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.
1930
August 7 – Veljo Tormis (1930-2017) was born in Kuusalu, Estonia
November 28 – Symphony No. 2 in D♭ major, op. 30, “Romantic” by Howard Hanson (1896-1981) was first performed in Boston, Massachusetts
December 17 – Peter Warlock (1894-1930) died in London, England
1931
Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) completed Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite III, P172
Percy Grainger (1882-1961) completed the orchestral version of Blithe Bells (Ramble on Bach’s “Sheep May Safely Graze”)
September 8 – A Choral Fantasia, op. 51 by Gustav Holst (1874-1934) was first performed in Gloucester, England
October 3 – Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) died in Copenhagen, Denmark
November 22 – Grand Canyon Suite by Ferde Grofé (1892-1972) was first performed in Chicago, Illinois
December 2 – Vincent d’Indy (1851-1931) died in Paris, France
1932
February 8 – John Williams (1932-) was born in New York, New York
March 17 – La donna serpente, opera by Alfredo Casella (1883-1947) was first performed in Rome, Italy
April 2 – Symphony No. 9 by Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) was first performed in Munich, Germany
April 22 – Isao Tomita (1932-2016) was born in Tokyo, Japan
May – Piano Quartet in A minor, op. 67 by Joaquín Turina (1882-1949) was first performed (location unknown)
September 5 – Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra in D minor, FP 61 by Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) was first performed in Venice, Italy
1933
Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) completed Cavatina
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) completed Pastorale for Violin and Piano
Aita Donostia (1886-1956) completed Urruti-jaia [Festive Song], for chamber orchestra
January 23 – Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major, Sz. 95, BB 101 by Béla Bartók (1881-1945) was first performed in Frankfurt, Germany
April 9 – Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877-1933) died in Leipzig, Germany
August 30 – Overture to The School for Scandal, op. 5 by Samuel Barber (1910-1981) was first performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 10 – Gloria Coates (1933-2023) was born in Wausau, Wisconsin
October 15 – Concerto for Piano, Trumpet, and String Orchestra (Piano Concerto No. 1), op. 35 by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
1934
February 23 – Edward Elgar (1857-1934) died in Worcester, Worcestershire, England
March – Brook Green Suite, for string orchestra, H. 190 by Gustav Holst (1874-1934) was first performed in London, England
March 21 – Franz Schreker (1878-1934) died in Berlin, Germany
April 3 – The Haunted Ballroom, ballet by Geoffrey Toye (1889-1942) was first performed in London, England
May 25 – Gustav Holst (1874-1934) died in London, England
June 10 – Frederick Delius (1862-1934) died in Grez-sur-Loing, France
September 27 – Fantasia on “Greensleeves” by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) and arranged for string orchestra and harp by Ralph Greaves (1889-1966) was first performed in London, England
November 7 – Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, in A minor, op. 43 by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) was first performed in Baltimore, Maryland
December 21 – Lieutenant Kijé, suite, op. 60 by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was first performed in Paris, France
December 31 – Egyptian Nights, symphonic suite, op. 61 by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was first performed in a radio broadcast from Moscow, Russia
1935
William Grant Still (1895-1978) completed Summerland
January 28 – Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov (1859-1935) died in Moscow, Russia
March 10 – Auvo Sarmanto (1935-) was born in Helsinki, Finland
March 24 – Music for a Scene from Shelley, tone poem, op. 7 by Samuel Barber (1910-1981) was first performed in New York, New York
April 10 – Symphony No. 4 in F minor by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) was first performed in London, England
May 17 – Paul Dukas (1865-1935) died in Paris, France
May 29 – Josef Suk (1874-1935) died in Benešov, Czech Republic
July 17 – Peter Schickele (1935-2024) was born in Ames, Iowa
November 6 – Symphony No. 1 in B♭ minor by William Walton (1902-1983) was first performed in London, England
December 1 – Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, op. 63 by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was first performed in Madrid, Spain
December 4 – Johan Halvorsen (1864-1935) died in Oslo, Norway
1936
January 29 – Summer’s Last Will and Testament, cantata by Constant Lambert (1905-1951) was first performed in London, England
March 21 – Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936) died in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
April 11 – Music for Children, for piano, op. 65 by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was first performed in Moscow, Russia
April 18 – Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) died in Rome, Italy
May 2 – Peter and the Wolf, a symphonic fairy tale for children, op. 67 by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was first performed in Moscow, Russia
May 10 – The Plow That Broke the Plains, with documentary film score by Virgil Thomson (1896-1989), received its public premiere in Washington, D.C.
July 22 – Krasimir Kyurkchiyski (1936-2011) was born in Troyan, Bulgaria
October 2 – Dona Nobis Pacem, cantata for soprano, baritone, chorus, and orchestra by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) was first performed in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England
October 28 – Carl Davis (1936-2023) was born in Brooklyn, New York
November 11 – Edward German (1862-1936) died in London, England
1937
Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) completed Four Marches for Military Band, op. 69
January 19 – Hollywood Suite by Ferde Grofé (1892-1972) was first performed in New York, New York
January 31 – Philip Glass (1937-) was born in Baltimore, Maryland
March 12 – Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937) died in Paris, France
March 29 – Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937) died in Lausanne, Switzerland
May 7 – “Walking the Dog (Promenade)” by George Gershwin (1898-1937) premiered in the film Shall We Dance. This may be the last instrumental composition by Gershwin.
May 8 – The Prince and the Pauper, with film score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957), was released
July 11 – George Gershwin (1898-1937) died in Los Angeles, California
July 12 – Piano Concerto in D♭ major, op. 38 by Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978) was first performed in Moscow, Russia
September 30 – Valentin Silvestrov (1937-) was born in Kyiv, Ukraine
November 21 – Symphony No. 5 in D minor, op. 47 by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
December 28 – Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) died in Paris, France
1938
Howard Hanson (1896-1981) completed Suite from Merry Mount
Joaquín Rodrigo (1901-1999) completed Cinco piezas del siglo XVI (Five Pieces of the Sixteenth Century), for piano
January 5 – Songs of Our Days, cantata for mezzo-soprano and baritone soloists, chorus, and orchestra, op. 76 by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was first performed in Moscow, Russia
February 16 – John Corigliano (1938-) was born in New York, New York
February 22 – Colas Breugnon, opera, op. 24 by Dmitry Kabalevsky (1904-1987) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
May 26 – William Bolcom (1938-) was born in Seattle, Washington
October 5 – Serenade to Music in D major by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) was first performed in London, England
October 19 – “September Song”, from Knickerbocker Holiday by Kurt Weill (1900-1950) was first performed in New York, New York
November 5 – Adagio for Strings in B♭ minor by Samuel Barber (1910-1981) was first performed in New York, New York
December 30 – Romeo and Juliet, ballet, op. 64 by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was first performed in Brno, Czech Republic
1939
Percy Grainger (1882-1961) completed “The Duke of Marlborough” Fanfare (BFMS No. 36)
March 9 – Cuatro piezas para piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (1901-1999) was first performed in Paris, France
May 17 – Alexander Nevsky, cantata, op. 78 by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was first performed in Moscow, Russia
June 2 – Enrique Fernández Arbós (1863-1939) died in San Sebastián, Spain
June 22 – Heikki Sarmanto (1939-) was born in Helsinki, Finland
November 21 – Symphony No. 6 in B minor, op. 54 by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
December 21 – Zdravitsa, cantata for chorus and orchestra, op. 85 by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was first performed in Moscow, Russia
1940s→
