 Rudiger Manesse, collector of minnesinger’s songs, dies; Writer of Manessien Manuscript.
1309 Marchettus of Padua pleads for the introduction of counterpoint in musical composition.
1322 The pope forbids the use of counterpoint in church music.
1325 Francesco Landino, Italian composer and organist born.
1325 Organ pedals come into use.
1325 “Tournai Mass,” first polyphonic Mass still extant.
1329 Phillipe de Vitry coins the name “Ars nova” for the new, strongly contrapunctal style of music.
1330 Paris Musicians Guild, Menetriers.
1332 Company of mastersingers formed at Toulouse.
1340 Guillaume de Machaut, the greatest musician of his day, is born.
1350 Cambrai, instead of Paris becomes the center of French music.
1350 Lute playing is now popular throughout Europe.
1350 Mastersinger movement begins in Germany.
1355 Jean de Muris, French composer dies.
1360 Beginnings of the development of the clavichord and cembalo.
1361 Phillipe de Vitry, French composer, dies.
1364 Guillaume de Machaut:”Mass for four voices,” composed for the coronation of Charles the V at Rheims.
1369 John Dunstable, English composer, born.
1377 Guillaume de Machaut, French composer, dies.
1377 The musicians of the papal chapel, Avignon, return with the court; beginnings of Rome as the center of music.
1385 The first French court ball at the wedding of Charles the VI and Isabella of Bavaria.
1397 Francesco Landino, Italian composer, dies.
1399 Guillaume Dufay, Dutch composer, born.
1400 Gilles Binchois, Dutch-Burgundian composer, is born.
1400 First mention of dulcimer.

1401-1500

1410 Conrad Paumann born. German Organist and composer.
1426 Holland becomes the center of music.
1430 Beginning of first Dutch School.(Gilles Binchois,Guillaume Dufay)
1430 Jakob Obrecht Born
1430 Johannes Okegham born
1436 Johannes de Tinctoris born.
1437 John Dunstable develops counterpoint in musical composition.
1440 Gasper van Weerbecke, Flemish Composer, born.
1446 Alexander Agricola, Flemish composer, born.
1450 Josquin des Pres born;Dutch composer.
1450 Heinrich Isaak born; German Dutch composer.
1451 Franchino Grafori born. Italian theorist.
1453 John Dunstable, English Composer, dies.
1453 Conrad Paumann, German blind organist publishes his “Fundamentum organisandi.” a collection of organ pieces, songs and dances.
1459 Paul Hofhaimer, Austrian composer and organist, is born.
1465 First printed music.
1471 Jakob Obrecht : ”St. Matthew Passion”
1473 Conrad Paumann dies.
1474 Guillaume Dufay dies. Dutch composer.
1484 Johannes de Tinctoris: “De inventione et usu musicase”
1485 Clement Janequin, French composer, is born.
1490 Ballet begins at Italian courts.
1492 “Opera,” treatise on theory of music by Roman philosopher Boethius published in Venice.
1492 Ludwig Senfl born. Swiss German ccomposer.
1492 Antoine Busnois, French-Flemish composer dies ( birthdate unknown)
1493 Maximilian I makes Paul Hofhaimer court organist and Heinrich Isaak court composer.
1494 Jean Mauburnus: ”Rosetum exercitarium spiritualium” the first systematic study of musical instruments.
1494 Johannes Okegham Flemish composer dies.
1495 Josquin des Pres, Flemish Composer, appointed arganist and choirmaster at Cambrai Cathedral.
1495 John Taverne is born; English composer.
1496 Franchino Gafori, " Practica Musica" treatise on composition.
1496 Johann Walther is born.
1497 Henry Abyngdon, English composer and organist dies.
1499 University of Oxford institutes degress in music
1500 Ottavio de Petrucci of Venice prints music with movable types.
1500 Josquin des Pres joins the court of Louis XII
1500 Hans Folz of Nuremburg reforms songs of the mastersingers; from now on worldly subjects admitted.

1501-1550

1502 First Book of Masses by Josquin des Pres published by Ottaviano de Petrucci.
1504 Francesco di Bernardo Corteccia, Italian organist and composer born.
1505 Jakob Obrecht, Dutch composer, dies.
1505 Thomas Tallis, English composer, born.
1505 Matheus Le Maistre, Walloon composer born
1506 Alexander Agricola, Flemish composer, dies.
1507 Balint Bakfark, Hungarian - Polish composer and lutanist, born.
1510 Louis Bourgeois, French musician, born.
1511 Johannes de Tintoris dies.
1511 Arnolt Schlick:"Speigel der Orgelmacher und Organisten on organ building and playing.
1512 Second Book of Masses by Josquin des Pres.
1512 Erhart Deglin, music printer of Augsburg, publishes the "Liederbuch zu vier Stimmen"
1513 Domenico Ferrabosco, Italian singer and composer, born.
1514 Gasper van Weerbecke, Flemish composer, dies.
1516 Cyprien de Rore, Dutch composer, born.
1516 Josquin des Pres;Third book of Masses
1516 Engraving of music on plates used for the first time in Italy
1517 Heinrich Isaak, German Dutch composer, dies.
1517 Ludwig Senfl made court composer to Emperor Maximillian I in Isaak's place.
1518 Ihan Gero, Flemish composer born
1520 Vincenzo Galilei, Italian lutanist and composer, father of the great astronomer Galileo Galilei, born.
1521 Josquin des Pres, Dutch composer, dies.
1522 Franchino Gafori dies.
1522 Richard Edwards, English composer and poet, born.
1523 Hans Judenkunig of Vienna publishes firrst manual of lute playing.
1524 Johann Walther produces in collaboration with Martin Luther the hymnal "Geystlich Gesangk-Buchleyn".
1525 Giovanni Pierluigi da Pelestrina, Italian composer, is born.
1526 Hans Judenkunig, Austrian lutanist and composer, dies.
1527 Flemish composer Adrian Willaert made maestro di capella at St. Mark's, Venice
1528 Martin Agricola "Eyn kurtz deudsche Musica" published.
1529 Bartolommeo Spontone, Italian, Madrigal composer born
1530 Elias Nikolaus Ammerbach German organist and composer born
1530 Andrea Amati, founder of the Italian family of violin makers, born
1531 Guillaume Costeley, French - Scottish composer, born
1532 Orlando di Lasso, Dutch composer, born
1533 First Madrigals by Phillippe Jacques Verdelot, Arcadelt and others printed in Rome
1533 Johannes Ott, German printer:"121 neue Lieder,von Berumbten dieser Kunst Gesetzt" published at Nuremberg
1534 Fernando Las Infantas, Spanish composer and theologian, born (death approx 1609)
1535 Giaches de Wert, Dutch composer, born
1535 Pietro Vinci, Italian composer, born
1536 Heinrich Finck's collection of songs "Schone auserlesene Lieder" published five years after his death
1536 First song book with lute accompaniment printed in Spain
1537 First conservatories of music are founded in Naples for boys, in Venice for girls
1537 Paul Hofhaimer, Austrian organist and composer dies
1539 Georg Foster publishes "Frische teutsche Liedlein" a group of secular songs
1540 Orfeo Vecchi, Italian composer, born
1541 Wulfard Hellinck, Flemish composer dies
1542 Jakob Meiland, German composer, born
1543 Wiliam Byrd, English composer, born
1543 Ludwig Senfl, German composer, dies
1544 Benedictus Ducis, German composer, dies
1545 John Taverner, English composer, dies
1547 Swiss Musical theorist, Henricus Glareanus publishes his work on the 12 church modes,"dodekachordon"
1547 Louis Bourgois:Psalter
1548 Tomas Luis de Victoria, Spanish church composer, born.
1550 Guilio Caccini, Italian composer and singer, born.
1550 John Marbeck:" the Booke of Common Praier noted", first musical setting of English liturgy

1551-1600

1551 Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestrina made director of music at St Peter's Rome
1552 Johannes Cochlaeus, German musical theorist, dies
1553 Johann Eccard, German composer, born
1553 Luca Marencio, Italian composer, born
1553 The violin in its present form begins to develop
1554 Palestrina's first Book of Masses, dedicated to Pope Julius III
1555 Bartolomaus Gese, German composer, born
1556 Orlando di Lasso publishes his first book of motets
1557 Giovanni Gabrielli, Italian composer, born
1557 Thomas Morley, English composer and theorist born
1558 Gioseffo Zarlino, "Institutioni harmoniche" definitions of modern major scales and minor scales.
1559 Jachet da Mantova, French composer dies.
1560 Orlando di Lasso made court Kapellmeister in Munich
1561 Louis Bourgeois dies.
1561 Jacopo Peri, Italian composer, born
1562 Gasparo Bertolotti da Salo moves to Brescia to become first great Italian violin maker.
1562 John Bull, English organist and composer,born
1562 Jan Sweelinck, Dutch composer and organist, born.
1562 Adrian Willaert, Flemish composer, dies
1563 William Byrd made organist at Lincoln Cathedral
1564 One of Andrea Amati's first violins made
1564 Lodvico Grossi Viadana, Italian composer, born.
1565 Cyprien de Rore, Dutch composer dies
1565 Palestrina:"Missa Papae Marcelli"
1566 Richard Edwards, English composer and poet, dies.
1566 Antonio de Cabezon, Spanish composer, dies
1567 Waclaw of Szamotuli, Polish composer, dies
1568 William Whytbroke, English cleric and composer, dies
1569 Thomas Caustun, English composer dies
1570 Johann Walther dies.
1570 Earliest known music festival to honor St Cecilia, in Normandy
1570 Culminating point of vocal polyphonic a cappella style (Palestrina, Orlando di Lasso)
1571 Frecesco di Bernardo Corteccia dies.
1571 Andrea Gabrieli:"Canzoni alla Francese"
1571 Michael Praetorius, German composer and author, born
1572 William Byrd and Thomas Tullis organists at the Chapel Royal
1572 "Il Re" one of the earliest cellos by Andrea Amati of Cremona
1573 Orlando di Lasso:"Patrocinium musices"
1574 Domenico Maria Ferrabosco, Italian singer and composer dies
1575 William Byrd and Thomas Tallis:"Cantiones sacrae,"34 motets published
1575 Marco da Gagliano, Italian composer born
1576 Balint Bakfark dies.
1576 Tomas Luis Victoria:"Liber primus" masses and canticles
1577 Jakob Meiland, German composer, dies
1577 Mattheus Le Maistre, Walloon composer dies
1578 Andrea Amati, Italian violin maker, dies
1580 English folk tune "Greensleeves" mentioned for the first time
1580 Jan Sweelinck made organist at Dude Kerk, Amsterdam
1581 Coroso:"Il Ballerino," treatise on dance technique published
1581 "Ballet comique de la Reyne" by Balthazar de Beaujoyeux given at French court
1581 Vincenzo Galilei:"Dialogo della musica antica e moderna" published
1581 "Geuzenlied Boek," an anthology of Dutch songs, including nathional anthem "Wilhelmus van Nassauwe"
1582 Gregorio Allegri, Italian tenor singer and composer born
1583 Ihan Gero, Flemish Composer, dies.
1583 Girolamo Frescobaldi, Italian organist and composer born
1583 Orlando Gibbons, English organist and composer, born
1584 Pietro Vinci, Italian composer dies
1585 Heinrich Schutz, German composer, born
1585 Thomas Tallis, English composer, dies
1586 Johann Hermann Schein, German composer born
1587 Monterverdi:first book of Madrigals published
1587 Samuel Scheidt, German organist and composer born
1587 Zeminoth Israel publishes an early collection of Jewish songs
1588 William Byrd:"Psalms Sonets and songs of sadnes and Pietie"
1588 Nicholas Yonge"Musica Transalpina", 57 madrigals published in London
1589 Thoinot Arbeau publishes "Orchesographie" ealry treatise on dancing with several dance tunes
1589 William Byrd:"Songes of Sundrie Natures"
1590 Emilio de' Cavalieri:"Il Satiro",Pastoral fable
1591 Vincenzo Galilei, Italian lutanist and composer, father of Galileo Galilei, dies
1591 Lodovico Zacconi:"Prattica di musica" original addition
1592 Monteverdi publishes third book of madrigals
1593 Paolo Agostini, Italian composer, born
1594 Elizabeth I sends a Thomas Dallam organ to the sultan of Turkey
1594 Orlando di Lasso, Flemish composer, dies
1594 Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Italian composer, dies
1594 "Dafne" by Jacopo Peri, first opera.
1595 John Wilson, English singer and composer, born
1596 Giaches de Wert, Dutch composer, dies
1596 Nicola Amati, the eminant of all the Amati family is born
1596 Lodovico Zacconi:"Practtica di musica,"reprinted from the original edition
1597 Elias Nikolaus Ammerbach German composer and organist dies
1597 John Dowland:"First Book of Songes"
1597 Thomas Morley:"A Plaine and Easie Introduction fo Practicall Musick"
1597 Orazio Vecchi "L'Amfiparnasso," Modena
1598 Johann Cruger, German composer, born
1599 Luca Marencio, Italian composer, dies
1600 Andrea Amati, Italian violin maker dies
1600 Giulio Caccini:"Euridice," opera
1600 Sethus Calvisius begins his "Exercitationes musicae duae," first history of music (finished in 1611)
1600 Emilio de Cavelieri's opera "La Rappresentazione di anima e di corpo" published
1600 Harps first added to orchestras
1600 Thomas Morley:"First book of Ayres"
1600 Jacopo Peri:"Euridice" opera
1600 Recorder (also known as flute-a bec) becomes popular in England

1601-1625

1601 Caccini's new vocal style:"Nuove musiche"
1601 Carlo Gesualdo, Prince of Venosa:"Madrigals" to lyrics by Torquato Tasso
1601 Thomas Morley:"Triumphs of Oriana"
1602 Francesco Cavalli, Italian opera composer born
1602 Hans Leo Hassler:"Lustgarten" collection of German lieder
1603 Thomas Morley, English composer and theorist dies
1603 Jean Baptiste Besard:"Thesaurus harmonicus" collection of lute music
1603 Monteverdi:"Fourth Book of Madrigals"
1603 Thomas Robinson:"School of Musicke"
1604 Orfeo Vecchi, Italian composer, dies
1604 Heinrich Albert, German composer born
1604 Company of Musicians incorporated in London
1604 Orlando di Lasso:"Magnum opus musicum" 516 motet (posth.)
1604 Negri:"Inventioni di Balli" on dance technique
1605 Giacomo Carissimi, Italian composer, born
1605 Tomas Luis de Victoria:"Officium Defuntorum"
1605 John Dowland:"Lachrymae, or Seaven Teares in Seaven Passionate Pavans"
1605 Monterverdi:"Fifth book of Madrigals"
1606 Guillaume Costeley, French - Scottish composer, dies
1606 First open air operas in Rome
1607 William Byrd:"Gradualia"
1607 Claudio Monteverdi:"Orfeo," opera
1608 Girolamo Frescobaldi made organist at St. Peter's Rome
1608 Monteverdi:"Lamento d Arianna"
1609 Orlando Gibbons:"Fantazies of Three Parts," first example of engraved music in England
1609 Thomas Ravenscroft:"Pammelia," collection of rounds and catches
1610 Michael Preatorius "Musae sioniae" collection of 1244 church hymns
1610 Lodovico Grossi di Viadan:"Symphonies"
1611 William Byrd, John Bull, Orlando Gibbons:"Parthenia," collection of music of virginals
1611 Tomas Luis de Victoria, Spanish composer, dies
1611 Johannes Eccard, German composer, dies
1611 Thomas Ravenscroft:"Melismata," 21 madrigals and other pieces
1612 Giovanni Gabrieli, Italian composer, dies
1612 Orlando Gibbons:"First Set of Madrigals and Motets"
1612 Andreas Hammerschmidt, German Composer, born
1613 Bartolomaus Gese, German composer, dies
1613 Pietro Cerone:"El Malopeo y Maestro," musical history and theory
1613 Monteverdi made maestro di cappella at St. Mark's Venice.
1614 Girolamo Frecobaldi:"Toccate di Cembalo"
1614 Marco da Galiano: "Masses and Motets"
1614 Sir William Leighton:"Teares and Lamentations of a Sorrowful Soule," 54 psalms
1615 Andriano Banchieri founds Accademia dei Filomusi in Bologna
1616 Collegium Musicum founded at Prague
1616 Johann Jakob Froberger, German organist and composer, born
1617 Biagio Marini:"Musical Events," sonata for solo violin
1617 J.H. Schein:"Banchetto musicale," first dance suite
1617 Heinrich Schutz made Kapellmeister of electoral chapel, Dresden
1618 Guilio Caccini, Italian composer and singer dies
1619 "Fitzwilliam Virginal Book" Compiled by Francis Tregian; a treasury of early English keyboard music
1619 Marco da Galiano:"Medoro," Italian opera
1619 Heinrich Schutz:"Psalms"
1619 Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck: "Cantiones sacrae"
1620 Monteverdi:" Seventh book of Madrigals"
1620 Michael Praetorius:"Syntagma musicum," musical encyclopedia
1621 Michael Praetorius, German composer and musicologist dies
1621 Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, Dutch musician, dies
1623 William Byrd, English composer, dies
1623 Marc' Antonio Cesti, Italian composer, born
1624 Marco da Galiano:La Regina Sant' Orsola," opera-oratorio
1624 Monteverdi:"Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda"
1625 Orlando Gibbons, English musician, dies
1625 Famous Peal of Bells installed in the Gate of Salvation, Kremlin, Moscow
1625 Heinrich Schutz:"Cantiones sacrae"

1626-1650

1626 Professorship of music founded at Oxford University by William Heather
1626 Giovanni Legrenzi, Italian composer born
1627 Heinrich Shcutz:"Dafne, first german opera, libretto by Martin Opitz, given at Torgau
1627 Lodivico Viadan, Italian composer, dies
1628 John Bull, English composer, dies
1628 Robert Cambert, French composer, born
1628 Marco da Gagliano:"Flora," opera
1628 Heinrich Schutz becomes Monteverdi's pupil at Venice
1629 Paolo Agostini, Italian composer, dies
1629 Heinrich Schutz:"Sinfoniae sacrae"
1630 Girolamo Frescobaldi:"Arie musicale"
1630 Johann Hermann, German composer, dies
1631 Philipp Dulchius, German composer, dies
1632 Jean Baptiste Lully, French - Italian composer,born
1632 Monteverdi takes holy orders
1633 Jacopo Peri, Italian composer and inventor of the recitative, dies
1634 Adam Krieger, German composer, born
1635 Frescobaldi:"Fiori musicali di toccate,"which influences J.S. Bach
1636 French theorist Marin Mersenne publishes his most important work, "Harmonie Universille," with full descriptions of all contemporary musical instruments
1636 Schutz:"Kleine geistliche Concerten" collection of motets
1637 Dietrich Buxtehude, Danish composer, born
1637 Teatro San Cassiano, first public opera house, opens in Venice, sponsored by the Tron family
1638 Monteverdi:"Eight Book of Madrigals"
1639 Marco Marazzoli and Vergilio Mazzochi:"Chi soffre, speri," first comic opera
1639 Monteverdi's opera,"Adone" given at Teatro San Cassiano, Venice
1640 John Bull, English composer, dies
1641 John Barnard:"First Booke of Selected Church Musick"
1641 Monteverdi:"Il Ritono d Ulisse in patria,"opera
1642 Marco da Gagliano, Italian composer, dies
1642 Monteverdi:"L'Incoronazione di Poppea," given at Europe's second public opera house, Teatro di Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Venice
1643 Griolamo Frescobaldi, Italian composer dies
1643 Girolamo Frescobaldi, Italian composer, dies
1643 Claudio Monteverdi, Italian composer, dies
1643 Cavalli:"Egisto" opera
1644 Antonio Stradivari, Italian violin maker, born
1644 Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber, German composer, born
1645 Lully made violinist at French court
1645 Mazarin call a Venetian opera company to Paris
1645 "La Finta Pazza" By Francesco Paolo Sacrati given as possibly the first opera in Paris
1645 Heinrich Schutz:"Die sieben Worte Chriti am Kruez" Oratorio
1646 Johann Stobaeus, German composer, dies
1646 Johann Theile, German singer and composer, born
1647 Pelham Humfrey, English composer, born
1648 Aria and recitative become two distinct entities in opera
1648 John Blow, English musician, born
1648 Heinrich Schutz:"Musicalia ad chorum sacrum"
1648 Johann Stadlmayr, German composer, dies
1649 Cavalli:"Giasome" opera
1649 Giuseppe Torelli, Italian composer, born
1650 Beginning of modern harmony; development of modulation
1650 Athanasius Kircher:"Musurgia universalis" theory
1650 The overture as musical form emerges in two types, Italian and French

1651-1675

1651 Heinrich Albert, German composer, dies
1651 The young King Louis XIV of France appears as a dancer in a court ballet
1652 Gregorio Allegri, Italian tenor and composer dies
1652 John Hilton:"Catch as catch can," collection of catches, rounds and canons
1652 The minuet comes into fashion at French court
1652 First opera house in Vienna
1653 Arcangelo Corelli, Italian composer, born
1653 Matthew Locke's music for James Shirley's masque, "Cupid and Death"
1653 Lully made director of "les petits-violins du roi"
1653 Johann Pachelbel, German composer and organist, born
1654 Samuel Scheidt, German composer and organist, dies
1655 Sigmund Gottlieb Staden, German composer and organist, dies
1656 Opening fo first London opera house
1656 "The Siege of Rhodes," opera with music by Matthew Locke and others, given at Rutland House, London
1657 Michel de Lalande, French composer and organist, born
1657 Adam Kreiger:"Deutsche Lieder"
1658 Johann Caspar von Kerll "Applausi Festivi," opera, Munich
1659 Henry Purcell, English composer, born
1659 Allesandro Scarlatti, Italian composer, born
1660 Cavalli:"Serse," Opera for the marraige of Louis XIV
1660 Johann Joseph Fux, Austrian composer and music theorist born
1661 Academie Royale di Danse founded by Louis XIV
1661 Matthew Locke made court composer to Charles II
1661 Edward Lowe:"Short Direction for the Performance of Cathedral Services," to revive organ accompaniment suppressed during commonwealth
1662 Johann Cruger, German composer dies
1662 Cavalli: "Ercole amante,"Italian baller opera, ( performed in Paris)
1663 Marc' Antonio Cesti: "La Dori," Italian opera
1663 James Clifford: "The Divine Services and Anthems," first collection of words and anthems published in London
1663 Lully: "Le Ballet des arts"
1664 French horn becomes an orchestral instrument
1664 Heinrich Schutz: "Christmas Oratorio," Dresden
1665 Giuseppe Aldrovandini, Italian composer, born
1665 Heinrich Schutz: "Johannes Passion"
1666 Marc' Antonio Cesti made court Kappelmeister in Vienna
1666 Adam Kreiger, German composer, dies
1666 Heinrich Schutz: " Historia des Leidens und Sterbens unsers Herrens Jesu Christi"
1666 Antonio Stradivari labels his first violin
1667 Johann Jakob Froberger, German composer, dies
1667 Carlo Pallavicino becomes court Kapellmeister in Dresden
1668 Dietrich Buxtehude becomes organist of St. Mary's, Lubeck
1668 Francois Couperin, French composer, born
1668 Thomas Tomkins: "Musica Deo sacra" (posth.)
1669 Royal patent for founding Academie Royale des Operas granted to Pierre Perrin
1669 Marc' Antonio Cesti, Italian composer, dies
1669 Matthew Locke: "The Treasury of Musick"
1670 John Blow becomes organist of Westminster Abbey
1671 Paris Opera opened with Robert Cambert's opera "Pomone"
1671 Francesco (son of Antonio) Stradivari, Italian violin maker, born
1672 First public concert at Whitefriars, London, given by violinist John Banister
1672 Heinrich Schutz, German composer, dies
1673 Buxtehude begins at Lubeck his famous "Abendmusiken" concerts
1673 Matthew Locke: "The Present Practice of Music Vindicated"
1673 Lully: " Cadmus et Hermoine," opera, first given in Paris
1674 John Wilson, English singer and composer, dies
1674 Giacomo Carissimi, Italian composer, dies
1674 Reinhard Keiser, German composer, born
1674 Lully: "Alceste," opera Paris
1675 Andreas Hammerschmidt, German church composer, dies
1675 Matthew Locke: "incidental music to Thomas Shadwell's "Psyche"
1675 Antionio Vivaldi, Italian composer, born

1676-1700

1676 Francesco Cavalli, Italian opera composer, dies
1676 Thomas Mace " Musick's Monument"
1677 Robert Cambert, French opera composer, dies
1677 Lully: "Isis" opera
1678 Thomas Britton, English patron of music introduces weekly concerts in Clerkenwell, London
1678 First German opera house opens in Hamburg
1679 Lully: "Bellerophon" opera
1679 Alessandro Scarlatti's first opera, "Gli Equivoci nell amore" Rome
1680 First ballets arrive in Germany from France
1680 Henry Purcell made organist of Westminster Abbey
1680 Sadler's Wells at Islington, London, begins musical entertainments
1680 Stradivari makes his earliest known cello
1681 Female professional dancers appear for the first time at Paris opera
1681 Georg Philipp Telemann, German composer, born
1682 Lully: "Persee" opera
1682 Henry Purcell made court composer to Charles II
1683 Jean Philippe Rameau, French composer, born
1684 Nicolo Amati dies
1685 J.S. Bach, German composer, born
1685 George Fredrick Handel, German-English composer , born
1685 Domenico Scarlatti, Italian composer, born
1686 Lully: "Armide et Renaud," opera, P:Aris
1686 Nicola Porpora, Italian composer, born
1687 Lully dies
1688 Domenico Zipoli, Italian composer and organist, born
1689 Henry Purcell: "Dido and Aeneas" opera
1690 Giovanni Legrenzi, Italian opera composer, dies
1690 Purcell: "The Prophetess, or The History of Dioclesian" (Dorcet Gardens Theatre, London)
1691 Purcell: "King Arthur, orThe British Worthy," opera;libretto by John Dryden
1691 Andreas Werkmeister "Musikalische Temperatur"
1692 Purcell: " Fairy Queen"
1692 Giuseppe Tartini, Italian composer and violinist, born
1693 Allesandro Scarlatti: "Teodora," opera
1694 Purcell writes the incidental music for Dryden' s "Love Triumphant," and "Te Deum" for St. Cecilia's Day
1695 Maurice Green, English organist and composer, born
1695 Purcell: "The Indian Queen"
1695 Henry Purcell dies
1696 Johann Kuhnau: "Frische Clavier-Fructe, oder sieben Suonaten," the sonata as a piece in several contrasting movements
1697 John Blow's anthem, "I Was Glad When They Said," written for and given at the opeing of Wren's Choir of St. Paul's Cathedral, London
1697 Johann Joachim Quantz, German flautist and composer, born
1698 Metastasio, famous opera librettist, born
1698 Giovanni Battista Sammartini, Italian composer and organist, born
1699 Raoul Anger Feuillet: "Choreographie," manual on dance notation
1699 Johann Adolf Hasse, German composer, born
1700 William Croft: Incidental musci to "Courtship a la mode"
1700 Joseph Sauveur measures and explains vibrations of musical tones

1701-1725

1701 Giuseppe Aldrovandini, Italian composer, dies
1701 Music publisher Henry Palyford establishes a series of weekly concerts at Oxford
1702 N.A. de Le Begue, French organist and composer, dies
1703 Nicolas de Grigny, French composer,dies
1704 J.S. Bach writes his first cantata "Denn Du wirst meine Seele"
1704 Jeremiah Clarke becomes organist at Chapel Royal
1704 Handel: "St. John Passion"
1704 H.I.F. von Biber, German composer and violinist, dies
1705 Young J.S. Bach walks 200 miles to Lubeck to hear the Abendmusiken, directed by Buxtehude
1705 Farinelli (Carlo Broschi), great Italian castrato singer, born
1705 Handel: "Almira," opera staged in Hamburg
1706 Johann Pachelbel, German organist and composer, dies
1707 Dietrich Buxetehude, Danish composer, dies
1707 Handel visits venice, meets Domenico Scarlatti
1707 Great German organ builder Gottfried Silbermann builds his first organ at Frauenstein, Saxony
1708 Giuseppe Torelli, Italian composer, dies
1708 John Blow, English composer, dies
1708 Handel visits Rome and Naples
1709 "Malbrouk' s'en va-t-en guerre" ("For he's a jolly good fellow") becomes increasingly popular after battle of Malplaquet - but it's doubtful whether "Malbrouk" refers to the Duke of Marlborough
1709 Invention of the pianoforte; the great Italian harpsichord maker Bartolomeo Cristofori makes 4 "gravicembali col piano e forte"
1709 Franz Xaver Richter, German composer, born
1710 Thomas Augustine Arne, English composer, born
1710 Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, eldest son of Johann Sebastian, born
1710 William Boyce, English composer, born
1710 Handel becomes Kapellmeister to the elector prince, George of Hanover; on a visit to London he completes in 14 days score of "Rinaldo," given at Queen's theatre
1710 Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Italian composer, born
1711 Clarinet for the first time in an orchestra (in J.A. Hasse's opera "Croesus")
1711 Handel: "Rinaldo", opera
1711 English trumpter John Shore said to have invented the tuning fork
1712 Arcangelo Corelli: "12 Concerti grossi"
1712 Handel: "Il Pastor fido," opera (London)
1713 Arcangelo Corelli, Italian composer, dies
1714 Handel: "Utrecht Te Deum"
1714 School of Dance established at Paris Opera
1714 Karl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Bach's second son, born
1714 Christoph Willibold Gluck, German composer, born
1715 Vaudevilles, popular musical comedies, appear in Paris
1716 Couperin: "L'Art de Toucher le Clavecin"
1717 J.S. Bach: "Orggelbucklein," 46 chorales for organ
1717 Handel's "Water Music" first preformed on the Thames
1717 Johann Stamitz, Bohemian composer, violinist and conductor, born
1717 "The Loves of Mars and Venus," ballet, given at Drury lane, London, by John Weaver
1718 Handel succeeds John Chritopher Pepusch as Kapellmeister to the Duke of Chandos
1718 Johann Gottfried Muthel, German composer and organist, born
1719 Dimitrie Cantemir, Rumanian musician, writes first book on Turkish music, "Tratat de musica Turceasea"
1719 Handel becomes director of Royal Academy of Music, London
1719 Leopold Mozart born
1720 Handel: Harpsichord suite no 5 ( with the "Harmonius Blacksmith")
1721 J.S. Bach: "The Brandenburg Concertos"
1721 Barberina Campanini, Italian dancer, born
1721 Handel: "Acis and Galatea" serenata
1721 Georg Philipp Telemann arrives in Hamburg as the director of music
1722 J.S. Bach: "Das wohltemperierte Kalvier," vol 1
1722 Johann Mattheson: "Critica Musica," on musical criticism
1722 Rameau: "Traite de L' harmonie"
1723 J.S. Bach: "St. John Passion"
1723 Bach appointed Thomascanter in Leipzig after Teleman refuses post
1723 Handel: "Ottone," opera, London
1724 Johann Theile, German singer and composer, dies
1724 Couperin: "Le Parnasse, ou L'Apotheose de Corelli"
1724 Handel:"Giulio Cesare," Opera, London
1724 Three Choirs Festival founded for Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester
1725 Bach: "Notenbuch" for Anna Magdalena Bach
1725 J.J. Fux "Gradus ad Parnassum," Treatise on counterpoint
1725 Handel: "Rodelinde," opera, London
1725 First public concert given in Paris by A.D. Philidor
1725 Prague opera house founded (Standetheater)
1725 Alessandro Scarlatti, Italian composer, dies

1726-1750

1726 Michel de Lalande, French composer and organist, dies
1726 Charles Burney, English music historian, born
1726 Handel becomes British subject
1726 La Camargo, French ballerina makes debut at Paris Opera
1726 Rameau: "Nouveau systeme de musique theorique"
1727 Francesco Gasparini, Italian composer, dies
1728 John Gay: "Beggar's Opera"
1728 Nicola Piccini, Italian composer, born
1729 J.S. Bach "St. Matthew Passion"
1730 J.A. Hasse: "Artaserse," German opera in Italian style
1731 Lodovico Giustini: "Sonate da Cimbalo di piano e forte," probably first compositions for the modern piano
1731 J.A. Hasse becomes Kapellmeister at the Dresden Opera, his wife Faustina Bordoni its prima donna
1731 Public concerts held at Boston, MA and Charleston, SC
1732 Academie of Ancient Music founded in London
1732 Covent Garden Opera House opens, London
1732 Franz Joseph Hayden, Austrain composer, born
1732 J.G. Walther: Musik-Lexikon, first of its kind
1733 Francois Couperin, French composer, dies
1733 J.S. Bach: short version of the Mass in B minor
1733 Couperin dies
1733 Pergolesi: "La Serva padrona, " opera buffa, Naples- once called the oldest opera in the standard repretoire
1733 Rameau: " Hippolyte et aricie," opera, Paris
1734 Handel: 6 concerti grossi, Op3
1734 Handel: "Alcina," opera (Covent Garden, London)
1734 Imperial ballet school at St. Petersburg
1734 Rameau: " Les Indes galantes," ballet opera
1735 Ballad opera "Flora," first musical theater in America, Charleston, SC
1736 Johann Christian Bach, Bach youngest son, born
1736 Handel: "Alexander's Feast," London, Covent Garden
1736 Pergolesi: "Stabat Mater"
1736 Pergolesi dies
1737 William Boys conducts Three Choirs Festivals
1737 Handel: "Berenice," opera, Covent Garden, London
1737 Rameau: "Castor et Pollux," opera
1737 Antonio Stradivari dies
1738 J.S. Bach completes Mass in B minor in full version
1739 Reinhard Keiser, German composer, dies
1739 Handel: oratorios "Saul" and "Israel in Eygpt" first performed (King's Theatre, London)
1739 Johann Mattheson: "Der vollkommene Kapellmeister," treatise on conducting
1739 Rameau: "Dardanus," opera
1739 Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf, Austrian composer, born
1740 Thomas Augustine Arne: "Alfred," masque containing "Rule Britannia" (London)
1740 Haydn enters the court chapel, Vienna, as a choirboy
1740 Domenico Scarlatti visits London and Dublin
1740 J. A. Scheibe "Der critische Musicus," against Bach
1740 German organ builder John Snetzler establishes himself in England
1741 Johann Joseph Fux, Austrian musician, dies
1741 Gluck: "Artaserse," his first opera, Milan
1741 Andre Gretry, French composer, born
1741 Handel writes "The Messiah" oratorio in 18 days
1741 Giovanni Paisiello, Italian composer, born
1741 Johann Joachim Quantz becomes court composer to Frederick the Great
1741 Rameau: "Pieces de clavecin en concert' published
1741 Antonio Vivaldi, Italian composer, dies
1742 Karl Heinrich Graun introduces Italian opera in Berlin
1742 Handel's "Messiah" first performed in Dublin
1743 Francesco Stradivari, Italian violin maker, dies
1743 Luigi Boccherini, Italian composer, born
1743 Handel: "Samson," Covent Garden, London
1744 J.S. Bach: "Das wohltemperierte Klavier" part 2
1744 Gluck: "Iphigenie en Aulide," opera, Paris
1744 "God Save the Queen" published in Thesaurus Musicus
1744 Madrigal Society, London, founded
1745 "The Campbells are coming" Scottish national song published
1745 Charles Dibdin, English composer and singer, born
1745 Johann Stamitz becomes court Kapellmeister in Mannheim
1747 J.S. Bach: "Das Musikalische Opfer"
1747 Handel: "Judas Maccabaeus," oratorio, Covent Garden, London
1747 Rousseau: "Les Muses galantes, " opera
1748 Bach: "Die Kunst der Fuge"
1748 Holywell Music Room, Oxford, opened (still in use)
1749 Domenico Cimarosa, Italian composer, born
1749 Handel: "Music for the Royal Fireworks"
1749 Georg "Abbe" Volger, German music teacher, born
1750 J. S. Bach dies
1750 Johann Breitkopf, Leipzig music publisher, uses movable type for printing music
1750 Pergolesi: "La Serva padrona," opera buffa, first performed in London
1750 Antonio Salieri, Italian composer, born
1750 "The Beggar's Opera" performed for the first time in New York

1751-1775

1751 Francesco Geminiani: "The Art of Playing on the Violin"
1751 Handel: "Jephta," Oratorio
1751 The minuet becomes Europe's fashionable dance
1751 "War of the Operas" (La Guerre des Bouffons) divides Paris into pro-Italian and pro-French factions
1752 Muzio Clementi, Italian composer, born
1752 Charles Avison: "Essay on Musical Expression"
1752 Sebastien Erard, French manufacturer of Pianofortes, born
1752 Rousseau: "Le devin du village"
1753 Johann Schenck, Austrian composer, born
1753 Gottfried Silbermann, German organ builder, dies
1753 Giovanni Viotti, Italian violinist and composer, born
1754 Vicente Martin y Soler, Spanish composer, born
1755 Maurice Green, English organist and composer, dies
1755 Giovanni Battista Sammartini, Italian composer and organist, dies
1755 Egidio Romoaldo Duni: "Ninette a la cour"
1756 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Austrian composer, born
1756 Leopold Mozart: " Versuch einer grundlichen Violinschule"
1757 Niccolo Pasquali, Italian violinist and composer, dies
1757 Ignaz Pleyel, French Austrian composer and pianoforte maker, born
1757 First public concert in Philadelphia
1757 Domenico Scarlatti,Italian composer, dies
1757 Johann Stamitz, German composer, dies'
1758 First English manuel on guitar playing published
1758 Karl Friedrich Zelter, German composer, friend of Goethe, born
1759 Handel dies
1759 Haydn: Symphony no 1 in D major
1760 William Boyce collection of cathedral music
1760 Luigi Cherubini, Italian composer, born
1760 Haydn: Symphonies 2 to 5
1760 Noverre, ballet master at Stuttgart, publishes his "Letter on Dancing and Ballets"
1761 Thomas Augustine Arne: "Judith," oratorio, London
1761 Johann Ludwig Dussek, Bohemian composer, born
1761 Gluck: "Don Juan," ballet ,Vienna
1761 Haydn appointed Kapellmeister to PRince Paul Esterhazy
1762 Thomas Augustine Arne: "Artaxerxes," opera, Covent Garden, London
1762 Benjemin Franklin improves the harmonica, turning it into a practical musical instrument
1762 Gluck: "Orpheus and Euridice," opera, Vienna
1762 Mozart (age six) tours Europe as musical prodigy
1762 St. Cecilia Society active in Charleston, SC
1763 Adalbert Gyrowetz, Bohemian composer, born
1763 Etienne Mehul, French composer, born
1764 J.C. Bach gives popular recitals in London
1764 Haydn:Symphony no 22 in E Flat ( "The Philosopher")
1764 Mozart (age eight) writes his first symphony
1764 Rameau, French composer, dies
1765 Thomas Attwood, English composer and organist, born
1765 Daniel Steibelt, German composer and pianist, born
1766 Nicola Porpora, Italian composer, dies
1766 Haydn: Great Mass in E Flat (no 4 with organ)
1767 Gluck: "Alceste," Burgtheater, Vienna
1767 Rousseau: "Dictionnaire de musique"
1767 Georg Philipp Telemann, German composer, dies; Karl Philipp Emanuel Bach becomes his sucessor as director of church music in Hamburg
1768 Jomelli:"Fetonte," opera, Stuttgart
1768 Mozart's first produced opera "Bastien and Bastienne" given in Vienna
1769 Bonifacio Asioli, Italian music scholar and composer, born
1769 Joseph Elsner, German - Polish composer, Chopin's teacher, born
1770 Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer, born
1770 Gluck: "Paride ed Elena," opera, Vienna
1770 Handel's "Messiah," first performed in New York
1770 Haydn: "La Pescatrice," opera buffa
1770 Giuseppe Tartini, Italian composer and violinist, dies
1771 Haydn: "Sun" quartets (nos 25-30)
1771 Piccini: "Le Finte Gemelle," Rome
1772 Flight and Kelly, London firm of organ builders produces first barrel organs
1772 First German performance of Handel's "Messiah"
1772 Haydn: six symphonies, OP. 20
1772 Mozart: "lucio Silla," opera, Milan
1773 Johann Joachim Quantz, German flautist and composer, dies
1773 Charles Burney: " The Present State of Music in Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Provinces"
1773 The Waltz becomes fashionable in Vienna
1774 Gluck: "Iphigenie en Aulide," Paris
1775 K.P.E. Bach: "Die Israeliten in der Wuste" oratorio
1775 Francois-Adrien Boieldieu, French opera composer, born
1775 Mozart: "La Finta Giardiniera," opera buffa, Salzburg

1776-1800

1776 Charles Burney: "History of Music"
1776 "Concerts of Ancient Music," London
1776 Mozart: Serenade in D Major, K 250 (Haffner)
1777 Gluck: "Armide," Paris
1777 Haydn: Symphony no 63 in C major (La Roxolane)
1778 Thomas Augustine Arne, English composer, dies
1778 Beethoven (now eight) is presented by his father as six year old prodigy
1778 La Scala, Milan, opened
1778 Mozart: "Les Petits Riens," ballet, Paris
1779 William Boyce, English composer, dies
1779 J.C. Bach: Amadis de Gaule," opera, Paris
1779 Gluck: "Iphigenie en Tauride," Paris
1780 Spanish dance "bolero" invented by dancer Sebastiano Carezo
1780 Sebastien Erard (Paris) makes first modern pianoforte
1780 Haydn: "Toy" Symphony
1780 Giovanni Paisiello: "Il Barbiere di Siviglia," St. Petersburg
1780 Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf: "Job," oratorio
1781 Haydn: "Russian" String Quartets (37-42)
1781 Johann Adam Hiller establishes the Gewandhaus Concerts at Leipzig
1781 Mozart: "Idomeneo, re di Creta," opera, Munich
1782 Metastasio, famous opera librettist, dies
1782 Farinelli (Carlo Broschi), great Italian castrato singer, dies
1782 Daniel Auber, French composer, born
1782 J.C. Bach dies
1782 John Field, English composer, born
1782 Mozart: "Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail" ("The Abduction from the Seraglio"), opera, Vienna
1782 Nicolo Paganini, Italian composer and violinist, born
1783 Johann Adolf Hasse, German composer, dies
1783 Beethoven's first works printed
1783 John Broadwood, English pianoforte maker, patents his piano pedals
1783 Mozart: Mass in C minor
1784 Wilhelm Freidemann Bach dies
1784 Andre Gretry: "Richard Coeur de Lion," Opera, Paris
1784 Salieri: "Les Danaides," opera, Paris
1784 Louis Spohr, German composer, born
1785 Baldassare Galuppi, Italian composer, dies
1785 Mozart: six "Haydn" String Quartets
1786 Ditters von Dittersdorf: "Doctor und Apotheker," comic opera, Vienna
1786 Mozart: " The Marraige of Figaro," Vienna
1786 Carl Maria von Weber, German composer, born
1787 Leopold Mozart dies
1787 Luigi Boccherini made court composer in Berlin
1787 Gluck dies
1787 Mozart: "Don Giovanni," Prague
1788 Johann Gottfried Muthel, German composer and organist, dies
1788 K.P.E. Bach dies
1788 Mozart: The three "great" symphonies: E flat, G minor, Jupiter
1789 Franz Xaver Richter, German composer, dies
1789 Charles Burney "History of Music" finished
1789 Gretry: "Raoul Barbe-Bleue," opera, Paris
1789 Friedrich Silcher, German composer, born
1790 Mozart: "Cosi fan tutte," opera, Vienna
1790 First musical competition in America
1791 Cherubini: "Lodoiska," opera, Paris
1791 Carl Czerny, Austrian composer, born
1791 Haydn: "Surprise" symphony
1791 Giacomo Meyerbeer, German composer, born
1791 First performance of Mozart's " Magic Flute," Vienna
1791 The waltz becomes fashionable in England
1792 Beethoven becomes Haydn's pupil in Vienna
1792 Domenico Cimarosa: " Il matrimonio segreto," comic opera, Vienna
1792 Rossini, Italian composer, born
1792 C.J. Rouget de Lisle: "La Marseillaise"
1793 Paganini (at 11) makes his debut as a violin virtuoso, Genoa
1794 "Auld Lang Syne" (Burns) published
1794 "Tammany, or The Indian Cheif," one of the earliest American operas, music by James Hewitt, performed in New York
1795 Pedro Albeniz, Spanish composer, born
1795 Beethoven: three piano trios, Op. 1
1795 Haydn completes the 12 London symphonies
1795 Heinrich Marshner, German composer, born
1795 Paris Conservatoire de Musique founded
1796 "The Archers of Switzerland," a William Tell opera by Benjamin Carr produced in New York
1796 Karl Loewe, German composer, born
1797 Cherubini: "Medee," opera, Paris
1797 Gaetano Donizetti, Italian composer, born
1797 Franz Schubert, Austrian composer, born
1797 Haydn: "Emporer" Quartet
1799 Beethoven: Symphony no. 1 in C major
1799 Barberina Campanini, Italian dancer, dies
1799 Karl Ditter von Dittersdorf, Austrian composer, dies
1799 Haydn: " The Creation," oratorio, Vienna
1800 Boieldieu:"Le Calife de Bagdad", opera, Paris
1800 Cherubini:"Les Deux Journees" (The Water Carrier), opera, Paris
1800 Nicola Piccini, Italian composer, Gluck's rival in Paris, dies

1801-1810

1801 Domenico Cimarosa, Italian composer, dies
1801 Beethoven:Die Geschopfe des Prometheus," ballet, Vienna
1801 Vincenzo Bellini, Italian opera composer, born
1801 Hayden:"The Seasons," oratorio, completed
1801 Joseph Lanner, Viennese waltz composer, born
1801 Albert Lortzing, German opera composer, born
1802 Beethoven: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Opus 36
1802 J.N. Forkel publishes "Life of Johann Sebastian Bach"
1803 Adolphe Adam, French composer, born
1803 Beethoven: Sonata for violin and piano, Opus 47 (Kreutzer)
1803 Hector Berloiz, French composer, born
1803 Franz Xaver Sussmayer, Austrian composer who completed Mozart's "Requiem," dies
1804 Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Opus 55 (Eroica)
1804 M.I. Glinka, Russian composer, born
1804 Johann Strauss I, Viennese Waltz composer, born
1805 Beethoven:"Fidelio," opera, Vienna
1805 Luigi Boccherini, Italian composer, dies
1805 Paganini begins to tour Europe as violin virtuoso
1806 Vicente Martin y Soler, Spanish composer, dies
1806 Beethoven: Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Opus 60 and Violin Concerto, Opus 61 completed
1806 Rossini's first opera, "Demetrio a Polibio," produced, Rome
1807 Beethoven:"Lenora Overture" No. 3
1807 Etienne Nicolas Mehul: "Joseph," opera, Paris
1807 J.G. Pleyel founds his pianoforte factory in Paris
1807 Spontini: "La Vestale," opera, Paris
1807 Thomas Moore's "Irish Melodies," with music by John Stevenson
1808 Beethoven's Symphonies No. 5, Opus 67 and No. 6 ("Pastoral"),Opus 68
1809 Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major, Opus 73, (The Emporer)
1809 Joseph Hayden dies
1809 Felix Mendelssohn, German composer, born
1809 Spontini:"Fernand Cortez," opera, Paris
1810 Beethoven: Music to Goethe's "Egmont," Vienna
1810 Frederic Chopin, Polish composer, born
1810 Otto Nicolai, German composer, born
1810 Rossini: "La Cambiale di Matrimonio," opera, Venice
1810 San Carlo Opera House, Naples, built
1810 Robert Schumann, German composer, born

1811-1820

1811 Franz List, Hungarian composer, born
1811 Prague Conservatoire is opened
1811 C.M. von Weber: "Abu Hassan," opera, Munich
1812 Johann Ludwig Dussek, Bohemian composer, dies
1812 Beethoven Symphonies No. 7 (Opus 92) and No. 8 (Opus 93)
1812 Encounter between Beethoven and Goethe at Teplitz
1812 Friedrich von Flotow, German opera composer, born
1812 Founding of Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, Vienna
1813 Andre Gretry, French composer, dies
1813 London Philharmonic Society founded
1813 Rossini:"L'Italiana in Algeri," opera, Venice
1813 Giuseppe Verdi, Italian opera composer, born
1813 Richard Wagner, German composer, born
1814 Charles Burney, English music historian, dies
1814 Charles Dibdin, English composer and singer, dies
1814 Georg "Abbe" Volger, German music teacher, dies
1814 Beethoven: "Fidelio," final version, Vienna
1814 John Field, "Nocturnes"
1814 J.N. Maelzel invents metronome in Vienna
1814 Schubert's great lied production begins(till 1828 c. 700 songs)
1814 Francis Scott Key writes poem, "Defense of Fort McHenry," later set to music of "Anacreon in Heaven" to become U.S. National Anthem (The Star Spangled Banner)
1815 Robert Franz, German composer, born
1815 Halfdan Kjerulf, Norwegian composer, born
1815 Robert Volkmann, German composer, born
1816 Viscount Fitzwilliam dies:leaves the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book of 17th Century Music to Cambridge
1816 Rossini" "Barbiere di Siviglia," Rome
1816 Sphor: "Faust," opera, Prague, conducted by C. M Weber
1817 Etienne Mehul, French composer, dies
1817 Clementi: "Gradus ad Parnassum," studies for piano
1817 Rossini: "La Gazza," Milan and "Cenerentola" Rome
1818 Donizetti: "Enrico, Conte di Borgogna", opera, Venice
1818 Charles Gounod, French composer, born
1818 Franz Xaver Huber, an Austrian schoolteacher, writes words of the young curate, Joseph Mohr, the most famous of all Christmas carols: "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht"
1818 Rossini: "Mose in Egitto," opera, Naples
1819 Beethoven now completely deaf
1819 Jacques Offenbach, French composer, born
1819 Clara Wiek-Schumann, German pianist, born
1820 Henri Vieuxtemps, French violinist and composer, born

1821-1830

1821 Weber: "Der Freischutz," opera, Berlin
1822 Cesar Franck, Belgian composer, born
1822 Franz Liszt, age 11, makes his debut as in Vienna
1822 Royal Academy of Music, London, founded
1822 Schubert: Symphony No. 8 in B minor (The Unfinished)
1822 Schubert: music to "Rosamunde,"Vienna
1823 Daniel Steibelt, German composer and pianist, dies
1823 Beethoven finishes "Missa Solemnis," Opus 123
1823 "Clari, or the Maid of Milan," opera, London, Henry R. Bishop contains the song "Home Sweet Home"
1823 Sebastien Erard constructs a grand piano with double escapement
1823 Weber: "Euryanthe," opera, Vienna
1824 Giovanni Viotti, Italian violinist and composer, dies
1824 Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D major ("Choral"), Opus 127
Vienna
1824 Anton Bruckner, Austrian composer, born
1824 Peter von Cornelius, German composer, born
1824 Bedrich Smetana, Czech composer, born
1825 Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 first performed in England
1825 Boieldieu: "La Dame blance," opera, Paris
1825 Antonio Salieri, Italian composer, dies
1825 Johann Strauss, the "Waltz King", born
1826 Mendelssohn: Overture to " A Midsummer Night's Dream," Opus 21
1826 Weber: "Oberon," opera, London
1826 Carl Maria von Weber, German composer, dies
1827 Beethoven dies
1827 Bellini: "Il Pirate," opera, Milan
1827 Schubert: "Die Winterreise," song cycle to words by Wilhelm Muller
1828 Auber: " La Muette de Portici," Paris Opera
1828 Marschner: "Der Vampire," Leipzeig
1828 Rossini: "Le Comte Ory," Paris Opera
1828 Franz Schubert, Austrin composer, dies
1829 Bach's St. Matthew Passion rediscovered and revived by Felix Mendelssohn at Berlin Singakademie, 100 years after its first performance in Leipzeig (Good Friday, 1729)
1829 Bellini: "La Straniera," Milan
1829 Chopin's debut in Vienna
1829 Louis Gottschalk, American painist and composer, born
1829 Rossini: "Guillaume Tell," Paris Opera ( William Tell)
1829 Anton Rubinstein, Russian pianist and composer, born
1829 The concertina patented by Sir Charles Wheatstone
1830 Auber: "Fra Diavolo," Paris, Opera-Comique
1830 Bellini: "I Capuleti ed i Montecchi," Venice
1830 Hans von Bulow, German pianist and conductor, first husband of Cosima Wagner, born
1830 Donizetti: "Anna Bolena," Milan
1830 Karl Goldmark, Austro-Hungarian composer, born
1830 "Jim Crow," an early American popular song, sung by Thomas "Daddy" Rice
1830 Teodor Leshetitzky, Polish pianist and piano teacher, born
1830 Eduard Remenyi, Hungarian violinist, toured Germany with Brahms (52-53), born

1831-1840

1831 Sebastien Erard, French manufacturer of Pianofortes, dies
1831 Bellini: "La Sonnambula," Milan, Teatro Carcano, and "Norma," Milan, La Scala
1831 Chopin arrives in Paris
1831 Herold: "Zampa," Paris, Opera-Comique
1831 Joseph Joachim, German violinist, founder of the Joachim Quartet, born
1831 Meyerbeer: "Robert le Diable," Paris Opera
1831 Ignaz Pleyel, French Austrian composer and pianoforte maker, dies
1832 Bonifacio Asioli, Italian music scholar and composer, dies
1832 Berloiz: "Symphonie Fantastique," Opus 14, revised version, Paris
1832 Muzio Clementi, Italian composer and pianist dies
1832 Leopold Damrosch, German- American comductor, born
1832 Donizetti: "L'Elisir d'Amore," Milan, Teatro della Canobbiana
1832 Manuel Garcia, Spanish tenor ,composer and singing teacher, father of three famous singers: Maria Malibran, Michelle Viardot and Manuel Garcia Jr., dies
1832 Ferdinand Herold: Le Pre aux clercs," Paris
1832 Karl Friedrich Zelter, German composer and conductor, Goethe's friend and musical advisor, dies
1833 Johannes Brahms, German composer, born
1833 Chopin: Twleve Etudes, Opus 10
1833 Heinrich Marschner: "Hans Heiling," romantic opera, Berlin
1833 Mendelssohn: "Italian Symphony," Opus 90, London
1834 Adolphe Adam: "Le Chalet," Paris
1834 John Barnett: " The Mountain Sylph," opera, London
1834 Berloiz: "Harold en Italie," symphony based on Byron's "Childe Harold," Opus 16, Paris
1834 Francois-Adrien Boieldieu, French opera composer, dies
1834 Aleksandr Porfyrevich Borodin, Russian composer, born
1834 Fanny Elssler, Austrian ballerina, makes her sensational debut at the Paris Opera (La Tempete)
1834 Konradin Kreutzer: "Das Nachtlager in Granada" (The Night at Camp Grenada),romantic opera, Vienna
1834 Sir Charles Santley, English baritone, born
1834 Cesar Cui, Russian composer, on of the great five, born
1835 Vincenzo Bellini, Italian composer, dies
1835 Donizetti: "Lucia di Lammermoor," opera, Naples, Teatro San Carlo
1835 Halevy: "La Juive," opera, Paris
1835 Camille Saint Saens,French composer, born
1835 Theodore Thomas, German American conductor, born
1835 Henri Wieniawski, Polish violinist and conductor, born
1836 Johann Schenck, Austrian composer, dies
1836 Adolphe Adam: "Le Postillon do long jumeau," Paris, Opera-Comique
1836 Leo Delibes, French composer, born
1836 Glinka: " A Life for the Tzar," first Russian opera, St Petersburg
1836 Maria Malibran, French-Spanish soprano, dies
1836 Mendelssohn: "St. Paul," oratorio, Dusseldorf
1836 Meyerbeer: "Les Huguenots," Paris Opera
1836 Richard Wagner marries Minna Planer in Magdeburg
1837 Auber: "Le Domino noir," Paris, Opera-Comique
1837 Mily Balakirev, Russian compose, founder of the "Great Five" group, born
1837 Berloiz: "Grande Messe des Morts," Opus 5, Paris
1837 Theodore Dubois, French composer and organist, born
1837 John Field, English pianist and composer, dies
1837 Johann Nepomik Hummel, Austro-Hungarian composer and pianist, dies
1837 J.F. Lesueur, French composer, dies
1837 Lortzing: "Zar und Zimmerman" (Czar and the Carpenter), Leipzig
1837 Cosima, daughter of Franz Liszt, second wife of Richard Wagner, born
1837 Emile Waldteufel, French waltz and dance composer, born
1837 Nicola Zingarelli, Italian composer, choirmaster of St. Peters, Rome dies
1838 Thomas Attwood, English composer and organist, dies
1838 Beloiz: "Benvenuto Cellini," opera, Paris Opera
1838 Georges Bizet, French composer, born
1838 Max Bruch, German composer, born
1838 Chopin's liason with George Sand begins
1838 JennyLind make debut in Stockholm (in Weber's "Der Freischutz")
1839 A. Carlos Gomez, Brazilian composer, born
1839 Modest Petrovich Moussorgsky, Russian composer, born
1839 John K. Paine, American musicologist and music teacher, born
1839 James Rider Randall, American song writer ("Maryland, My Maryland") born
1839 Mendelssohn conducts the first performances of Franz Schubert's Symphony in C major ("The Great"), composed in1828, Leipzig,Gewandhaus
1840 French insturment maker A. F. Debain constructs the first harmonium (orgue expressif), patented in 1842
1840 Donizetti: "La Fille du Regiment," Paris, Opera-Comique
1840 Fanny Elssler, the Viennese dancer, tour the USA
1840 Franz Xaver Haberl, German musical scholar, born
1840 Nicolo Paganini, Italian composer and violinist, dies
1840 Robert Schumann marries Clara Wieck
1840 Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky, Russian composer, born
1840 The Swabian merchant Max Schneckenburger writes at the time of a French invasion threat the poem "Wacht am Rhein" (Watch on the Rhine"); set to music 14 years later by the conductor Carl Wilhelm to become Germany's most popular patriotic song in the days of the Franco- Prussian war

1841-1850

1841 Emmanuel Chabrier, French composer, born
1841 T.J> Dibdin, English prolific musician and dramatist, dies
1841 Anton Dvorak, Czech composer, born
1841 Felipe Pedrell, Spanish composer and musicologist, born
1841 Rossini: "Stabat Mater," Paris, Salle Herz
1841 Adolphe Sax Belgian instrument maker invents the saxophone (patented 1846)
1841 Schumann: Symphony No. 1 in B-flat major, Opus 38 ("The Spring"), Leipzig
1841 Giovanni Sgambati, Italian composer and pianist, born
1842 Arrigo Boito, Italian composer and librettist, born
1842 Luigi Cherubini, Italian composer, dies
1842 Glinka: " Russlan and Ludmilla," St. Petersburg
1842 Joseph Hopkinson, American lawyer who wrote "Hail Columbia," dies
1842 Lortzing: "Der Wildschutz" ( "The Poacher"), Leipzig
1842 Jules Massenet, French composer, born
1842 Meyerbeer becomes general musical director of the Royal Opera House, Berlin
1842 Karl Millocker, Austrian operetta composer, born
1842 New York Philharmonic Society founded by violinist Ureli C. Hill and other American professional musicians
1842 Sir Aurther Sullivan, English composer, born
1842 Wagner: "Rienzi, " Dresden
1843 Joseph Lanner, Viennese waltz composer, dies
1843 M.W. Balfe: "The Bohemian Girl," London, Drury Lane
1843 Donizetti: " Don Pasquale," Paris, Theatre Italien
1843 Edward Grieg, Norwegian composer, born
1843 Mendelssohn: music to Shakespeare's " A Midsummer Night's Dream " performed for the first time, Potsdam; Overture 1826
1843 Christine Nilsson, Swedish coloratura soprano, born
1843 Adelina Patti, Spanish born American soprano, born
1843 Hans Richter, German conductor, born
1843 Schumann: Das Paradies und die Peri" ("Paradise and the Peri"), secular oratorio, Leipzig
1843 Wagner: "Der fliegende Hollander" ( "The FLying Dutchman"), Dresden
1844 Berloiz: "Traite di l'instrumentation et d'orchestration modernes"
1844 H.M. Berton, French composer, dies
1844 Flotow: "Alessandro Stradella," Hamburg
1844 Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor, Opus 64
1844 Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov, Russian composer, born
1844 Pablo de Sarasate y Navascues, Spanish violin virtuoso and composer, born
1844 Verdi: "Ernani," Venice
1845 Gabriel Faure, French composer, born
1845 "Lenora," American opera by W. H. Fry produced at Philadelphia
1845 Lortzing: "Undine," opera, Magdeburg
1845 Wagner: "Tannhauser," Dresden
1845 Charles Marie Widor, French composer and organist, born
1846 Berloiz: "Damnation de Faust," dramatic cantata, Paris, Opera-Comique
1846 Electric lighting at the Opera, Paris
1846 Lortzing: "Der Waffenschmied," opera, Vienna
1846 Mendelssohn: "Elijah," oratorio, Birmingham
1847 Friedrich von Flotow: "Martha," opera, Vienna
1847 Mendelssohn dies
1847 Verdi: "MacBeth," opera, Florence
1848 Donizetti dies
1848 Sir Hubert Parry, English composer, born
1849 Chopin dies
1849 Liszt: "Tasso," symphonic poem, Weimar
1849 Meyerbeer: "Le Prophete," Paris
1849 Otto Nicolai: "The Merry Wives of Windsor," opera, Vienna
1849 Nicolai dies
1849 Schumann: music to Byron's "Manfred"
1849 Johann Strauss I dies
1849 Richard Wagner takes part in Dresden revolt and is forced to flee to Zurich
1850 Adalbert Gyrowetz, Bohemian composer, dies
1850 Foundation of Bach-Gesellschaft to publish the complete works of J.S. Bach (46 vols)
1850 George R. Bristow: "Rip Van Winkle," American opera, New York
1850 Jenny Lind, the "Swedish Nightingale" tours America under the management of P.T. Barnum
1850 Schumann: "Genoveva," Leipzig
1850 Wagner: "Lohengrin," Weimar

1850-1860

1851 Gounod: "Sappho," opera, Paris
1851 Vincent d' Indy, French composer, born
1851 Albert Lortzing:, German composer, dies
1851 Verdi: "Rigoletto," Venice
1852 Robert Schumann: "Manfred," frist performed at Weimar
1852 Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, Irish composer and conductor, born
1853 Henry Steinway (Heinrich E. Steinweg) and his three sons begin the New York firm of piano manufacturers
1853 Verdi: "Il Trovatore," Rome, and "La Traviata," Venice
1853 Wagner completes the text of his teralogy "Der Ring des Nibelungen" (Music completed in 1847)
1854 Joseph Elsner, German - Polish composer, Chopin's teacher, dies
1854 Berloiz: " The Infant Christ," Christmas oratorio, Paris
1854 Engelbert Humperdinck, German composer, born
1854 Liszt: "Les Preludes," symphonic poem
1854 Schumann attempts suicide
1855 Pedro Albeniz, Spanish composer, dies
1855 Berloiz: "Te Deum, " Paris (written in 1849)
1855 Verdi:" Les Vepres Siciliennes," opera, Paris
1855 Wagner conducts a series of orchestral concerts in London
1856 Adolphe Adam, French composer, dies
1856 Karl Bechstien founds his paino factory
1856 Alexander Dargomijsky: "Russalka," opera, St. Petersburg
1856 Maillart: "Les Dragons de Villars," opera, Paris
1856 Robert Schumann dies
1856 Christian Sinding, Norwegian composer, born
1857 Carl Czerny, Austrian composer, dies
1857 Hans von Bulow marries Cosima Liszt
1857 Edward Elgar, English composer, born
1857 Mikhail I. Glinka, Russian composer, dies
1857 Charles Halle founds the Halle concerts in Manchester, England
1857 Wilhelm Kienzl, Austrian composer, born
1857 Liszt: "Eine Faust-Symphonie," Weimar
1858 Peter Cornelius: "Der Barbier von Bagdad," opera, Weimar
1858 Ruggiero Leoncavallo, Italian opera composer, born
1858 New York Symphony Orchestra gives its first public concert
1858 Offenbach: "Orphee aux enfers," operetta, Paris
1858 Giacomo Puccini, Italian opera composer, born
1859 Daniel Decatur Emmett composes "Dixie"
1859 Gounod: "Faust," opera, Paris
1859 Adelina Patti's New York Debut in Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor"
1859 Louis Spohr, German composer, dies
1859 Verdi: "Un Ballo in Maschera," opera, Rome
1860 Friedrich Silcher, German composer, dies
1860 Gustav Mahler, German composer, born
1860 Ignace Paderewski, Polish pianist and statesman, born
1860 Franz von Suppe: "Das Pensionat," the first of all Viennese operettas
1860 First modern Welsh Eisteddfod
1860 Hugo Wolf, Austrian composer, born

1861-1870

1861 Heinrich Marschner, German opera composer, dies
1861 Nellie Melba, Australian operatic soprano, born
1861 Royal Academy of Music, London, founded
1861 "Tannhauser," a scandal in Paris
1862 Berloiz: "Beatrice et Benedict," opera, Baden-Baden
1862 Claude Debussy, French composer, born
1862 Frederick Delius, English composer, born
1862 Edward German, English composer, born
1862 Ludwig Kochel "Catalogue of Mozart's Works"
1862 Verdi: "La Forza del Destino," opera, St. Petersburg
1863 Berloiz: "Les Troyens," opera, Paris
1863 Bizet: " Les Pecheurs de perles," opera, Paris
1863 Peitro Mascagni, Italian composer, born
1863 Felix von Weingartner, Austrian composer and conductor, born
1864 Eugen D' Albert, Scottich born German composer and pianist, born
1864 Bruckner: Symphony No. 0 ("Die Nullte") revised 1869
1864 Stephen Foster, American songwriter, dies
1864 Giacomo Meyerbeer, German composer, dies
1864 Offenbach: "La Belle Helene, " operetta, Paris
1864 Richard Strauss, German composer, born
1865 Paul Dukas, French composer, born
1865 Alexander Glazunov, Russian composer, born
1865 Meyerbeer: "L' Africaine," posth. opera, Paris
1865 Schubert: "Unfinished Symphony," first performed
1865 Jean Sibelius, Finnish composer, born
1865 Suppe: "Die schone Galathee," operetta, Vienna
1865 Wagner: "Tristan and Isolde," Munich
1866 Ferruccio Busoni, Italian painist and composer, born
1866 Offenbach: La Vie Parisienne," operetta, Paris
1866 Smetana: "Prodana Nevesta" (The Bartered Bride), opera, Prague
1866 Ambroise Thomas: "Mignon," opera, Paris
1867 M.I. Glinka, Russian composer, dies
1867 Bizet: "La Jolie Fille de Perth," opera, Paris
1867 Gounod: "Romeo et Juliette," opera, Paris
1867 Offenbach: "La Grande-duchesse de Gerolstein," operetta, Paris
1867 Johann Strauss II: "The Blue Danube," waltz
1867 A.S. Sullivan: "Cox and Box," comic opera
1867 Arturo Toscanini, Italian conductor, born
1867 Verdi: "Don Carlos, " Paris
1868 Halfdan Kjerulf, Norwegian composer, dies
1868 Granville Bantock, English composer, born
1868 Brahms: "Ein deutsches Requiem," Opus 45
1868 Moussorgsky begins work on "Boris Godunov" (completed in 1874)
1868 Rossini dies
1868 Max von Schillings, German composer and conductor, born
1868 Wagner: "Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg" Munich
1868 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 1
1869 Karl Loewe, German composer, dies
1869 Louis Gottschalk, American painist and composer, dies
1869 Berloiz dies
1869 Sidney Jones, English composer, born
1869 Karl Loewe, German composer, dies
1869 Hans Pfitzner, German musician and director, born
1869 Siegfried Wagner, German composer, born (Wagner's son)
1869 Richard Wagner: "Rheingold," opera, Munich
1869 Henry J. Wood, Englsh conductor, born
1870 Delibes: "Coppelia," ballet, Paris
1870 Founding of Societe Nationale de Musique, France
1870 Tchaikovsky: Fantasy-overture "Romeo and Juliet," Moscow
1870 Wagner marries Cosima von Bulow, daughter of Franz Liszt
1870 Wagner: "Die Walkure," Munich

1871-1880

1871 Daniel Auber, French composer, dies
1871 Albert Hall, London, opened
1871 "L' Internationale" ("Debout, les damnes de la Terre!") written and composed by Pottier and Degeyter, two French workers
1871 Saint Saens: "Le Rouet d Omphale," symphonic poem, Opus 31
1871 Verdi: "Aida," Cairo
1872 Bizet: incidental music to Daudet's " L'Arlesienne"
1872 Alexandre Lecocq: " La Fille de Mme Angot," Brussels
1872 Alexander Scriabin, Russian composer, born
1873 Bruckner: Symphony No. 2, Vienna
1873 Clara Butt, English singer, born
1873 Carl Rosa Opera Company founded in England
1873 Enrico Caruso, Italian opera singer, born
1873 Feodor Chaliapin, Russian singer, born
1873 Delibes: "Le Roi L'a Dit," opera, Paris
1873 Max Reger, German composer, born
1873 Sergei Rachmaninoff, Russian composer and pianist, born
1873 Rimsky-Korsakov: " Ivan the Terrible," opera, St Petersburg
1873 Tchaichovsky: Symphony No. 2, Moscow
1874 Brahms: "Hungarian Dances"
1874 Peter Cornelius, German composer, dies
1874 Hermann Gotz: "Der Widerspenstigen Zahmung, " opera, Mannheim
1874 Gustav Holst, English composer, born
1874 Moussorgsky "Boris Godunov," St. Petersburg
1874 Paris Opera completed (begun in 1863)
1874 Arnold Schonberg, German composer, born
1874 Smetana: "Ma Vlast" ("My Fatherland"), cycle of symphonic poems
1874 Johann Strauss II: "Die Fledermaus," operetta, Vienna
1874 Verdi: "Requiem", Milan
1875 Bizet: "Carmen, " Paris
1875 Georges Bizet, French composer, dies
1875 Ignaz Brull: "Das goldene Kreuz," opera, Berlin
1875 Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, English composer, born
1875 "Trial by Jury" first Gilbert and Sullivan operetta
1875 Karl Goldmark: "Die Konigin von Saba," opera, Vienna
1875 Maurice Ravel, French composer, born
1875 Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1, Opus 23, Boston
1876 Bayreuth Festspielhaus opens with first complete performance of Wagner's "Ring des Nibelungen"
1876 Brahms: Symphony No. 1, Opus 68
1876 Pablo Casals, Spanish Cellist, born
1876 Leo Delibes: "Sylvia," ballet, Paris
1876 Manuel de Falla, Spanish composer, born
1876 Ponchielli:"La Gioconda," opera, Milan
1876 Wagner: "Siegfried," opera, Bayreuth
1876 Bruno Walter, German conductor, born
1876 Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari, Italian-German composer, born
1877 Brahms: Symphony No. 2, Opus 75
1877 Ernst von Dohnanyi, Hungarian pianist and composer, born
1877 Publication of complete edition of Mozart's works begins (completed in 1904)
1877 Camille Saint-Saens: "Samson et Delila," opera, Weimar
1877 Tchaikovsky: "Francesca da Rimini," symphonic poem
1878 A.W. Ambros: "Geschichte der Musik"
1878 Rutland Boughton, English composer, born
1878 Gilbert and Sullivan: "H.M.S. Pinafore"
1878 George Grove begins "Dictionary of Music and Musicians" (first complete edition 1889)
1879 Millocker: "Grafin Dubarry," operetta, Vienna
1879 Suppe: "Boccaccio," operetta, Vienna
1879 Tchaikovsky: "Eugen Onegin," opera, Moscow
1880 Henri Wieniawski, Polish violinist and conductor, dies
1880 Ernest Bloch, Swiss - American composer, born
1880 Gilbert and Sullivan: "The Pirates of Penzance"
1880 London Guildhall School of Music founded
1880 Jacques Offenbach, French composer, dies
1880 Philipp Spitta "Johann Sebastian Bach," biography

1881-1890

1881 Henri Vieuxtemps, French violinist and composer, dies
1881 Bela Bartok, Hungarian composer, born
1881 Brahms: "Academic Festival Overture," Opus 80, Breslau
1881 Moussorgsky dies
1881 Offenbach: "Les Contes d'Hoffman," Post. opera, Paris
1882 Igor Stravinsky, Russian composer, born
1882 Millocker: "Der Bettelstudent," operetta, Vienna
1882 Tchaichovsky: "1812 Overture"
1882 Gounod: "The Redemption," oratorio, Birmingham
1882 Rimsky-Korsakov:" The Snow Maiden," opera, St Petersburg
1882 Gilbert and Sullivan: " Iolanthe," London
1882 Wagner: "Parsifal," Bayreuth
1882 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra founded
1882 Debussy: "Le Printemps," orchestral suite
1883 Robert Volkmann, German composer, dies
1883 Chabrier: "Espana, " rhapsody
1883 Metropolitan Opera House, New York, opened
1883 Royal College of Music, London, founded
1883 Delibes: "Lakme," opera, Paris
1883 Richard Wagner, German opera composer, dies
1883 Friedrich von Flotow, German composer, dies
1883 Anton von Webern, Austrian composer, born
1884 Bedrich Smetana, Czech composer, dies
1884 Brahms: Symphony No. 3 in F major, Opus 90
1884 Bruckner: Symphony No. 7, Leipzig
1884 Cesar Franck: "Les Djinns," symphonic poem
1884 Massenet: "Manonm" opera, Paris
1884 C.V. Stanford: "Savonarola," opera, Hamburg
1884 Gustav Mahler: "Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen"
1884 Vicktor Nessler: "Der Trompeter von Sackingen," opera, Leipzig
1885 Leopold Damrosch, German- American comductor, dies
1885 Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Opus 98
1885 Cesar Franck: "Symphonie Variations"
1885 Gilbert and Sullivan: "The Mikado," London
1885 Alan Berg, Austrian composer, born
1885 Anna Pavlova, Russian ballet dancer, born
1885 Strauss: " The Gypsy Baron," operetta, Vienna
1886 Franz Liszt, Hungarian composer, dies
1886 Wilhelm Furtwangler, German conductor, born
1886 Charles Mustel of Paris invents the celesta
1887 Aleksandr Borodin, Russian composer, dies
1887 Sir John Stainer: "The Crucifixion," oratorio
1887 Chabrier: "Le Roi malgre lui," opera, Paris
1887 Richard Strauss: "Aus Italien," tone poems, Munich
1887 Verdi: "Otello," opera, Milan
1887 Gilbert and Sullivan: " Ruddigore," London
1887 Ignace Paderewski gives his first recital in Vienna
1887 Bruckner: "Te Deum"
1888 Gilbert and Sullivan: "The Yeoman of the Guard,"London
1888 irving Berlin, American composer, born
1888 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5, St. Petersburg
1888 Rimsky-Korsakov: "Sheherazade," opus 35, symphonic suite, St. Petersburg
1888 Gustav Mahler becomes musical director of the Budapest Opera
1889 Cesar Franck: Symphony in D Major
1889 Richard Strauss: "Don Juan," symphonic poem, Weimar
1889 Gilbert and Sullivan: "The Gondoliers," London
1890 Cesar Franck dies
1890 Bruckner: Symphonies No. 3 and 4 last versions
1890 Richard Strauss: "Toid und Verklarung"
1890 Borodin: "Prince Igor," opera, St. Petersburg, (posth.)
1890 Pietro Mascagni: "Cavalleria Rusticana," opera, Rome
1890 Tchaikovsky:"Quenn of Spades," opera, St. Petersburg

1891-1900

1891 Leo Delibes, French composer, dies
1891 Sir Arthur Bliss, English composer, born
1891 Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 1
1891 Sergei Prokofiev, Russian composer, born
1891 Karl Zeller: "Der Vogelhandler," Viennese operetta
1891 Rachmaninoff finishes the first version of his Piano Concerto No. 1 (revised in 1917)
1892 Robert Franz, German composer, dies
1892 Bruckner: Symphony No. 8, Vienna
1892 Leoncavallo: "I Paliacci," opera, Milan
1892 Tchaikovsky: "The Nutcracker;" ballet, St. Petersburg
1892 Dvorak becomes director of New York National Conservatory of Music
1893 Cole Porter, American composer, born
1893 Tchaikovsky dies
1893 Charles Gounod dies
1893 Dvorak: Symphony No. 5, Opus 95 ("From the New World")
1893 Sibelius: "Karelia Suite," Opus 10
1893 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 ("Pathetique"), Opus 74
1893 Engelbert Humperdinck: "Hansel und Gretel," opera, Weimar
1893 Puccini: "Manon Lescaut," opera, Turin
1893 Verdi: "Falstaff," opera, Milan
1894 Hans von Bulow, German pianist and conductor, first husband of Cosima Wagner, dies
1894 Emmanuel Chabrier, French composer, dies
1894 Sibelius: "Finlandia"
1894 Debussy: "L'Apres-midi d'un faune"
1894 Massenet: "Thais," opera, Paris
1894 Richard Strauss: "Guntram," opera, Paris
1894 Anton Rubinstein, Russian composer and pianist, dies
1895 Tchaikovsky:"Swan Lake," ballet, St. Petersburg, (first completed performance)
1895 Mahler: Symphony No. 2
1895 Richard Strauss: "Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks," symphonic poem, Cologne
1895 Robert Newman arranges the first Promenade Concerts at Queen's Hall, London; conductor: Henry J. Wood
1895 Paul Hindemith, German composer, born
1895 Wilhelm Kienzl:"Der Evangelimann," opera, Berlin
1896 A. Carlos Gomez, Brazilian composer, dies
1896 Anton Bruckner dies
1896 Sidney Jones: "The Geisha," operetta, London
1896 Clara Wiek-Schumann, German Pianist, dies
1896 Edward MacDowell: "Indian Suite," on N. American Indian folk tunes
1896 Richard Strauss: "Also Sprach Zarathustra," symphonic poem, Frankfurt
1896 Puccini: "La Boheme," opera, Turin
1896 Hugo Wolf: "Der Corregidor," opera, Mannheim
1896 Giordano: "Andrea Chenier," opera, Milan
1896 The last of the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operettas, "The Grand Duke," London
1897 Johannes Brahms dies
1897 Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Austrian composer, born
1897 Gustav Mahler becomes conductor of the Vienna Opera
1897 Vincent d'Indy: "Fervaal," opera, Brussels
1898 Eduard Remenyi, Hungarian violinist, toured Germany with Brahms (52-53), dies
1898 Paul Robeson, bass singer, born
1898 Toscanini appears at La Scala, Milan
1899 Elgar: "Enigma Variations"
1899 Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 in E minor
1899
1899 Bruckner: Symphony No.5 (posth.)
1899 Francis Poulenc, French composer, born
1899 Johann Strauss dies
1899 Karl Millocker, Viennese operetta composer, dies
1899 Richard Strauss: "Ein Heldenleben," symphonic poem, Frankfurt
1900 Sir Aurther Sullivan, English composer, dies
1900 Ernst Krenek, Austrian composer, born
1900 Sir Arthur Sullivan dies
1900 Kurt Weill, German composer, born
1900 Samuel Coleridge- Taylor: "Hiawatha"
1900 Gustave Charpentier: "Louise," opera, Paris
1900 Elgar: "Dream of Gerontius," oratorio, Birmingham
1900 Puccini: "Tosca," opera, Rome
1900 Aaron Copland, American composer, born

20th century classical music was extremely diverse, beginning with the late Romantic style of Sergei Rachmaninoff and the Impressionism of Claude Debussy, and ranging to such distant sound-worlds as the complete serialism of Pierre Boulez, the simple triadic harmonies of minimalist composers such as Steve Reich, and Philip Glass, the musique concrète of Pierre Schaeffer, the microtonal music adopted by Harry Partch, Alois Hába and others, and the aleatoric music of John Cage.

Among the most prominent composers of the 20th century were Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Giacomo Puccini, Claude Debussy, Edward Elgar, Arnold Schoenberg, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Igor Stravinsky, Dmitri Shostakovich, Benjamin Britten and Aaron Copland. Classical music also had an intense cross fertilization with jazz, with several composers being able to work in both genres, including George Gershwin. An important feature of 20th century concert music is the existence of the splitting of the audience into traditional and avant-garde, with many figures prominent in one world considered minor or unacceptable in the other. Composers such as Anton von Webern, Elliot Carter, Edgar Varèse, Milton Babbitt, and Luciano Berio have devoted followings within the avant-garde, but are often attacked outside of it. As time has passed, however, it is increasingly accepted, though by no means universally so, that the boundaries are more porous than the many polemics would lead you to believe: many of the techniques pioneered by the above composers show up in popular music by The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Mike Oldfield, Nirvana and in film scores that draw mass audiences.

It should be kept in mind that this article presents an overview of 20th century classical music and many of the composers listed under the following trends and movements may not identify exclusively as such and may be considered as participating in different movements. For instance, Igor Stravinsky may be considered a romantic, modernist, neoclassicist, and a serialist.

The 20th century was also an age where recording and broadcast changed the economics and social relationships inherent in music. An individual in the 19th century made most music themselves, or attended performances. An individual in the industrialized world had access to radio, television, phonograph and later digital music such as the CD.

Classical Music News

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