1940, from day to day
1940. With other artists, Pietro Mascagni, Richard Strauss and Jean Sibelius influenced their time (modern & contemporary era). That year would see the birth of future classical or lyrical artists, such as Riccardo Muti, while others would disappear. That year, new works would be composed, published or performed for the first time in public, such as “Suite for 2 pianos from “Cinderella”, Op. 87b” de Sergei Prokofiev, for example. That year, halls or orchestras would be founded or ceased to operate.
All these moments, more or less notable, make the year 1940 a page in the history of classical and lyrical music to be discovered or rediscovered. soclassiq currently lists more than 360 of these moments for 1940.
The year 1940 in classical music and in lyrical art
January
01
Birth of Nurtan Alan Esmen That year: 1940, Classical music, composer
03
Death of Maia Bang That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1877)
05
Death of Louis Delune That year: 1940, Classical music, Belgian composer (born in 1876)
06
Birth of Shirley Love That year: 1940, Classical music, American opera singer
09
Death of Josef Jiránek That year: 1940, Classical music, Czech music educator, composer and pianist (born in 1855)
Birth of Claudine Arnaud That year: 1940, Classical music, Belgian opera singer (dead in 2017)
11
Birth of Naoyuki Inoue That year: 1940, Classical music, Japanese pianist (dead in 2003)
Death of Miquel Jordana i Puig That year: 1940, Classical music, Spanish musician and composer (1875-1940) (born in 1875)
14
Birth of Siegmund Nimsgern That year: 1940, Classical music, German opera singer
15
16
Death of Maximilian Schwedler That year: 1940, Classical music, German musician and musicologist (born in 1853)
18
Birth of Yukinori Tezuka That year: 1940, Classical music, Japanese conductor (1940-2020) (dead in 2020)
Birth of Marijan Gabrijelčič That year: 1940, Classical music, composer, music teacher, university teacher (dead in 1998)
Death of Felix Corbett That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1861)
23
Birth of Lajos Miller That year: 1940, Classical music, opera singer
24
Death of Emile van Bosch That year: 1940, Classical music, Belgian opera singer (born in 1888)
Death of Charles Whitney Coombs That year: 1940, Classical music, American musician (born in 1859)
25
Death of Hubert Gruender That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1870)
27
Death of Jacques Pintel That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1881)
29
Birth of Justino Díaz That year: 1940, Classical music, Puerto Rican opera singer
30
Premiere of Les Illuminations, Op. 18 That year: 1940, Classical music (Song, lied), Benjamin Britten
Birth of Helmut Pampuch That year: 1940, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 2008)
February
01
Death of Julius Lieban That year: 1940, Classical music, German singer and opera singer (born in 1858)
02
Death of Arnold Volpe That year: 1940, Classical music, Lithuanian American composer, conductor (1869-1940) (born in 1869)
Death of Nikolay Kedrov, Sr. That year: 1940, Classical music, Russian singer (born in 1871)
Death of C. Roland Flick That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1875)
04
Birth of Martin Jones That year: 1940, Classical music, British pianist
05
Death of Maurice Duhamel That year: 1940, Classical music, French musician (1884-1940) (born in 1884)
06
Birth of Helga Thiede That year: 1940, Classical music, German singer
09
Birth of Wolfgang Schöne That year: 1940, Classical music, German singer
11
Death of Carlo Böhm That year: 1940, Classical music, singer from Austria (born in 1874)
12
Birth of Gilda Cruz-Romo That year: 1940, Classical music, singer
14
Death of Otto Holldack That year: 1940, Classical music, opera singer (born in 1861)
15
Birth of Trygve Madsen That year: 1940, Classical music, Norwegian classical pianist
Birth of Renate Lenhart That year: 1940, Classical music, Austrian opera singer
17
Death of Ulrich Hildebrandt That year: 1940, Classical music, German church musician (1870-1940) (born in 1870)
18
Death of Emil Liepe That year: 1940, Classical music, German opera vocalist (born in 1860)
Death of Marie Delorn That year: 1940, Classical music, French opera singer (1861-1940) (born in 1861)
20
Birth of Christoph Eschenbach That year: 1940, Classical music, German musician
21
Birth of Heinz Zednik That year: 1940, Classical music, austrian tenor
25
Birth of Jesús López Cobos That year: 1940, Classical music, Spanish conductor (1940-2018) (dead in 2018)
Birth of Ryszard Arning That year: 1940, Classical music, Polish singer (dead in 2008)
27
Birth of Barbara Collier That year: 1940, Classical music, Canadian singer
28
Death of Arnold Dolmetsch That year: 1940, Classical music, French musician and instrument maker in England (1858-1940) (born in 1858)
Death of Emil Prill That year: 1940, Classical music, German musician (born in 1867)
Birth of Derek Reginald Morgan That year: 1940, Classical music, composer
March
01
Birth of Rotraud Hansmann That year: 1940, Classical music, Austrian soprano in opera and concert
02
Birth of Robert Lloyd That year: 1940, Classical music, English operatic bass
03
Death of Karl Muck That year: 1940, Classical music, German-born Swiss conductor of classical music (born in 1859)
05
Death of Ange-Marie Auzende That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1850)
06
Death of Alexei Davidov That year: 1940, Classical music, Russian musician and businessman (1867-1940) (born in 1867)
07
Birth of Tony Conrad That year: 1940, Classical music, American filmmaker, violinist and composer (1940-2016) (dead in 2016)
09
Birth of Pavel Červinka That year: 1940, Classical music, Czech opera singer (1940-2015) (dead in 2015)
10
Death of Emerik Beran That year: 1940, Classical music, Slovenian cellist (born in 1868)
12
Birth of Peter McKenzie Armstrong That year: 1940, Classical music, composer
14
Birth of Adolf Dallapozza That year: 1940, Classical music, Austrian tenor
15
Death of Ferdinand Hellmesberger That year: 1940, Classical music, Austrian musician (1863-1940) (born in 1863)
Death of Robert Leffler That year: 1940, Classical music, German actor (born in 1866)
Birth of Iryna Shykunova That year: 1940, Classical music, Soviet Belarusian opera singer and pedagogue (dead in 2020)
17
Death of Rémy Clavers That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1891)
18
Death of Lola Beeth That year: 1940, Classical music, singer (born in 1860)
21
Birth of Paul Robinson That year: 1940, Classical music, Canadian conductor
Death of Oscar Klemperer That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1877)
22
Birth of Günter von Kannen That year: 1940, Classical music, (1940--) German opera singer (bass-baritone) (dead in 2016)
25
Death of Ludwig Sauer That year: 1940, Classical music, German composer (born in 1861)
26
Birth of Victor von Halem That year: 1940, Classical music, German singer and opera singer (dead in 2022)
28
Premiere of Violin Concerto, Op. 15 That year: 1940, Classical music (Work for orchestra with soloist), Benjamin Britten
29
Death of Josep Cumellas i Ribó That year: 1940, Classical music, Spanish composer (1875-1940) (born in 1875)
31
Birth of John Stewart That year: 1940, Classical music, American tenor, conductor, and voice teacher
April
01
Death of Emil Štolc That year: 1940, Classical music, Czech conductor and composer (1888-1940) (born in 1888)
02
Death of Edward Johnson Bellerby That year: 1940, Classical music, British composer (born in 1858)
03
Birth of François Loup That year: 1940, Classical music, opera singer
09
Birth of Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi That year: 1940, Classical music, Japanese composer and conductor
10
Death of Nestor Nyzhankivskyi That year: 1940, Classical music, Ukrainian composer, pianist and music critic (born in 1893)
13
Birth of Vladimir Cosma That year: 1940, Classical music, Romanian-French Composer, violinist and conductor
Birth of Takaya Urakawa That year: 1940, Classical music, Japanese violinist and concertmaster
16
Birth of Marcella Crudeli That year: 1940, Classical music, Italian pianist (1940-)
Birth of Joseph Fennimore That year: 1940, Classical music, American composer and pianist
17
Birth of Siegfried Jerusalem That year: 1940, Classical music, German operatic tenor
Birth of Anja Silja That year: 1940, Classical music, Operatic soprano
21
Birth of Lilleba Lund Kvandal That year: 1940, Classical music, Norwegian soprano (1940-2016) (dead in 2016)
23
Birth of Bulat Minzhilkiev That year: 1940, Classical music, Soviet singer and opera singer (1940-1997) (dead in 1997)
Birth of Diane Loomer That year: 1940, Classical music, conductor (dead in 2012)
24
Birth of Gerhart Hetzel That year: 1940, Classical music, * 24.4.1940 Neu-Werbaß (Novi Vrbas/YU), † 29.7.1992 Salzburg. Geiger. (dead in 1992)
25
Death of Emanuel Christian Hedmondt That year: 1940, Classical music, Canadian singer and singing teacher (1857–1940) (born in 1857)
26
Death of Rafaela Haro That year: 1940, Classical music, singer, actor (born in 1889)
28
Death of Luisa Tetrazzini That year: 1940, Classical music, Italian opera singer (1871-1940) (born in 1871)
29
Death of Kornélia Gábos That year: 1940, Classical music, Hungarian opera singer (soprano), singing master (born in 1868)
Death of William C. Stahl That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1869)
May
03
Inauguration: Elliott Hall of Music That year: 1940, Classical music (West Lafayette, United States of America)
04
Birth of Eliška Pappová That year: 1940, Classical music, opera singer, singer
05
Birth of Aatos Tapala That year: 1940, Classical music, Finnish actor
06
Death of Ernest Gillet That year: 1940, Classical music, French musician and composer (1856-1940) (born in 1856)
Death of James M. Fulton That year: 1940, Classical music, American conductor and composer (born in 1873)
09
Death of Leon Fontbonne That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1858)
11
Birth of Ron Bottcher That year: 1940, Classical music, American opera singer (1940-1991) (dead in 1991)
12
Birth of Jozef Sixta That year: 1940, Classical music, composer, music teacher (dead in 2007)
19
Death of Dinh Gilly That year: 1940, Classical music, French opera singer (born in 1877)
20
Birth of Karl Anton Rickenbacher That year: 1940, Classical music, Swiss conductor (1940-2014) (dead in 2014)
21
Birth of António Victorino de Almeida That year: 1940, Classical music, Portuguese composer
27
Death of Walther Falkenstein That year: 1940, Classical music, German operatic tenor and theater actor (born in 1862)
28
Death of Theodor Streicher That year: 1940, Classical music, Austrian composer (born in 1874)
Birth of Vernon Midgley That year: 1940, Classical music, British opera singer
29
Death of Mathilda Grabow That year: 1940, Classical music, Swedish opera singer (born in 1852)
30
Death of Robert-Guillaume Casadesus That year: 1940, Classical music, French actor and musician (1878-1940) (born in 1878)
June
01
Death of Franz Blumenberg That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1869)
03
Birth of Heljä Angervo That year: 1940, Classical music, Finnish opera singer (1940-2019) (dead in 2019)
04
Birth of Yuriko Kuronuma That year: 1940, Classical music, Japanese musician
Birth of Jiří Válek That year: 1940, Classical music, Czech fluteist and music educator
07
Birth of Alfreda Hodgson That year: 1940, Classical music, English contralto singer (1940-1992) (dead in 1992)
08
Death of Frederick Converse That year: 1940, Classical music, American classical music composer (1871-1940) (born in 1871)
Birth of Valeriy Sobolev That year: 1940, Classical music, Soviet Russian musician (1940-2002) (dead in 2002)
11
Death of Fermo Dante Marchetti That year: 1940, Classical music, Italian songwriter (born in 1876)
14
Birth of Dary John Mizelle That year: 1940, Classical music, American composer
Death of Joseph Béesau That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1871)
15
Birth of Teruyuki Noda That year: 1940, Classical music, Japanese composer (1940-2022) (dead in 2022)
16
Death of Vítězslava Kaprálová That year: 1940, Classical music, Czech conductor and composer (1915-1940) (born in 1915)
Birth of Pirkko Talola-Aaltonen That year: 1940, Classical music, Finnish opera singer
19
Death of Maurice Jaubert That year: 1940, Classical music, French composer (born in 1900)
Death of Albert Reiss That year: 1940, Classical music, German opera singer (born in 1870)
20
Death of Jehan Alain That year: 1940, Classical music, French organist and composer (1911-1940) (born in 1911)
Death of Emma Nevada That year: 1940, Classical music, American singer (born in 1859)
Death of Frederick Rosse That year: 1940, Classical music, British conductor and composer (1867–1940) (born in 1867)
21
Death of Hans Ingi Hedemark That year: 1940, Classical music, Norwegian actor (born in 1875)
23
Premiere of Semyon Kotko, Op. 81 That year: 1940, Classical music (Opera), Sergei Prokofiev
Premiere of Symphonic Suite from “Semyon Kotko”, Op. 81bis That year: 1940, Classical music (Work for orchestra), Sergei Prokofiev
25
Birth of Mary Beth Peil That year: 1940, Classical music, singer and actress
Birth of João Carlos Martins That year: 1940, Classical music, Brazilian pianist and conductor
28
Death of Tekla Griebel-Wandall That year: 1940, Classical music, Danish composer (1866-1940) (born in 1866)
29
Birth of Vyacheslav Artyomov That year: 1940, Classical music, Russian composer
Death of Hans Fährmann That year: 1940, Classical music, German composer (born in 1860)
Death of Marie Hloušková That year: 1940, Classical music, opera singer (born in 1895)
Also in June
Inception: Sølvguttene That year: 1940, Classical music (Norway) .
July
01
Birth of Carles Santos That year: 1940, Classical music, Spanish pianist, artist (dead in 2017)
Death of Peder Møller That year: 1940, Classical music, Danish musician (born in 1877)
02
Birth of Dale Clevenger That year: 1940, Classical music, American musician (dead in 2022)
03
Birth of Peer Raben That year: 1940, Classical music, German composer and actor (dead in 2007)
Death of Bartholomeus Adrianus Verhallen That year: 1940, Classical music, Dutch conductor and composer (born in 1870)
Birth of Bernadette Greevy That year: 1940, Classical music, singer (dead in 2008)
05
Birth of Donald Shanks That year: 1940, Classical music, Australian bass-baritone opera singer (dead in 2011)
06
Death of Marguerite Ugalde That year: 1940, Classical music, French singer and actress (1861-1940) (born in 1861)
08
Death of Marie Pivodová That year: 1940, Classical music, Czech opera signer and music teacher (born in 1862)
09
Birth of Manfred Jung That year: 1940, Classical music, German singer and operatic tenor (dead in 2017)
10
Death of Donald Tovey That year: 1940, Classical music, British composer, musicologist and pianist (1875–1940) (born in 1875)
Birth of Helen Donath That year: 1940, Classical music, American soprano
Death of Josef Werth That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1873)
11
Birth of Pedro Seiji Asato That year: 1940, Classical music, Peruvian composer
14
Death of Walter Rabl That year: 1940, Classical music, Austrian conductor and composer (born in 1873)
15
Death of Oksana Petrusenko That year: 1940, Classical music, opera singer (born in 1900)
16
Birth of Arthur Moreira Lima That year: 1940, Classical music, Brazilian musician
18
Death of Lujo Šafranek-Kavić That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1882)
19
Birth of Valentin Bibik That year: 1940, Classical music, Ukrainian composer (1940-2003) (dead in 2003)
22
Birth of Thomas Martin That year: 1940, Classical music, contrabassist
Death of Max Warnecke That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1878)
23
Death of Metoděj Janíček That year: 1940, Classical music, Czech composer and organist (1862-1940) (born in 1862)
25
Birth of Radmila Smiljanić That year: 1940, Classical music, Serbian singer
28
Birth of Riccardo Muti That year: 1940, Classical music, Italian conductor
Death of Lucie Weidt That year: 1940, Classical music, soprano (1876-1940) (born in 1876)
29
Birth of Claudio Fabi That year: 1940, Classical music, Italian composer
Birth of Bozhidar Petkov That year: 1940, Classical music, Bulgarian composer (1940-2015) (dead in 2015)
August
03
Birth of Carlo Carfagna That year: 1940, Classical music, Italian musician
05
Birth of Gottfried Hornik That year: 1940, Classical music, lyrical singer
06
Birth of Claude Méloni That year: 1940, Classical music, French baritone of the Paris Opera (born 1940) (dead in 2020)
07
Death of Henri de Saussine That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1859)
08
Birth of Jozsef Gregor That year: 1940, Classical music, Hungarian singer (dead in 2006)
09
Death of Alessandro Bonci That year: 1940, Classical music, Italian opera singer (born in 1870)
Birth of Rimma Volkova That year: 1940, Classical music, Russian opera singer (dead in 2021)
Death of Heinrich Pestalozzi That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1878)
10
Birth of Alden Jenks That year: 1940, Classical music, American composer
11
Death of Alfred Zamara That year: 1940, Classical music, Austrian composer (1863-1940) (born in 1863)
12
Birth of Alexander Yossifov That year: 1940, Classical music, Bulgarian composer (dead in 2016)
Birth of Dorothea Chryst That year: 1940, Classical music, German singer and opera singer
Birth of Yuriy Rom That year: 1940, Classical music, Soviet flautist and pedagogue (1940-1996) (dead in 1996)
17
Birth of Hans-Joachim Beyer That year: 1940, Classical music, German opera singer
18
Birth of Dmitri Kitayenko That year: 1940, Classical music, Russian conductor
21
Death of Paul Juon That year: 1940, Classical music, Russian composer (born in 1872)
23
Birth of Lieuwe Visser That year: 1940, Classical music, Dutch singer, opera singer and musicologist (1940-2014) (dead in 2014)
24
Death of Max Marschalk That year: 1940, Classical music, German composer and musicologist (born in 1863)
Death of Karl Nowotny That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1858)
25
Birth of José van Dam That year: 1940, Classical music, bass-baritone opera singer from Belgium
29
Death of Arthur De Greef That year: 1940, Classical music, Belgian musician (1862-1940) (born in 1862)
Birth of Heinz Kruse That year: 1940, Classical music, German singer and opera singer (1940-2008) (dead in 2008)
30
Death of Fritz Feinhals That year: 1940, Classical music, German singer and opera singer (born in 1869)
September
03
Death of František Černý That year: 1940, Classical music, Czech music educator, composer and contrabassist (1861–1940) (born in 1861)
04
Birth of Rubén Domínguez That year: 1940, Classical music, Venezuelan opera singer (dead in 2015)
Death of Georgy Dulov That year: 1940, Classical music, Russian violinist (born in 1875)
05
Birth of Lewis Spratlan That year: 1940, Classical music, American music academic (1940–2023) (dead in 2023)
07
Birth of Giuseppe Giacomini That year: 1940, Classical music, Italian opera singer (1940-2021) (dead in 2021)
09
Birth of Günter Pichler That year: 1940, Classical music, Austrian violinist, conductor, university professor, musician and concertmaster
Death of Alexandra Ahnger That year: 1940, Classical music, Finnish singer and voice teacher (born in 1859)
10
Death of Hermine Braga-Jaff That year: 1940, Classical music, Hungarian opera singer (born in 1857)
18
Death of Waddington Cooke That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1868)
22
Death of István Thomán That year: 1940, Classical music, (1862–1940 classical pianist, piano teacher (born in 1862)
23
Death of Emmanuel Rhené-Baton That year: 1940, Classical music, French musician (1879-1940) (born in 1879)
27
Birth of Josephine Barstow That year: 1940, Classical music, British singer
Birth of Evgenia Gorokhovskaya That year: 1940, Classical music, Russian singer and teacher (1940-)
Death of Paul Decourcelle That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1854)
30
Death of Walter Kollo That year: 1940, Classical music, German composer (born in 1878)
Death of Giulio de De Micheli That year: 1940, Classical music, Italian composer (born in 1889)
Birth of Taijirō Iimori That year: 1940, Classical music, Japanese conductor (dead in 2023)
Also in September
Death of Mathilde Saïman That year: 1940, Classical music, French soprano (born in 1891) .
October
01
Birth of Louise Le Cavelier That year: 1940, Classical music, Canadian soprano
02
Birth of José Todaro That year: 1940, Classical music, Italian opera singer
04
Birth of Alain Lombard That year: 1940, Classical music, French conductor
05
Death of Silvestre Revueltas That year: 1940, Classical music, Mexican composer, violinist and conductor (1899-1940) (born in 1899)
06
Death of Hermann Genss That year: 1940, Classical music, German musician (born in 1856)
07
Birth of Rakhilia Miftakhova That year: 1940, Classical music, Russian singer (1940-2000) (dead in 2000)
08
Death of Anna Edström That year: 1940, Classical music, Swedish actress (born in 1884)
09
Birth of Ruthild Engert-Ely That year: 1940, Classical music, German singer and opera singer (1940-2013) (dead in 2013)
16
Birth of Valentin Timaru That year: 1940, Classical music, composer, musicologist, pedagogue
17
Birth of Stephen Kovacevich That year: 1940, Classical music, American pianist and conductor
20
Birth of Joanna Simon That year: 1940, Classical music, American mezzo-soprano (1936–2022) (dead in 2022)
Death of Emanuela Frank That year: 1940, Classical music, opera singer (born in 1870)
24
Death of Victor Hollaender That year: 1940, Classical music, German composer and conductor (1866–1940) (born in 1866)
Birth of Dany Barraud That year: 1940, Classical music, French opera singer (1940-2016) (dead in 2016)
25
Birth of Hana Janků That year: 1940, Classical music, Czech opera singer (dead in 1995)
Birth of Jörn W. Wilsing That year: 1940, Classical music, German singer and opera singer (1940-2010) (dead in 2010)
26
Death of Alice Guszalewicz That year: 1940, Classical music, Hungarian singer (1879-1940) (born in 1879)
27
Death of Fini Henriques That year: 1940, Classical music, Danish composer (1867-1940) (born in 1867)
30
Birth of Luis Cobos That year: 1940, Classical music, Composer and music conductor
November
01
Birth of Alain M. Jacques That year: 1940, Classical music, composer
05
Birth of Anthony Rolfe Johnson That year: 1940, Classical music, British opera singer (dead in 2010)
07
Premiere of Symphony in C major That year: 1940, Classical music (Work for orchestra), Igor Stravinsky
Birth of Frank Gersthofer That year: 1940, Classical music, German singer and opera singer (dead in 2011)
08
Death of Leo Portnoff That year: 1940, Classical music, musician, composer, teacher (born in 1875)
Birth of Franz Lukasovsky That year: 1940, Classical music, An Austrian operatic tenor and music educator.
10
Birth of Ralf Weikert That year: 1940, Classical music, Austrian conductor and music educator
12
Death of Alejandro García Caturla That year: 1940, Classical music, Cuban musician (born in 1906)
13
Death of Aleksandr Borkhman That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1872)
14
Birth of Irina Schnittke That year: 1940, Classical music, Russian pianist
15
Death of Johanna Mugrauer That year: 1940, Classical music, Austrian opera singer (born in 1869)
Birth of Barry Mora That year: 1940, Classical music, New Zealand opera singer (dead in 2021)
16
Death of Jindřich Souček That year: 1940, Classical music, Czech composer and choirmaster (born in 1863)
19
Birth of Václav Kozel That year: 1940, Classical music, Czech conductor, music educator and composer
23
Premiere of Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57 That year: 1940, Classical music (Work for chamber orchestra), Dmitri Shostakovich
24
Death of Ivar F. Andresen That year: 1940, Classical music, Norwegian singer (1896-1940) (born in 1896)
25
Birth of Jean-Claude Malgoire That year: 1940, Classical music, French musician (1940-2018) (dead in 2018)
Death of Hans Wuzél That year: 1940, Classical music, German opera vocalist (born in 1865)
27
Death of Emilio Pizzi That year: 1940, Classical music, Italian composer (born in 1861)
28
Death of James Hotchkiss Rogers That year: 1940, Classical music, American organist and composer (born in 1857)
30
Death of Fritz Volbach That year: 1940, Classical music, German conductor, composer and musicologist (1861-1940) (born in 1861)
December
03
Death of Leokadiya Kashperova That year: 1940, Classical music, composer, pianist (born in 1872)
05
Death of Jan Kubelík That year: 1940, Classical music, Czech violinist and composer (1880–1940) (born in 1880)
06
Death of Carl Hagman That year: 1940, Classical music, Norwegian singer (1872-1940) (born in 1872)
13
Birth of Urszula Koszut That year: 1940, Classical music, Polish opera singer
15
Death of Blanche Marchesi That year: 1940, Classical music, French lyric artist (born in 1863)
Premiere of Chamber Symphony No. 2 in E-flat minor, Op. 38 That year: 1940, Classical music (Work for chamber orchestra), Arnold Schoenberg
Death of Carrie B. Wilson Adams That year: 1940, Classical music, American musician (born in 1858)
16
Death of William Wallace That year: 1940, Classical music, Scottish composer and writer (1860-1940) (born in 1860)
19
Death of Joan Viladomat Massanas That year: 1940, Classical music, Catalan composer and musician (born in 1885)
24
Death of Rudolf Piskáček That year: 1940, Classical music, Czech composer (born in 1884)
26
Birth of Kay Griffel That year: 1940, Classical music, Operatic spinto soprano
27
Birth of Vladimir Komarov That year: 1940, Classical music, Soviet composer
28
Birth of Alvin Singleton That year: 1940, Classical music, American composer
Death of Yonejirō Suzuki That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1868)
This was also in 1940
Death of Jean Pietrapertosa That year: 1940, Classical music, musician and composer (born in 1855) . Death of Désiré Walter That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1861) . Death of Edward Wittich That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1857) . Death of Joseph Matthias Schäfer That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1882) . Inception: Toronto Light Opera Association That year: 1940, Classical music (Canada). Death of Antonio Alba That year: 1940, Classical music, Spanish composer (1873-1940) (born in 1873) . Death of Ward Stephens That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1872) . Inception: Chicago Opera Company That year: 1940, Classical music (United States of America). Birth of Marja Toppinen-Schumacher That year: 1940, Classical music, Finnish opera singer (dead in 2016) . Inception: Latvian Radio Choir That year: 1940, Classical music (Latvia). Death of Edward Loos That year: 1940, Classical music, composer . Death of Xiao Youmei That year: 1940, Classical music, Chinese composer (1884-1940) (born in 1884) . Inception: Végh Quartet That year: 1940, Classical music. Death of Josef Tadra That year: 1940, Classical music, Czech composer and organist (born in 1877) . Inception: RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra That year: 1940, Classical music (United States of America). Death of Edward Lankow That year: 1940, Classical music, american opera singer (bass) (born in 1883) . Inauguration: State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre of Tajikistan Sadriddin Ayni That year: 1940, Classical music (Dushanbe, Tajikistan). Death of Marcel Rouher That year: 1940, Classical music, French organist and composer (born in 1857) . Death of Gerard Tonning That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1860) . Inauguration: P. I. Tchaikovsky Concert Hall That year: 1940, Classical music (Tverskoy District, Russia). Inception: Holman Climax Male Voice Choir That year: 1940, Classical music (United Kingdom). Birth of Joseph Robinson That year: 1940, Classical music, American oboist . Birth of Claude Corbeil That year: 1940, Classical music, musician, opera singer . Death of Alphonse Cary That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1886) . Birth of Roxolana Roslak That year: 1940, Classical music, musician, opera singer . Death of Gustav Krenkel That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1876) . Death of Olga Pewny That year: 1940, Classical music, opera singer (born in 1872) . Birth of Ingrid Sala Santamaria That year: 1940, Classical music, Filipino musician . Inauguration: Tanglewood Music Center That year: 1940, Classical music (Lenox, United States of America). Birth of Marcello Panni That year: 1940, Classical music, Italian conductor and composer . Death of Bertram Shapleigh That year: 1940, Classical music, American composer (born in 1871) . Death of Émile Baudot That year: 1940, Classical music, composer . Death of René Pollain That year: 1940, Classical music . Death of Louis-Jean-Baptiste Bas That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1863) . Inception: Spanish National Orchestra That year: 1940, Classical music (Spain). Death of Karolina Pietraszewska That year: 1940, Classical music, Polish opera singer (born in 1870) . Death of Otto Steinwender That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1868) . Birth of Bożena Betley That year: 1940, Classical music, Polish operatic soprano . Death of Giacomo Giannini That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1856) . Birth of Josephte Clément That year: 1940, Classical music, sopran (1940-) . Inception: Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra That year: 1940, Classical music (Lithuania). Death of Luigi Rossi Morelli That year: 1940, Classical music, Italian singer (born in 1887) . Death of Heinrich Neal That year: 1940, Classical music, German composer (born in 1870) . Inception: EASO Choir That year: 1940, Classical music (Spain). Death of Charles T. Straight That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1891) . Birth of Beverley Bergen That year: 1940, Classical music, New Zealand opera singer . Closing: De Doelen That year: 1940, Classical music (Rotterdam, Netherlands). Inception: Montreal Women's Symphony Orchestra That year: 1940, Classical music. Death of Mathäus Römer That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1871) . Death of Camillo Morena That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1867) . Death of Oskar Braun That year: 1940, Classical music, singer, stage actor, opera singer (born in 1867) . Inception: Utah Symphony That year: 1940, Classical music (United States of America). Birth of Bronisław Pekowski That year: 1940, Classical music, Polish singer (dead in 2014) . Death of Margaret Hoberg That year: 1940, Classical music, composer (born in 1890) . Inception: BBC Scottish Radio Orchestra That year: 1940, Classical music (United Kingdom).
Works (composition or publishing)
- Richard Strauss (age 76)
- The Love of Danae, Op. 83 That year: 1940, Classical music (Opera)
- Japanese Festival Music, Op. 84 (Work for orchestra)
- Sergei Rachmaninoff (age 67)
- Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 That year: 1940, Classical music (Work for orchestra)
- Béla Bartók (age 59)
- Concerto for 2 pianos, percussions and orchestra That year: 1940, Classical music (Work for orchestra with soloist), published in 1937
- Divertimento That year: 1940, Classical music (Work for chamber orchestra), composed in 1939
- 7 Pieces from “Mikrokosmos” (Work for chamber orchestra)
- Igor Stravinsky (age 58)
- Tango That year: 1940, Classical music (Work for orchestra)
- Zoltán Kodály (age 58)
- Concerto for orchestra (Work for orchestra)
- Sergei Prokofiev (age 49)
- Suite for 2 pianos from “Cinderella”, Op. 87b That year: 1940, Classical music (Work for chamber orchestra)
- Piano Sonata No. 6 in A major, Op. 82 That year: 1940, Classical music (Work for soloist)
- Darius Milhaud (age 48)
- Cantate de la guerre, Op. 213 (Work for choir)
- La Couronne de gloire, Op. 211 (Song, lied)
- Moïse, Op. 219 (Ballet)
- Indicatif et marche pour les bons d'armement, Op. 212 (Work for orchestra)
- Opus Americanum No.2, Op. 219b (Work for orchestra)
- Introduction and Allegro, Op. 220 (Work for orchestra)
- Sonatina for 2 violins, Op. 221 (Work for chamber orchestra)
- Sonatine à 3, Op. 221b (Work for chamber orchestra)
- String Quartet No. 10, Op. 218, “Anniversaire” (Work for chamber orchestra)
- Sornettes, Op. 214 (Work for choir)
- 2 Children's Songs, Opp. 217 (Work for choir)
- La Couronne de gloire, Op. 211 (Song, lied)
- Le voyage d'été, Op. 216 (Song, lied)
- 4 Poems, Opp. 223 (Song, lied)
- 4 Songs, Opp. 223 (Song, lied)
- Un petit ange de rien du tout, Op. 215 (Incidental music)
- Arthur Honegger (age 48)
- Sonata for violin in D minor (Work for chamber orchestra)
- The Birth of Colors (Ballet)
- Christopher Colombus (Music for radio)
- Carl Orff (age 45)
- Claudio Monteverdis Klage der Ariadne, Orpheus (Work for choir)
- Erich Wolfgang Korngold (age 43)
- The Sea Hawk (Film score)
- Francis Poulenc (age 41)
- Les chemins de l’amour – Valse chantée (Léocadia), Op. 106 (Song, lied)
- Banalités, Opp. 107 (Song, lied)
- Léocadia, Op. 106 (Theatrical music)
- Mélancolie, Op. 105 (Work for soloist)
- Colloque pour soprano, baritone et piano, Op. 108 (Song, lied)
- Aaron Copland (age 40)
- Quiet City (Work for chamber orchestra)
- Our Town (Film score)
- John Henry (Work for orchestra)
- Dmitri Shostakovich (age 34)
- The Adventures of Korzinkina, Op. 59 (Film score)
- King Lear, Op. 58a (Incidental music)
- Katyusha Maslova (Opera)
- Samuel Barber (age 30)
- 4 Songs, Opp. 13 (Song, lied)
- A Stopwatch and Ordnance Map, Op. 15 (Work for choir)
- Reincarnations, Opp. 16 (Work for choir)
- Benjamin Britten (age 27)
- Diversions, Op. 21 That year: 1940, Classical music (Work for orchestra with soloist)
- 7 Sonnets of Michelangelo, Opp. 22 That year: 1940, Classical music (Song, lied)
- Op. 23, Opp. 23 (Work for chamber orchestra)