Classical Music Timeline: 1980s

This is one of a series of postings of important classical music dates, from the 17th century to the present. Included are the date and location of the birth and death of composers, and the premiere date and location of the first public performance of works. When the premiere date and location is unknown, the date or year of completion of the work is given. Though reasonably comprehensive, this is a subjective list, so the choice of composers and works is mine. If you find any errors, or if you can offer a premiere date and location for a work where only the completion date or year is listed, please post a comment here.

1980
January 17Epitaph for a Man Who Dreamed (In Memoriam: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) by Adolphus Hailstork (1941-) was first performed in Baltimore, Maryland

May 6The Empire Strikes Back, with film score by John Williams (1932-), was released

December 24 – Alec Wilder (1907-1980) died in Gainesville, Florida

1981
January 23 – Samuel Barber (1910-1981) died in New York, New York

February 1 – Geirr Tveitt (1908-1981) died in Oslo, Norway

February 26 – Howard Hanson (1896-1981) died in Rochester, New York

June 12Raiders of the Lost Ark, with film score by John Williams (1932-), was released

1982
Mikhail Goldstein (1917-1989) published a reconstruction of the Cello Sonata in B minor by Alexander Borodin (1833-1887)

May 26E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, with film score by John Williams (1932-), was released

1983
March 8 – William Walton (1902-1983) died in La Mortella, Italy

May 1Cypresses, for voice and piano, B11 by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) was first performed in Prague, Czech Republic

May 25Return of the Jedi, with film score by John Williams (1932-), was released

June 25 – Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983) died in Geneva, Switzerland

1984
June 8 – Gordon Jacob (1895-1984) died in Saffron Walden, Essex, England

July 18 – Olympic Fanfare and Theme by John Williams (1932-) was first performed in Los Angeles, California

1985
April 30 – “1712 Overture” by [P.D.Q. Bach] Peter Schickele (1935-2024) was first performed in Boston, Massachusetts

September 11 – William Alwyn (1905-1985) died in Southwold, England

October 13Requiem by John Rutter (1945-) was first performed in Dallas, Texas

1986
Malcolm Arnold (1921-2006) completed Four Irish Dances, op. 126

January 22 – Ilse Fromm-Michaels (1888-1986) died in Detmold, Germany

November 15 – Alexandre Tansman (1897-1986) died in Paris, France

December 27 – Lars-Erik Larsson (1908-1986) died in Helsingborg, Sweden

1987
Krasimir Kyurkchiyski (1936-2011) completed Kalmankou Denkou (The Evening Gathering), for a cappella Bulgarian female choir, this year or before

February 14 – Dmitry Kabalevsky (1904-1987) died in Moscow, Russia

December 11Empire of the Sun, with film score by John Williams (1932-), was released

1988
November 28Atardecer (Dusk), for piano four hands, by Joaquín Rodrigo (1901-1999) was first performed in Madrid, Spain

1989
September 7 – Mikhail Goldstein (1917-1989) died in Hamburg, Germany

September 30 – Virgil Thomson (1896-1989) died in New York, New York

December 20Born on the Fourth of July, with film score by John Williams (1932-), was released

1970s

1990s

Classical Music Timeline: 1960s

This is one of a series of postings of important classical music dates, from the 17th century to the present. Included are the date and location of the birth and death of composers, and the premiere date and location of the first public performance of works. When the premiere date and location is unknown, the date or year of completion of the work is given. Though reasonably comprehensive, this is a subjective list, so the choice of composers and works is mine. If you find any errors, or if you can offer a premiere date and location for a work where only the completion date or year is listed, please post a comment here.

1960
James Moody (1907-1995) completed Little Suite for Harmonica and Orchestra

February 9 – Ernst von Dohnányi (1877-1960) died in New York, New York

May 8 – Hugo Alfvén (1872-1960) died in Falun, Sweden

October 2 – String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, op. 110 by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia

1961
January 21Gloria by Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) was first performed in Boston, Massachusetts

February 20 – Percy Grainger (1882-1961) died in White Plains, New York

October 1 – Symphony No. 12 in D minor, op. 112, “The Year 1917” by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was first performed in Samara, Russia

October 22Atmosphères by György Ligeti (1923-2006) was first performed in Donaueschingen, Germany

October 29 – Paul Barnes (1961-) was born in Lima, Ohio

December 30 – Symphony No. 4 in C minor, op. 43 by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was first performed in Moscow, Russia

1962
William Grant Still (1895-1978) completed Vignettes, for oboe, bassoon, and piano

Thomas Bloch [aka Johann Julius Sontag von Holt Sombach] (1962-) was born in Colmar, France

January 29 – Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) died in New York, New York

December 31 – Jennifer Higdon (1962-) was born in Brooklyn, New York

1963
Timothy Brock (1963-) was born in the USA [date and location unknown]

January 30 – Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) died in Paris, France

March 8Variations on a Theme by Hindemith by William Walton (1902-1983) was first performed in London, England

October 3 – Violin Concerto, op. 30 by Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983) was first performed in New York, New York

1964
Nino Rota (1911-1979) completed 15 Preludes for piano

November 20 – String Quartet No. 9 in E♭ major, op. 117 by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was first performed in Moscow, Russia

November 20 – String Quartet No. 10 in A♭ major, op. 118 by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was first performed in Moscow, Russia

1965
March 14Requiem by György Ligeti (1923-2006) was first performed in Stockholm, Sweden

June 18 – George Melachrino (1909-1965) died in London, England

July 15Chichester Psalms by Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), was first performed in New York, New York

1966
Malcolm Arnold (1921-2006) completed Four Cornish Dances, op. 91

January 20 – Ralph Greaves (1889-1966) died in Tonbridge, Kent, England

March 19 – Symphony No. 3, op. 57 by Ruth Gipps (1921-1999) was first performed in London, England

November 28 – Vittorio Giannini (1903-1966) died in New York, New York

1967
Rudolf Barshai (1924-2010) completed the arrangement of String Quartet No. 8 by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975), approved by the composer, and known as the Chamber Symphony, op. 110a

March 6 – Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967) died in Budapest, Hungary

July 30Concierto Madrigal by Joaquín Rodrigo (1901-1999) was first performed in Los Angeles, California

October 22Lontano by György Ligeti (1923-2006) was first performed in Donaueschingen, Germany

November 18Concierto Andaluz by Joaquín Rodrigo (1901-1999) was first performed in San Antonio, Texas

1968
March 16 – Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895-1968) died in Beverly Hills, California

April 15 – Borys Lyatoshynsky (1895-1968) died in Kyiv, Ukraine

May 30Anadyomene (Adoration of Aphrodite) by Einojuhani Rautavaara (1929-2016) was first performed in Helsinki, Finland

1969
March 6 – Trombone Concerto in C major by Nino Rota (1911-1979) was first performed in Milan, Italy

September 29 – Symphony No. 14 in G minor, op. 135 by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia

1950s

1970s

Classical Music Timeline: 1910s

This is one of a series of postings of important classical music dates, from the 17th century to the present. Included are the date and location of the birth and death of composers, and the premiere date and location of the first public performance of works. When the premiere date and location is unknown, the date or year of completion of the work is given. Though reasonably comprehensive, this is a subjective list, so the choice of composers and works is mine. If you find any errors, or if you can offer a premiere date and location for a work where only the completion date or year is listed, please post a comment here.

1910
Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) completed Caprice Viennois, for violin and piano, op. 2

Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) completed Praeludium and Allegro (in the style of Pugnani), for violin and piano

Ein Tanzspiel by Franz Schreker (1878-1934) was first performed in Vienna, Austria

March 1 – Suite in A major, op. 98b, B190, “American” by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) was first performed in Prague, Czech Republic

March 9 – Samuel Barber (1910-1981) was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania

April 23 – Italia, Rhapsody for Orchestra, op. 11, by Alfredo Casella (1883-1947) was first performed in Paris, France

May 29 – Mily Balakirev (1837-1910) died in Saint Petersburg, Russia

June 25The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) was first performed in Paris, France

September 6 – Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) was first performed in Gloucester, England

September 12 – Symphony No. 8 in E♭ major by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) was first performed in Munich, Germany

1911
Gustav Holst (1874-1934) completed Two Eastern Pictures, for women’s voices and harp (H. 112)

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) completed Ma Mère l’Oye (Mother Goose) Suite

Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) completed Recitative and Scherzo-Caprice, for solo violin, op. 6

Percy Grainger (1882-1961) completed Irish Tune from County Derry (BFMS No. 29)

February 21 – Berceuse élégiaque, op. 42 (BV 252a) by Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924) was first performed in New York, New York

March 8 – Alan Hovhaness (1911-2000) was born in Somerville, Massachusetts

March 11 – Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda, Third Group, by Gustav Holst (1874-1934) was first performed in Blackburn, England

April 3 – Symphony No. 4 by Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) was first performed in Helsinki, Finland

May 2 – Invocation for Cello and Orchestra, op. 19, no. 2, by Gustav Holst (1874-1934) was first performed in London, England

May 3Préludes pour piano, Book 1, by Claude Debussy (1862-1918) was first performed in Paris, France

May 18 – Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) died in Vienna, Austria

June 14 – Johan Svendsen (1840-1911) died in Copenhagen, Denmark

July 7 – Gian Carlo Menotti (1911-2007) was born in Cadegliano-Viconago, Italy

August 1 – Autumnal, op. 8, by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was first performed in Moscow, Russia

September 14 – Five Mystical Songs, for baritone, chorus, and orchestra, by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) was first performed in Worcester, England

December 3 – Nino Rota (1911-1979) was born in Milan, Italy

December 6 – Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda, First Group, by Gustav Holst (1874-1934) was first performed in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England

December 23 – I gioielli della Madonna (The Jewels of the Madonna), opera by Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari (1876-1948), was first performed in Berlin, Germany

1912
Ernst von Dohnányi (1877-1960) completed Three Pieces, op. 23

February 28 – Violin Concerto, op. 33 by Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) was first performed in Copenhagen, Denmark

March 22 – Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda, Second Group, by Gustav Holst (1874-1934) was first performed in London, England

April 22 – La Péri, ballet by Paul Dukas (1865-1935), was first performed in Paris, France

June 8 – Daphnis et Chloé by Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) was first performed in Paris, France

June 26 – Symphony No. 9 by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) was first performed in Vienna, Austria

July 23 – Aristophanic Suite, The Wasps, by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) was first performed in London, England

August 7 – Piano Concerto No. 1 in D♭ major, op. 10 by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was first performed in Moscow, Russia

August 13 – Jules Massenet (1842-1912) died in Paris, France

September 24 – The Sea, Suite for Orchestra, H. 100 by Frank Bridge (1879-1941) was first performed in London, England

1913
Gustav Holst (1874-1934) completed St. Paul’s Suite, in C major, op. 29, no. 2

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895-1968) completed Questo fu il carro della Morte, op. 2

April 24 – Canto serioso, for horn and piano, FS 132 by Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) was first performed in Copenhagen, Denmark

May 6 – Gyula Dávid (1913-1977) was born in Kecskemét, Hungary

July 1 – Erik Satie (1866-1925) completed Embryons desséchés

October 12Four Tone Poems after Arnold Böcklin, op. 128 by Max Reger (1873-1916) was first performed in Essen, Germany

October 23On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring by Frederick Delius (1862-1934) was first performed in Leipzig, Germany

November 22 – Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) was born in Lowestoft, England

1914
Gustav Holst (1874-1934) completed A Dirge for Two Veterans, H. 121

Ernst von Dohnányi (1877-1960) completed Variations on a Nursery Song, op. 25

Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) completed Il Tramonto (“The Sunset”), for mezzo-soprano and string quartet, P. 101

Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) completed Sinfonia Drammatica in B♭ minor, P. 102

February 5 – Ten Pieces, op. 12 , for piano, by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was first performed in Moscow, Russia

March 18 – Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda, Fourth Group, by Gustav Holst (1874-1934) was first performed in London, England

March 27 – Symphony No. 2, “A London Symphony”, by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) was first performed in London, England

August 28 – Anatoly Lyadov (1855-1914) died near Borovichi, Russia

November 12 – Second Quintet in E♭ minor for Piano and Strings, op. 26, by Ernst von Dohnányi (1877-1960) was first performed in Berlin, Germany

1915
Claude Debussy (1862-1918) completed “Christmas Carol for Homeless Children”, for children’s chorus (Noël des enfants qui n’ont plus de maison: Nous n’avons plus de maison), CD 147

George Enescu (1881-1955) completed Orchestral Suite No. 2, in C major, op. 20

May – English Pastoral Impressions, op. 26, by Ernest Farrar (1885-1918) was first performed in Harrogate, England

1916
Franz Schreker (1878-1934) completed Verschwiegene Liebe (Silent Love), arrangement for voice and orchestra of Eichendorff Lieder: No. 3 by Hugo Wolf (1860-1903)

Kurt Atterberg (1887-1974) completed Symphony No. 3 in D major, op. 10, “Västkustbilder” (“West Coast Pictures”)

January 29 – Scythian Suite, op. 20 by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia

April 9 – Nights in the Gardens of Spain, for piano and orchestra, G. 49 by Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) was first performed in Madrid, Spain

April 11 – Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983) was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina

May 11 – Max Reger (1873-1916) died in Leipzig, Germany

1917
Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) completed the Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite No. 1, P 109

Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) completed Song of the Black Swan (Canto do cysne negro), for cello and piano, W122

Kurt Atterberg (1887-1974) completed the Suite No. 3, op. 19, no. 1, for violin, viola, and string orchestra

Ilse Fromm-Michaels (1888-1986) completed Piano Sonata, op. 6

Ilse Fromm-Michaels (1888-1986) completed Walzerreigen, op. 7

March 11The Fountains of Rome, tone poem by Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) was first performed in Rome, Italy

May 3 – Schelomo: Hebraic Rhapsody for Cello and Orchestra, B. 39 by Ernest Bloch (1880-1959) was first performed in New York, New York

July 24 – Robert Farnon (1917-2005) was born in Toronto, Canada

September 15 – Richard Arnell (1917-2009) was born in London, England

November 8 – Mikhail Goldstein (1917-1989) was born in Odesa, Ukraine

1918
Lili Boulanger (1893-1918) completed D’un Soir Triste, symphonic poem

January – Lili Boulanger (1893-1918) completed the orchestral version of D’un matin de printemps

February 11 – Pan and Syrinx, symphonic poem in F major, op. 49 by Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) was first performed in Copenhagen, Denmark

February 11 – Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 68 by Béla Bartók (1881-1945) was first performed in Budapest, Hungary

March 15 – Lili Boulanger (1893-1918) died in Mézy-sur-Seine, France

March 25 – Claude Debussy (1862-1918) died in Paris, France

April 9Le bourgeois gentilhomme, orchestral suite, op. 60 by Richard Strauss (1864-1949) was first performed in Berlin, Germany

April 21 – Symphony No. 1 in D major, op. 25, “Classical”, by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia

July 3 – Heroic Elegy, op. 36, by Ernest Farrar (1885-1918) was first performed in Harrogate, England

August 25 – Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts

September 18 – Ernest Farrar (1885-1918) died near Le Cateau, Cambrai, France (World War I casualty)

September 29 – The Planets, op. 32 by Gustav Holst (1874-1934) was first performed in London, England

1919
Gustav Holst (1874-1934) completed Ode to Death, for chorus and orchestra, op. 38

Percy Grainger (1882-1961) completed the orchestral version of Colonial Song (Sentimental No. 1)

Peter Warlock (1894-1930) completed the choral work Balulalow

George Gershwin (1898-1937) completed Lullaby, for string quartet

March 31 – Two Studies for Doktor Faust, BV 282 by Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924) was first performed in Zürich, Switzerland

April 11 – Le Tombeau de Couperin (piano), M. 68 by Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) was first performed in Paris, France

June 22 – The White Peacock (orchestral version) by Charles Griffes (1884-1920) was first performed in New York, New York

September 1 – Japanese Suite, op. 33 by Gustav Holst (1874-1934) was first performed in London, England

October 27 – Cello Concerto in E minor, op. 85 by Edward Elgar (1857-1934) was first performed in London, England

November 16 – Poem for Flute and Orchestra, A. 93 by Charles Griffes (1884-1920) was first performed in New York, New York

November 24 – Symphony No. 5 in E♭ major, op. 82 by Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) was first performed in Helsinki, Finland

November 28 – The Pleasure Dome of Kubla Khan, tone poem by Charles Griffes (1884-1920) was first performed in Boston, Massachusetts

1900s

1920s