February

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    1 February

    1 February 1690 Francesco Maria Veracini is born in Florence.

    1 February 1743 Giuseppe Ottavio Pitoni dies in Rome, aged 86 years, ten months, and 14 days.

    1 February 1758 (55) Geistliche Oden und Lieder for voice and keyboard by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (43), to words of Gellert, are published in Berlin.

    The Prophetess, or The History of Dioclesian, a musical play by Thomas Augustine Arne (47) to words of Betterton, is performed for the first time, at Covent Garden, London.

    1 February 1759 The Ambitious Stepmother, a play by Rowe with music by Thomas Augustine Arne (48), is performed for the first time, at the Drury Lane Theatre, London.

    1 February 1775 The Hanover Square Rooms, the newly renovated London theatre built by Johann Christian Bach (39), Carl Friedrich Abel (51) and Giovanni Andrea Gallini, is inaugurated with the first concert of a new season of the Bach-Abel series.  The space will be used by concert-goers for a century.

    La fausse magie, a comédie mêlée de chants by André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry (33) to words of Marmontel, is performed for the first time, at the Comédie-Italienne, Paris.

    1 February 1793 France declares war on Great Britain and the Netherlands.  François-André Danican-Philidor (66) suddenly finds himself in enemy territory, unable to return home.

    1 February 1794 The Columbian Centinel, Boston reports as “just published” the collection Continental Harmony by William Billings (47).

    1 February 1795 At the invitation of the Prince of Wales, Joseph Haydn (62) attends a soiree at the residence of the Duke of York.  King George III, the Queen, the Duke of Orange and other members of the royal family are present.  The composer plays and sings for them.  King George, an admirer of the music of George Frideric Handel (†35), is charmed.

    1 February 1809 Kanatate zum Geburtstag von Amalia Beer by Meyer Beer (Giacomo Meyerbeer) (17) is performed for the first time.

    1 February 1814 L’oriflamme de Charles Martell, an opéra comique by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (50), Henri Montan Berton, Rodolphe Kreutzer, and Ferdinando Paer to words of Étienne and Baour-Lormian, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.  It will later be called L’oriflamme. It is produced as part of a government effort to rally support for the Emperor and nation as the Allies invade France.

    The comic opera The Farmer’s Wife with music by Henry R. Bishop (27) and several others, to words of Dibdin, Jr., is performed for the first time, in Convent Garden, London.

    1 February 1820 Adrien Boieldieu (44) is named Professor of Composition at the Paris Conservatory.

    Gaspare Spontini (45) takes up his position as Generalmusikdirektor in Berlin.

    1 February 1821 Sagt, woher stammt Liebeslust, a lied for soprano, alto, female chorus and guitar by Carl Maria von Weber (34), is performed for the first time, as part of Der Kaufmann von Venedig, a play by Schlegel after Shakespeare, in the Dresden Hoftheater.

    1 February 1826 String Quartet “Tod und das Mädchen” D.810 by Franz Schubert (29) is performed for the first time, at the home of Josef Barth, Vienna.  See 12 March 1833.

    1 February 1828 Ali, Pascha von Janina, oder Die Franzosen in Albanien, an Oper by Albert Lortzing (26) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Münster.

    1 February 1835 The Scherzo for piano op.20 by Frédéric Chopin (24) is published in Paris.

    1 February 1842 Reverie et caprice for violin and orchestra by Hector Berlioz (38) is performed for the first time, in the Salle Vivienne, Paris before an audience which includes Franz Liszt (30), Marie d’Agoult and César Franck (19).  Because of muscle spasms, Berlioz conducts most of the concert with his left hand.

    1 February 1846 Gaetano Donizetti (48) is taken from his Paris hotel by his servant, nephew and Dr. Philippe Ricard (a specialist in venereal disease) and held against his will at a sanitorium in Ivry, near Paris.  His disease is advanced but he seems, at first, to be aware that he is “imprisoned.”  Donizetti will stay here for 17 months.

    1 February 1859 Victor August Herbert is born in Dublin, United Kingdom, the only child of Edward Herbert, a barrister, and Fanny Lover, the daughter of Samuel Lover, poet, painter, novelist, and composer.  Fanny Herbert will have another child by a subsequent marriage.

    1 February 1861 Franz Schubert’s (†32) Geburtstagshymne for vocal quartet and piano is performed publicly for the first time, in Weimar.

    1 February 1872 An executive committee is formed to organize the Bayreuth Festival.  Richard Wagner (58) buys land near the Bayreuth Hofgarten.  Here his home Villa Wahnfried will be built.

    César Franck (49) enters upon duties as Professor of Organ at the Paris Conservatoire.

    1 February 1873 Symphony no.5 D.485 by Franz Schubert (†44) is performed publicly for the first time, in the Crystal Palace, London, 57 years after it was composed.

    1 February 1874 Darthulas Grabesgesang op.42/3 for chorus by Johannes Brahms (40) to words of Ossian translated by Herder is performed for the first time, in Munich.

    1 February 1875 The overture to Johann Strauss’ (49) unperformed operetta Cagliostro in Wien is heard for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.  See 27 February 1875.

    1 February 1889 The Second Festmarsch in C by Richard Strauss (24) is performed for the first time, in Munich.

    1 February 1893 Manon Lescaut, a dramma lirico by Giacomo Puccini (34) to words of Oliva and Illica after Abbé Prévost, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Regio, Turin.  Before the performance, the composer muses that if the opera is not a success he will have to change professions.  Puccini receives 30 curtain calls.  The press is very positive.  He does not change professions.

    1 February 1896 La bohème, an opera by Giacomo Puccini (37) to words of Illica and Giacosa after Murger, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Regio, Turin.  The audience, which includes members of the royal family, Arrigo Boito (53), and Pietro Mascagni (32), is appreciative but not wildly enthusiastic. Reviews are poor.  The composer is disappointed.

    The Rock op.7, a fantasy for orchestra by Sergey Rakhmaninov (22), is performed for the first time, in St. Petersburg, directed by Alyeksandr Glazunov (30).

    1 February 1898 During the run of Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov’s (53) opera Sadko, the Solodovnikov Theatre in Moscow, burns to the ground.

    1 February 1903 A Piano Concerto by Jules Massenet (60) is performed for the first time, at the Paris Conservatoire.

    1 February 1907 Carl Ruggles (30) enters upon duties as violin teacher at the Mar D’Mar School of Music in Winona, Minnesota.  He has taken the job and moved from Massachusetts to be stable enough to marry Charlotte Snell.

    1 February 1909 The family of Doria Manfredi brings suit against Elvira Puccini, charging defamation of character which resulted in her suicide.  Sra. Puccini will be found guilty and sentenced to prison, which she will avoid by settling with the family for a large sum of money.  See 23 January 1909.

    Sergey Prokofiev (17) attends with his friend and fellow composer, 21-year-old Nikolay Myaskovsky, the Russian premiere of Alyeksandr Skryabin’s (37) Poem of Ecstasy in St. Petersburg.  Both men are embarrassed to concede that they understand neither the music nor its meaning.  See 10 December 1908.

    1 February 1913 Béla Bartók’s (31) piano work Allegro barbaro is performed probably for the first time, in Kecskemét, 80 km south of Budapest.

    1 February 1916 Carl Nielsen’s (50) Fourth Symphony “the Inextinguishable” is performed for the first time, in Copenhagen.  It is extremely successful.

    1 February 1917 Paul Claudel arrives in Rio de Janeiro as the minister of France to Brazil.  He has brought with him Darius Milhaud (24).  Milhaud will remain two years in Brazil and become good friends with Heitor Villa-Lobos (29).

    1 February 1918 George Gershwin (19) begins work at the music publisher TB Harms in New York as a songwriter.

    1 February 1919 Charles T. Griffes (34) and Darius Milhaud (26) spend an afternoon together in New York.  They become friends and exchange music.

    1 February 1920 Alban Berg (34) writes to his wife that Anton Webern (36) has been forced to send the three elder Webern children to live with relatives, keeping only a newborn baby with them.  This is due to extreme cold and almost depleted fuel in Mödling and Vienna.

    1 February 1924 Symphonische Musik no.2 for chamber orchestra by Ernst Krenek (23) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

    1 February 1927 Three Village Scenes for female chorus and orchestra by Béla Bartók (45) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    1 February 1928 Incidental music to Sundukian’s play Khatabala by Aram Khachaturian (24) is performed for the first time, in Moscow.

    1 February 1933 Piano Concerto by Ralph Vaughan Williams (60) is performed for the first time, in Queen’s Hall, London.

    1 February 1934 Piano Sonata no.4 by Arnold Bax (50) is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.

    1 February 1937 Prelude to a Hymn Tune by William Billings for orchestra by Otto Luening (36) is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York, the composer conducting.

    1 February 1938 Esther de Carpentras, a comic opera by Darius Milhaud (45) to words of Lunel, is staged for the first time, in Théâtre Favart, Paris.  On the same day, incidental music to Aristophanes’ play Plutus by Milhaud is performed for the first time, in Théâtre Atelier, Paris.

    1 February 1940 The Music Review begins publication in Cambridge, England.

    Hanns Eisler (41) begins a Rockefeller Foundation grant to study music and its relationship with film.  The grant is for $20,000 with $6,000 of that going directly to Eisler.

    1 February 1942 A Christmas Carol, a song by Charles Ives (67) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles.

    1 February 1943 Sergey Rakhmaninov (69) and his wife receive the final papers creating them American citizens.

    1 February 1947 Dmitri Shostakovich (40) begins teaching at the Leningrad Conservatory, commuting one day a week from Moscow.

    Paul Hindemith’s (51) orchestral work Symphonia serena is performed for the first time, in Dallas.

    1 February 1950 Timon of Athens, a symphonic poem by David Diamond (34), is performed for the first time, in Louisville.

    1 February 1952 Französische Suite nach Rameau, a ballet by Werner Egk (50), is performed for the first time, in the Hamburg Staatsoper.

    1 February 1955 Octet for woodwinds by Peter Maxwell Davies (20) is performed for the first time, in London.

    1 February 1958 Aaron Copland (57) conducts on television for the first time, sharing a program with Leonard Bernstein (39) and the New York Philharmonic.

    1 February 1960 Arjuna, a symphonic poem by Alan Hovhaness (48), is performed for the first time, in Madras.

    1 February 1961 Sonant for guitar, harp, double bass, and drums by Mauricio Kagel (29) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    1 February 1963 A Joyful Fugue for orchestra by Virgil Thomson (66) is performed for the first time, at the Philadelphia Academy of Music.

    Romanza for wind quintet by Irving Fine (†0) is performed for the first time, at the Library of Congress, Washington.

    1 February 1966 The first all-Wuorinen (27) radio broadcast takes place over the airwaves of WBAI, New York.

    1 February 1970 John Adams (22) marries Hawley Currens, a violinist and music teacher, the daughter of a cardiologist, in the Church of the Advent, Boston.  The marriage will last four years.

    Conspiracy Eight for computer and eight manipulators by Gordon Mumma (34) is performed for the first time, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge.

    1 February 1972 Kontakion, a ballet with music by Tylman Susato arranged by Peter Maxwell Davies (37), is performed publicly for the first time, in London.

    52/3 for piano and electronics by John Cage (59), David Tudor, and Gordon Mumma (36) is performed for the first time, in Brooklyn to a dance by Merce Cunningham.

    1 February 1973 Variations on Three Blind Mice for orchestra by John Tavener (29) is performed for the first time.

    1 February 1981 Concerto for cello and ten players by Richard Wernick (47) is performed for the first time, at the Hirshhorn Museum, Washington.

    1 February 1982 Perception, five miniatures for baritone and seven strings by Sofia Gubaidulina (50) to words of Tanzer and the Bible, is performed for the first time, in the Hall of the Composers Union, Moscow.  See 11 July 1986.

    1 February 1984 Mirabai Songs in the version for chamber ensemble and piano by John Harbison (45) are performed for the first time, in Sanders Theatre, Cambridge conducted by Gunther Schuller (58).  See 15 November 1983.

    1 February 1986 Concerto for orchestra by Shulamit Ran (36) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    1 February 1988 Rot und Weiss for voice, flute (or clarinet or violin), and cello by John Harbison (49) to words of Giraud (tr. Hartleben) is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles.

    1 February 1989 Strathclyde Concerto no.2 for cello and orchestra by Peter Maxwell Davies (54) is performed for the first time, in City Halls, Glasgow, the composer conducting.

    Corona for string orchestra by Robert Erickson (71) is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles.

    1 February 1991 Piano Sonata no.2 by Alfred Schnittke (56) is performed for the first time, in Lübeck.

    Muse of Fire for flute and guitar by George Rochberg (72) is performed for the first time, in Weill Hall, New York.

    1 February 1994 And:  The Feast is in Full Progress for cello and orchestra by Sofia Gubaidulina (62) is performed for the first time, in Las Palmas, Grand Canary.

    1 February 1998 Gilded Goldbergs op.86 for two pianos by Robin Holloway (54) is performed for the first time, privately at Cambridge.  See 26 June 1999.

    1 February 2000 Surface, a dance by Kevin Volans (50) to a choreography of Jeyasingh, is performed for the first time, in the Nottingham Playhouse.

    1 February 2002 Quirinus Liebeskuss by Mauricio Kagel (70) is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.

    Episodes for Orchestra by Olly Wilson (64) is performed for the first time, in Detroit.

    Barnum’s Bird, a chamber opera by Libby Larsen (51) to words of Carpenter and the composer, is performed for the first time, at Coolidge Auditorium of the Library of Congress, Washington.

    1 February 2003 Two works by Henri Pousseur (73) are performed for the first time, in La-Chaux-de-Fonds:  Reflets d’Arc-en-Ciel for violin and piano and Aiguillages au Carrefour des Immortels for 16 or 17 instrumental soloists.

    1 February 2004 Aristaeus for narrator and orchestra by Hans Werner Henze (77) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in the Konzerthaus, Berlin.

    1 February 2005 String Quartet by David Del Tredici (67) is performed for the first time, in the Lyric Theatre of the College of Music, Denton, Texas.

    1 February 2007 Gian Carlo Menotti dies in a hospital in Monaco, aged 95 years, five months, and 25 days.

    Fourth Concerto for Orchestra by Robin Holloway (63) is performed for the first time, in San Francisco.

    1 February 2009 Lukas Foss dies at his home in New York, aged 86 years, five months, and 17 days.

    1 February 2014 A New Commandment for chorus by John Tavener (†0) is performed for the first time, at the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford.

    2 February

    2 February 1594 Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina dies in Rome, aged 68 years.

    2 February 1762 Il marchese villano, a dramma giocoso by Baldassare Galuppi (55) to words of Chiari, is performed for the first time, in Teatro San Moisè, Venice.

    Artaxerxes, a serious opera by Thomas Augustine Arne (51) to his own words, after Metastasio, is performed for the first time, at Covent Garden, London.

    2 February 1770 Leopold (50) and Wolfgang Amadeus (14) Mozart witness the dress rehearsal of Niccolò Piccinni’s (42) opera Cesare in Egitto in Milan.  They meet and converse with Piccinni and his wife.

    2 February 1779 Samson, an oratorio by Giuseppe Cambini (32) to words of Voltaire, is performed for the first time, at a concert spirituel, Paris.

    2 February 1781 Der Schuss von Gänzewiz oder Der Betrug aus Liebe, a singspiel by Johann Rudolf Zumsteeg (21), is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.

    2 February 1795 The Fourth season of the Salomon-Haydn concerts begins in King’s Theatre, London.  Johann Peter Salomon has sold his operation to the Opera Concert Series.  Joseph Haydn (62) now works for them.  His Symphony no.102 is performed for the first time.  This is one of the more glittering musical events of the decade.  Music by Haydn, Jan Ladislav Dussek (34), who is also present, Domenico Cimarosa (45) and others is presented by many of the great performers of the day.  At one point, several patrons leave their seats to get a better view of Haydn.  Not long thereafter, a chandelier crashes to the floor where they had just been sitting.  According to legend, the symphony playing at the time, Haydn’s no.96, is thereafter called “The Miracle.”  Unfortunately, the accident happened during the premiere of the Symphony no.102.

    2 February 1806 Konzertmeister Louis Spohr (21) marries Dorothea Scheidler, the daughter of a court singer, in the court chapel of Gotha, in the presence of the Duchess.

    2 February 1820 Lowell Mason (28) is officially appointed organist at the Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah, Georgia, although he has been performing that function for five years.

    2 February 1823 A cantata for the birthday of the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar by Johann Nepomuk Hummel (44) is performed for the first time.

    2 February 1827 Ludwig van Beethoven (56) undergoes a third operation to remove excess abdominal fluid.

    A cantata for the birthday of Grand Duke Carl August of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach by Johann Nepomuk Hummel (48) is performed for the first time.

    2 February 1828 Romanze des Richard Löwenherz D.907, a song by Franz Schubert (31) to words of Scott translated by Müller, is performed for the first time, in the Landhaussaal, Vienna.

    2 February 1834 Die drei Wünsche, a singspiel by Carl Loewe (37) to words of Raupach, is performed for the first time, in the Berlin Schauspielhaus.

    2 February 1836 A French government decree is issued creating Gaetano Donizetti (38) a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.

    2 February 1843 Richard Wagner (29) is installed as Kapellmeister to the Royal Court of Saxony in Dresden.

    Hector Berlioz (39) travels by train from Leipzig to Dresden (c.110 km) in three-and-a-half hours to prepare a concert there, and returns in the afternoon for the Mendelssohn (33) premiere in the evening.  It is his first trip on a train.

    Felix Mendelssohn, on the eve of his 34th birthday, conducts the revised version of his cantata Die erste Walpurgisnacht at a Gewandhaus performance attended by Hector Berlioz (39).  The Frenchman is very enthusiastic.

    2 February 1853 Le sourd, ou L’auberge pleine, an opera by Adolphe Adam (49) to words of Langlé and Leuven after Choudard Desforges, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra-Comique, Paris.

    2 February 1857 La Berçeuse op.194, a quadrille by Johann Strauss (31), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    2 February 1858 Künstler-Quadrille op.201 by Johann Strauss (32) is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    2 February 1861 La circassienne, an opéra comique by Daniel-François-Esprit Auber (79) to words of Scribe, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Favart, Paris.

    2 February 1864 Patronessen-Polka op.286 by Johann Strauss (38) is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    2 February 1867 Edvard Grieg (23) is the guest conductor for the first of three concerts with the Philharmonic Society of Christiania (Oslo).

    2 February 1869 Wein, Weib und Gesang! op.333, a choral waltz by Johann Strauss, Jr. (43), is performed for the first time, in the Dianabadsaal, Vienna.

    2 February 1871 Muss es eine Trennung geben op.33/12, a song by Johannes Brahms (37) to words of Tieck, is performed for the first time, in Leipzig.

    2 February 1872 The Wedding Chorus from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s (31) unperformed opera Oprichnik is performed for the first time, in Moscow.  See 24 April 1874.

    Beata, an operetta by Stanislaw Moniuszko (52) to words of Checinski, is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.

    2 February 1877 Incidental music to Déroulède’s play L’Hetman by Jules Massenet (34) is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre de l’Odéon, Paris.

    2 February 1879 Bagatelles op.47 for two violins, cello, and harmonium by Antonin Dvorák (37) is performed for the first time, in Prague.

    2 February 1880 Frisch heran op.386, a polka schnell by Johann Strauss (54), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    2 February 1881 Der Frühling op.6/2 and Nachwirkung op.6/3, songs by Johannes Brahms (47) to words of Rousseau and Meissner respectively, are performed for the first time, in The Hague, 29 years after they were composed.

    2 February 1884 Die Tauben von San Marco op.414, a polka française by Johann Strauss (58), is performed for the first time, in the Volksgarten, Vienna.

    2 February 1886 Husaren-Polka op.421 by Johann Strauss (60) is performed for the first time, in the Musikverein, Vienna.

    2 February 1887 The name of Gilbert and Sullivan’s (44) current production Ruddygore is henceforth known as Ruddigore owing to the off-color nature of “ruddy” which sounds a lot like “bloody.”

    2 February 1889 Au cimitière op.51/2 for voice and piano by Gabriel Fauré (43) to words of Richepin is performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris.  At the same concert, two of the Ariettes for voice and piano by Claude Debussy (26) to words of Verlaine are performed for the first time.

    2 February 1890 Symphony no.8 by Antonín Dvorák (48) is performed for the first time, in the Rudolfinum, Prague, conducted by the composer.

    2 February 1894 Morceau fantastique for cello and orchestra by Charles Martin Loeffler (33)  is performed for the first time, in the Music Hall, Boston.   Audience and critics love it.

    2 February 1895 Die Braut op.44/11 for female chorus by Johannes Brahms (61) to words of Müller, is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    2 February 1900 Louise, a roman musical by Gustave Charpentier (39) to words of Saint-Pol-Roux and the composer, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Favart in Paris.  It will be staged 50 times in the next six months.  Claude Debussy (37) will write, “It was a necessity, I think, for this work to be written, performed, and applauded.  It fills to perfection the need for vulgar beauty and imbecile art proclaimed by the many…”

    The Adonais Overture of George Whitefield Chadwick (45) is performed for the first time, in the Music Hall, Boston.

    2 February 1901 Horn Quintet by Albert Roussel (31) is performed for the first time, in a performance of the Société National de Musique, in a mimed production in the Salle des Fêtes, Paris.

    Episodes amoureuses op.31 for orchestra by Victor Herbert (42) is performed for the first time, in Pittsburgh, conducted by the composer.

    2 February 1903 Frederick S. Converse (32) receives a letter from the President of Harvard University offering him a position on the faculty.  Converse accepts and in June he will be officially appointed.

    2 February 1906 The first time that Max Reger’s (32) Sinfonietta is played in Munich, a fight breaks out afterwards between proponents and opponents of the music and the composer.  Reger’s supporters march through the streets to the home of the music critic Rudolf Louis.  They “serenade” him with trumpets, tin pots and various noisemakers.

    2 February 1907 The first of the Three Choruses op.6 for chorus and piano by Max Reger (33) is performed for the first time.

    2 February 1909 Incidental music to Drotzal’s play (after the brothers Grimm) Perce-Neige et les sept gnomes by Jules Massenet (66) is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Fémina, Paris.

    2 February 1920 My Golden Girl, a musical comedy by Victor Herbert (61) to words of Kummer, is performed for the first time in New York, at the Nora Bayes Theatre, the composer conducting.  See 19 December 1920.

    We’re Pals, a song by George Gershwin (21) to words of Caesar, is performed for the first time as part of the musical comedy Dere Mabel in the Academy of Music, Baltimore.

    2 February 1926 Two works by Henry Cowell (28) are performed for the first time, in Aeolian Hall, New York:  String Quartet no.1 and Seven Paragraphs for violin, viola, and cello.

    2 February 1928 An informal meeting of Edgard Varèse (44), Carlos Chávez (28), Henry Cowell (30) and four others takes place in Birchard Hall, New York to plan a new Pan-American Association of Composers.

    2 February 1929 Hardanger for two pianos by Arnold Bax (45) is performed for the first time, in Aeolian Hall, London.

    2 February 1931 Bacchanale op.11, a dance by Wallingford Riegger (45) to a scenario by Graham, is performed for the first time, in New York.

    2 February 1932 The orchestration of the Sonatine française op.60/3 by Charles Koechlin (64) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of Radio Coloniale conducted by the composer.

    Duke Ellington (32) and his orchestra record It Don’t Mean a Thing if It Ain’t Got That Swing in New York.

    2 February 1934 The second suite from Albert Roussel’s (64) ballet Bacchus et Ariane is performed for the first time, in the Salle Pleyel, Paris.  See 22 May 1931.

    2 February 1937 Dreaming Lips, a film with music by William Walton (35), is shown for the first time, in the London Pavilion.

    2 February 1938 Le cantique des cantiques, a ballet by Arthur Honegger (45) to a scenario by Boissy and Lifar, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.

    2 February 1939 The Vyborg Side, a film with music by Dmitri Shostakovich (32), is shown for the first time.

    2 February 1941 An orchestral suite from the ballet Filling Station by Virgil Thomson (44) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of radio station WNYC, New York.  See 6 January 1938.

    2 February 1943 Fantasy and Toccata for piano by Bohuslav Martinu (52) is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.

    2 February 1945 At the Palais de Chaillot, Paris, Olivier Messiaen (36) improvises at the organ.  His improvisations are recorded for use as incidental music for Fabre’s play Tristan et Yseult.  See 22 February 1945.

    2 February 1950 The first three movements of the Symphony for brass and percussion by Gunther Schuller (24) are performed for the first time, at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.

    2 February 1955 David, an opera by Darius Milhaud (62) to words of Lunel, commissioned to celebrate the 3,000 years since the establishment of Jerusalem as the capital of Judea, is staged for the first time, in Teatro alla Scala, Milan.  See 1 June 1954.

    Morton Feldman (29) gives a talk on his music called “The unframed frame” at the Club, a group of abstract expressionist artists at 39 East 8th Street, New York.

    2 February 1956 Medea’s Meditation and Dance of Vengeance op.23a, an orchestral excerpt from the ballet Medea, by Samuel Barber (45), is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.  See 10 May 1946.

    2 February 1958 Sonata for cello solo no.2 composed in Two Dayturnes by Otto Luening (57) is performed for the first time, in Kaufmann Concert Hall, New York.

    2 February 1961 Mondi celesti e infernali, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (78) to his own words after Shakespeare, is staged for the first time, in Teatro La Fenice, Venice.  See 12 January 1950.

    2 February 1962 Herma for piano by Iannis Xenakis (39) is performed for the first time, in Tokyo.

    Metapièce (Mimetics) and Mimetics (Metapièce) for keyboard by Mauricio Kagel (29) are performed for the first time, in Munich.  Also performed is 27'10.554” for a percussionist by John Cage (49), presumably for the first time.

    2 February 1963 A funeral for Francis Poulenc is celebrated in Saint-Sulpice, Paris, after which his mortal remains are laid to rest in Père Lachaise Cemetery.

    2 February 1969 The Trustees of the Boston Symphony Orchestra announce that Gunther Schuller (43) and Seiji Ozawa will be co-directors of the Tanglewood musical organization beginning next year.

    2 February 1970 Animus II for soprano, two percussionists and tape by Jacob Druckman  (41) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    2 February 1971 The orchestration of Carl Ruggles’ (94) piano pieces Evocations is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    2 February 1976 Deploration for flute, cello, and percussion by Wolfgang Rihm (23) is performed for the first time, in Tübingen.

    2 February 1977 Two Fables by Krylov op.4 for voice and orchestra by Dmitri Shostakovich (†1) are performed for the first time, in Estonia Concert Hall, Tallinn 55 years after they were composed.

    Carillon, Récitatif, Masque for mandolin, guitar, and harp by Hans Werner Henze (50) is performed for the first time, in London.

    A Quaker Reader for organ by Ned Rorem (53) is performed for the first time, in Alice Tully Hall, New York.  See 7 October 1988.

    2 February 1978 Symphony no.1 by Peter Maxwell Davies (43) is performed for the first time, in Royal Festival Hall, London.

    2 February 1985 Monolog for bassoon by Isang Yun (67) is performed for the first time, in Nizza.

    2 February 1989 From Silence for soprano, six players, and tape by Jonathan Harvey (49), to his own words, is performed for the first time, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

    Concerto for trombone and orchestra by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (49) is performed for the first time, in Chicago.

    2 February 1991 Quintet for piano and strings op.34 by Lowell Liebermann (29) is performed for the first time, in Peace Arts Center, Greenville, South Carolina.

    2 February 1994 Allegro ma non troppo for electronics by Unsuk Chin (32) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

    2 February 1996 Pièce électronique no.3 by Györgi Ligeti (72) is performed for the first time, at The Hague, 38 years after it was created in graphic score.

    2 February 2000 Sieben Boleros for orchestra by Hans Werner Henze (73) is performed for the first time, in Las Palmas, Grand Canary Island.

    2 February 2002 Rilke:  Vier Gedichte for tenor and piano by Wolfgang Rihm (49) is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.

    2 February 2003 Lou Silver Harrison dies of heart failure in Lafayette, Indiana while traveling to attend a concert of his music in Columbus, Ohio aged 85 years, eight months, and 19 days.

    Concerto for piano, percussion, and chamber ensemble by Unsuk Chin (41) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of Radio-France, from Salle Olivier Messiaen, Paris.

    2 February 2007 Inharmonic Fantasy no.2 by Hubert Howe (65) is performed for the first time, at Queens College, New York.

    2 February 2012 Air for flute op.118 by Lowell Liebermann (50) is performed for the first time, is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    2 February 2014 Symphony no.10 “Alla ricerca di Borromini” for baritone, chorus, and orchestra by Peter Maxwell Davies (79), to anonymous words and words of Leopardi and Borromini, is performed for the first time, at the Barbican Centre, London.

    3 February

    3 February 1594 Biagio Marini is born in Brescia.

    3 February 1736 Johann Georg Albrechtsberger is born in Klosterneuberg near Vienna.

    3 February 1747 Fransesc Valls dies in Barcelona, aged approximately 82 years.

    3 February 1759 Solimano, an opera seria by Tommaso Traetta (31) to words of Migliavacca, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Ducale, Parma.

    3 February 1762 Two Paris institutions, the Opéra-Comique and the Comédie-Italienne, merge by royal edict.

    Artaserse, an opera seria by Niccolò Piccinni (34) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Argentina, Rome.

    3 February 1763 An overture by Johann Christian Bach (27), is performed for the first time, in the King’s Theatre, London to open La Calamita de’ Cuori, a dramma giocoso mostly by Baldassare Galuppi (56) to words after Goldoni.

    3 February 1773 A letter from Christoph Willibald Gluck (58) appears in the Mercure de France.  The composer explains and defends his new ideas about setting the French language in opera as opposed to traditional Italian opera.  It only serves to fuel an already raging debate between advocates of the two approaches.

    3 February 1794 The Boston Theatre opens on Federal Street (often called the Federal Street Theatre), a year after a ban on theatrical productions expires.  It is the most important factor in the development of music in Boston at this time.

    3 February 1809 Felix Mendelssohn is born in Hamburg, the second of four children born to Abraham Mendelssohn, a banker, himself the son of the Enlightenment philosopher Moses Mendelssohn, and Lea Solomon, daughter of the Prussian court jeweler and granddaughter of Daniel Itzig, a financial advisor to King Friedrich II of Prussia and one of the most affluent citizens of Berlin.

    Johann Friedrich Reichardt’s (56) Bradamante to words of von Collin is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    3 February 1813 Poor Vulcan, a burletta/extravaganza with two songs by Henry R. Bishop (26) to words of Dibdin, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    3 February 1818 The Illustrious Traveller, or The Forges of Kanzel, a melodrama with music by Henry R. Bishop (31) to words of Reynolds, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    3 February 1819 Semiramide riconosciuta, a dramma per musica by Giacomo Meyerbeer (27) to words of Rossi after Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Regio, Turin before the King and Queen of Sardinia.  It is well received today, but will not last.

    3 February 1821 Die Soldatenliebschaft, a singspiel by Felix Mendelssohn to words of Casper, is performed for the first time with orchestra, in a specially constructed theatre in the Mendelssohn home, Berlin.  It is the composer’s twelfth birthday.  See 11 December 1820.

    Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin (10) dates the manuscript to his earliest known composition, a Polonaise in A flat.

    Two days after Friedrich Kalkbrenner (35) is denied status of a subscriber, Muzio Clementi (69) resigns from the London Philharmonic Society.  He calls their action a “flagrant insult.”

    3 February 1823 Gioachino Rossini’s (30) melodramma tragico Semiramide to words of Rossi after Voltaire is performed for the first time, in Teatro La Fenice, Venice to a very enthusiastic response.

    3 February 1824 In Berlin, Carl Friedrich Zelter publicly announces that his student, Felix Mendelssohn, has completed his apprenticeship and calls him to the world of independent composers.  It is Mendelssohn’s 15th birthday.

    3 February 1825 Franz Schubert’s (28) song Der Blumen Schmerz D.731 to words of Mayláth is performed for the first time, in the Vienna Musikverein.

    3 February 1831 The Romance of a Day, an operatic drama by Henry R. Bishop (44) to words of Planché, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    3 February 1833 Hector Berlioz (29) writes to his father asking permission to marry Harriet Smithson.  It will be refused.

    3 February 1835 At the third performance of I Puritani at the Théâtre-Italien, Paris, the decree and ribbon making him a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor are presented to Vincenzo Bellini (33).

    3 February 1843 Friedrich Wieck visits his daughter, Clara Schumann (23), in Leipzig.  It is their first meeting since the contentious court battles preceding her marriage in 1840.  They begin to effect a reconciliation.

    3 February 1844 Two new works by Hector Berlioz (40) are performed for the first time, at the Salle Herz, Paris, the composer conducting:  the overture Le carnaval romain and the ballade Hélène for male vocal quartet and orchestra to words of Moore translated by Gounet.  This Berlioz concert in Salle Herz marks probably the first public use of new instruments invented by Adolphe Sax:  saxophones, piccolo trumpet in E flat, piccolo valved bugle in Eb, valved bugle and bass clarinet.  Berlioz’ enthusiasm for his work is “instrumental” in establishing Sax in Paris.  Among today’s performers is a promising 19-year-old cornettist named J-J-B Arban.

    3 February 1845 Faschings-Lieder op.11, a waltz by Johann Strauss (19), is performed for the first time, at the Goldener Strauß, Vienna.

    3 February 1846 Les mousquetaires de la reine, an opéra comique by Fromental Halévy (46) to words of Saint-Georges, is performed for the first time, by the Opéra-Comique, Paris.  It is very successful.

    3 February 1847 Bachus-Polka op.38 by Johann Strauss (21) is performed for the first time, in the Goldener Strauß, Vienna.

    3 February 1852 Fünf Paragraphe aus dem Walzer-Codex op.105 by Johann Strauss (25) is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    3 February 1857 Herzel-Polka op.188 by Johann Strauss (31) is performed for the first time, in the Sperl Ballroom, Vienna.

    3 February 1861 The town of Bussetto votes 339-206 in favor of Giuseppe Verdi (47) to represent them in the Italian Chamber of Deputies.  Verdi is elected to represent Borgo S. Donnino (Fidenza).

    3 February 1875 Camille Saint-Saëns (39) marries Marie Laure Emilie Truffot in the Mairie of Le Cateau, northern France.

    3 February 1876 Leos Janácek (21) is elected choirmaster of the Beseda Choral Society, Brünn (Brno).

    3 February 1882 Incidental music to Samberk’s play Josef Kajetán by Antonín Dvorák (40), including the overture My Home, is performed for the first time, at the Prague Provisional Theatre.

    3 February 1883 Romance for violin and piano op.28 by Gabriel Fauré (37) is performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris.

    3 February 1889 The day before the birth of their second son (the first having died in infancy), Pietro Mascagni (25) and Argenide Carbognani marry in their home in Cerignola.  She is the daughter of a tavern owner.  See 7 February 1889.

    3 February 1893 Ninetta-Galopp op.450 by Johann Strauss (67) is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    3 February 1894 Six Irish Fantasies op.54 for violin and piano by Charles Villiers Stanford (41) are performed for the first time, in St. James’ Hall, London.

    3 February 1898 Three works by Carl Nielsen (32) are performed for the first time, in Copenhagen:  String Quartet no.1, Six Songs op.10 to words of Holstein, and Humoresque-Bagatelles op.11 for piano.

    3 February 1901 A suite from Pelléas et Mélisande by Gabriel Fauré (55) is performed for the first time, in Paris.  See 21 June 1898.

    3 February 1904 Luigi Dallapiccola is born in Pisino d’Istria, Austria (Pazin, Croatia), the son of Pio Dallapiccola, a teacher of classical languages and school headmaster, and Domitilla Alberti.

    3 February 1905 A song by Ralph Vaughan Williams (32), Ye Little Birds, to words of Heywood, is performed for the first time, in Aeolian Hall, London.

    At a social gathering in the Annahof, Vienna following a Mahler concert, a repeat of the 29 January program, Anton von Webern (21) personally meets Gustav Mahler (44) for the first time.  He spends several hours listening to Mahler’s ideas.  Webern will later recall “...it was the first time that I received the immediate impression of a truly great personality.”

    3 February 1906 Gabriel Fauré’s (60) Barcarolle no.7 for piano op.90 is performed for the first time, in the Salle Erard, Paris.

    Songs of the West op.21/1 for orchestra by Gustav Holst (31) is performed for the first time, in the Pump Room, Bath, the composer conducting.

    3 February 1907 Maurice Ravel’s (31) orchestral transcription of his own Une Barque sur l’océan from Miroirs, is performed for the first time, in Paris.  See 6 January 1906 and 17 May 1919.

    3 February 1908 Three selections from the song cycle La Chanson d’Eve op.45 by Gabriel Fauré (62) to words of Van Lerberghe, are performed for the first time, at Salle des agriculteurs, Paris the composer at the piano.  See 26 May 1909 and 20 April 1910.

    3 February 1917 Because the American government severed relations with Germany today, Otto Luening (16) is expelled from the Royal Academy of Music in Munich before the assembled student body.  They give him polite applause as he leaves.

    Several works by Heitor Villa-Lobos (29) are performed for the first time, in the Salão Nobre do Jornal do Comércio, Rio de Janeiro:  Preludio no.2 for cello and piano, Sonata fantasia no.1 for violin and piano, Elégie for violin or cello and piano, the String Quartet no.2, Fábulas características for piano and five songs for voice and piano: Noite de luar to words of Junior, L’oiseau blessé d’une flèche, Les Mères to words of Hugo, Il bove to words of Carducci and Il nome di Maria to words of Stechetti.

    3 February 1919 The Velvet Lady, a musical comedy by Victor Herbert (60) to words of Blossom, is performed for the first time in New York, at the New Amsterdam Theatre.  See 23 December 1918.

    3 February 1923 At a performance of Paul Hindemith’s (27) String Quartet op.22 in Prague, the composer meets Leos Janácek (68) for the first time.  Janácek gives him a copy of his Violin Sonata and within a few days, Hindemith will give the German premiere of the piece, in Frankfurt.

    3 February 1928 The Third Symphony op.27 “The Song of the Night” for tenor, chorus, and orchestra of Karol Szymanowski (45), to words of Rumi (tr. Micinski), is performed for the first time in its original form, in Lvov (Lviv).  See 26 November 1921 and 11 April 1924.

    3 February 1933 Rhythmic Etudes for violin and piano by Bohuslav Martinu (42) is performed for the first time, in Prague.

    3 February 1936 String Quartet no.3 by Frederick S. Converse (65) is performed for the first time, in Jordan Hall, Boston.

    3 February 1937 Tel jour, telle nuit, a song cycle for voice and piano by Francis Poulenc (38) to words of Eluard, is performed for the first time, in the Salle Gaveau, Paris the composer at the piano.

    3 February 1938 The union musical revue Pins and Needles, written mostly by Harold Rome and performed by members of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, is performed at the White House by request of President Franklin Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor Roosevelt.  It includes the sketch FTP Plowed Under by Marc Blitzstein (32).

    I’ve Got the Tune, a radio song-play by Marc Blitzstein (32) to his own words, is staged for the first time, at the 46th Street Theatre, New York.  See 24 October 1937.

    3 February 1942 The South East London Tribunal at Lambeth assigns Michael Tippett (37) non-combative military duties in response to his request for conscientious objector status.  The composer appeals the decision.  See 16 November 1940 and 30 May 1942.

    It is announced the Arnold Bax (58) has been appointed Master of the King’s Music.

    3 February 1943 Saxophone Quartet op.102 by Florent Schmitt (72) is performed for the first time, in Salle Gaveau, Paris.

    Pole Star for this Year for alto, tenor, chorus, and orchestra by Ross Lee Finney (36) to words of MacLeish is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of the Mutual Broadcasting System originating in New York.

    3 February 1946 Three dance episodes from On the Town by Leonard Bernstein (27) are performed for the first time, in San Francisco conducted by the composer.

    3 February 1949 Hungarian composer András Mihály delivers the lecture “Béla Bartók (†3) and the Generation Coming After Him.”  It is an attempt to fit Bartók into the party line following the Soviet musical disturbances of February 1948.

    3 February 1951 Le chant de la nuit op.120 for chorus and orchestra by Florent Schmitt (80) to words of Nietzsche, is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    Incidental music to Williams’ play The Rose Tattoo by David Diamond (35) is performed in New York for the first time, in the Martin Beck Theatre.

    3 February 1954 Aaron Copland (53) resigns from the Workers’ Musical Association, the last leftist group he belongs to.

    3 February 1959 Popular music entertainers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper are killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa.

    3 February 1960 Five Canons for school orchestra by Peter Maxwell Davies (25) is performed for the first time, in the Cirencester Grammar School Library, conducted by the composer.

    3 February 1965 Four Nocturnes (Night Music II) for violin and piano by George Crumb (35) is performed for the first time, in Buffalo the composer at the piano.

    3 February 1977 A Secular Cantata for vocal soloists, chorus, and chamber orchestra by David Diamond (61) to words of Agee is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    3 February 1979 Waltz for Evelyn Hinrichsen for piano by Lou Harrison (61) is performed for the first time, at The Kitchen, New York.

    3 February 1981 Omaggio a Luigi Nono op.16 for chorus by György Kurtág (55), to words of Akhmatova and Dalos, is performed for the first time, in London.

    3 February 1983 Shaar for strings by Iannis Xenakis (60) is performed for the first time, in Tel Aviv.

    Four works by Arnold Bax (†29) are performed for the first time at the British Music Information Centre, London during the centennial year of the composer’s birth:  When We are Lost for voice and piano composed in 1905, A Lyke-Wake Dirge for voice and piano to anonymous 15th century Scottish words composed in 1908, Frühlingsregen for voice and piano to words of Rückert composed in 1910, and the third movement of a Symphony in F composed in 1907 in piano score only.

    United States, a multi-media work by Laurie Anderson (35), is given its first complete performance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.  It will be completed tomorrow.

    3 February 1984 Chiffre IV for bass clarinet, cello, and piano by Wolfgang Rihm (31) is performed for the first time, in Hamburg.

    3 February 1989 Duo-Inventions for two cellos by Leslie Bassett (66) is performed for the first time, in Gainesville, Georgia.

    3 February 1991 Sonata for violin and piano by Anthony Davis (39) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    3 February 1992 Song of Penance for hyperviola, computer voice, and chamber ensemble by Tod Machover (38) to words of Moss is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles.  This will constitute the second part of Hyperstring Trilogy.  See 25 July 1996.

    3 February 1996 Welt-Parlament, a chorus from Mittwoch aus Licht by Karlheinz Stockhausen (67), is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.

    3 February 1999 Quatre chants pour franchir le seuil for soprano and 15 instruments by Gérard Grisey (†0) is performed for the first time, in London.

    Como cierva sedienta for soprano and orchestra by Arvo Pärt (63) to words of the Psalms is performed for the first time, in Teatro Guimera, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.  See 16 June 2000.

    3 February 2000 Honey Money Loves for soprano, clarinet, bass clarinet, violin, viola, and double bass by David Del Tredici (62) to words of Inez is performed for the first time, in Joe’s Pub, New York.

    3 February 2002 Symphony no.6 “Plutonian Ode” for soprano and orchestra by Philip Glass (65) to words of Ginsberg is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    3 February 2004 Angelus for chorus by Peter Maxwell Davies (69) to medieval Italian words is performed for the first time, in the Church of St. Giles Cripplegate, London.

    3 February 2005 Fünf Botschaften für die Königin von Saba for orchestra by Hans Werner Henze (78) is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris.

    Moving Speeds for seven wind instruments and seven stringed instruments by Jonathan Harvey (65) is performed for the first time, in Rennes.

    3 February 2006 Milosz Songs a cycle for voice and orchestra by John Harbison (67) to words of Milosz is performed for the first time, in New York.

    3 February 2007 Songs of the Sky for tenor, oboe, and piano by John Tavener (63) to Hindu, Buddhist, and native American texts, is performed for the first time, in Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh.  It is written in memory of those killed in the 2004 tsunami.

    3 February 2009 Max Henry Neuhaus dies of cancer in Maratea, Italy aged 69 years, five months, and 25 days.

    3 February 2011 Avanti!  Fanfare for Jerry for orchestra by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (71) is performed for the first time, in Seattle, conducted by the dedicatee, Gerard Schwarz.

    3 February 2012 The Singing Gobi Desert for erhu/zhonghu, sheng, pipa, yangqin, and saxophone quartet by Bright Sheng (56) is performed for the first time, in Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall, New York.

    4 February

    4 February 1590 Gioseffo Zarlino dies in Venice, aged 73 years and four days.

    4 February 1761 Le cadi dupé, an opéra bouffon by Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny (31) to words of Le Monnier after de la Croix, is performed for the first time, in the Foire St.-Germain, Paris.

    4 February 1779 After his application for membership in the Vienna Tonkünstler-Sozietät is accepted on condition he produce music for them on demand, Joseph Haydn (46) pens a withering reply demanding his deposit back.

    4 February 1794 Joseph Haydn (61) arrives in London from Vienna.  He takes lodgings on Bury Street.

    4 February 1795 Don Quixote der Zweyte, a singspiel by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (55) to his own words after Cervantes, is performed for the first time, in the Herzogliches Hoftheater, Oels.

    4 February 1804 Incidental music to Duval’s play Guillaume le conquérant by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (40) is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Français, Paris.

    4 February 1824 L’ajo nell’imbarazzo, a melodramma giocoso by Gaetano Donizetti (26) to words of Ferretti after Giraud, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Valle, Rome.

    4 February 1830 Ninetta, or The Maid of Palaiseau, a comic opera by Henry R. Bishop (43) to words of Fitzball after Gherardini, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.  It is a reworking of Rossini’s (37) La gazza ladra.

    4 February 1836 Belisario, a tragedia lirica by Gaetano Donizetti (38) to words of Cammarano after von Schenk translated by Marchionni, is performed for the first time, at Teatro La Fenice, Venice.  The work is well received.

    4 February 1838 In today’s issue of Revue et Gazette Musicale, Heinrich Heine calls Frédéric Chopin (27) “a poet of sound.”

    4 February 1842 Luigi Cherubini (81) resigns as director of the Paris Conservatoire.

    Le duc d’Olonne, an opéra comique by Daniel-François-Esprit Auber (60) to words of Scribe and Saintine, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Favart, Paris.

    4 February 1843 Hector Berlioz (39) performs at the Gewandhaus, Leipzig, including the King Lear Overture, and the Symphonie Fantastique.  Felix Mendelssohn (34) plays the harp part on piano.  The audience, which includes Robert Schumann (32) is appreciative, the critics unimpressed.

    4 February 1851 Maskenfest-Quadrille op.92 by Johann Strauss (25) is performed for the first time, in the Redoutensaal, Vienna.

    4 February 1852 Harmonie-Polka op.106 by Johann Strauss (26) is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.  Also premiered is Strauss’ Tête-à-tête-Quadrille op.109.

    4 February 1855 Symphony no.1 by Charles Gounod (36) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    4 February 1860 Le roman d’Elvire, an opéra comique by Ambroise Thomas (48) to words of Dumas (père) and de Leuven, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Favart, Paris.

    Monsieur de Bonne-Etoile, an opéra comique by Léo Delibes (23) to words of Gille, is performed for the first time, at the Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris.

    4 February 1861 Klangfiguren op.251, a waltz by Johann Strauss (35), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    4 February 1862 Colonnen op.262, a waltz by Johann Strauss (36), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    4 February 1864 Die Rheinnixen, a romantische Oper by Jacques Offenbach (44) to words of von Wolzogen after Nuitter, is performed for the first time, at the Vienna Hofoper.

    4 February 1868 Die Publizisten op.321, a waltz by Johann Strauss (42), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    4 February 1880 The second and third movements of the Symphony no.4 by Anton Bruckner (55) are performed for the first time, in a four-hand piano arrangement, in Vienna.  See 7 October 1880 and 20 February 1881.

    Improvisations on Two Norwegian Folksongs op.29 for piano by Edvard Grieg (36) is performed for the first time, in Copenhagen by the composer.

    4 February 1881 The first and fourth of the seven Gypsy Songs for voice and piano by Antonín Dvorák (39) to words of Heyduk are performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    4 February 1884 Quadrille nach Motiven der komischen Oper Eine Nacht in Venedig op.416 by Johann Strauss (58) is performed for the first time, in the Hofburg, Vienna.

    Piano Sonata in D flat op.20 by Charles Villiers Stanford (31) is performed for the first time, in Cambridge.

    4 February 1886 Three Love Songs op.8 for voice and piano by George Whitefield Chadwick (31) to words of Bates are performed for the first time, in Boston.

    Two Pieces for piano op.8 by Arthur Foote (32) are performed for the first time, in Cleveland.

    4 February 1887 The overture In the Mountains op.14 by Arthur Foote (33) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    4 February 1889 Two works for vocal quartet and piano by Johannes Brahms (55) are performed for the first time, in Frankfurt:  Spätherbst op.92/2 to words of Allmers, and Warum? op.92/4 to words of Goethe.

    4 February 1893 Bernard Rogers is born in New York.

    4 February 1895 From Darkness into Light op.53 for orchestra by Alyeksandr Glazunov (29) is performed for the first time, in St. Petersburg conducted by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov (50).  The work is dedicated to Ferruccio Busoni (28).

    4 February 1896 Sommerabend op.85/1, a song by Johannes Brahms (62) to words of Heine, is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    Thaddeus Cahill applies for a US patent on a machine that will produce “electrical music.”  His intention is to create a device that will send live music to various locations simultaneously.  This will be called the Telharmonium.  In the patent application, Cahill first uses the word “synthesizing” to describe the machine’s creation of complex electronic sounds.

    4 February 1899 Symphonic Dances op.64 for orchestra by Edvard Grieg (55) are performed for the first time, in Copenhagen.

    4 February 1902 An aria from John Knowles Paine’s (63) unperformed opera Azara is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    Vita Nostra Plena Bellis op.47 for chorus by Arthur Foote (49) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    L’archet op.26 for soprano, viola d’amore, women’s chorus, and piano by Charles Martin Loeffler (41) to words of Cros, is performed publicly for the first time, in Symphony Hall, Boston.  The composer performs on viola d’amore.  See 5 March 1901.

    4 February 1904 The divertissement-ballet Cigale by Jules Massenet (61), to a scenario by Cain, is performed for the first time, at the Théâte Favart, Paris.

    4 February 1905 Albert Roussel’s (35) Piano Trio op.2 is given its first public performance, at the Salle Pleyel, Paris.  See 14 April 1904.

    4 February 1908 Igor Stravinsky’s (25) Symphony in E flat op.1 is given its first public performance, in a public sight-reading by the Court Orchestra in St. Petersburg.  See 27 April 1907.

    4 February 1912 Arnold Schoenberg’s (37) Six Little Piano Pieces op.19 are performed for the first time, in Berlin.

    The inaugural concert of the Sala Granados (44) takes place in Barcelona.  It is the new home of the Académia Granados.

    4 February 1914 In Berlin, Jean Sibelius (48) hears Gustav Mahler’s (†2) Symphony no.5 and the Kammersymphonie of Arnold Schoenberg (39).  He reports:  “This is a legitimate and valid way of looking at things, I suppose.  But it is certainly painful to listen to.  A result achieved by excessive cerebration.  People whistled and shouted.”

    4 February 1922 Three Album leaves for piano by Ferruccio Busoni (55) are performed for the first time, in Wigmore Hall, London by the composer.

    4 February 1923 Arnold Schoenberg’s (28) Pierrot Lunaire is performed in the western hemisphere for the first time, in the Klaw Theatre, New York.  The concert is organized by Edgar Varese (39) and the audience includes George Gershwin (24) and Carl Ruggles (46).

    4 February 1924 Henry Cowell (26) makes his official American debut in a performance of his own works at Carnegie Hall.  Critics are mixed.

    4 February 1929 Violin Sonata no.3 by Arnold Bax (45) is performed for the first time, in the Arts Theatre, London, the composer at the keyboard.

    4 February 1931 Steel and Stone, dance music by Henry Cowell (33) to a scenario by Weidman, is performed for the first time, in New York.  See 5 January 1932.

    The contract of the Cotton Club, New York with the Duke Ellington (31) band ends.  Although they will play the Cotton Club from time to time for the next nine years, they are now more and more on the road.

    4 February 1933 Toshi Ichiyanagi is born in Kobe, the only child of a cellist and a pianist.

    Devant sa main nue op.122 for female voices by Darius Milhaud (40) to words of Raval is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    Improvisations for piano by Francis Poulenc (34) is performed for the first time, in Paris by the composer.

    4 February 1935 Samuel Barber (24) appears as vocal soloist over the NBC Radio Network.  This and another appearance on 26 March will gain him a contract for a weekly series of song broadcasts.  See 24 April 1935.

    4 February 1936 The Union of Soviet Composers expels Alyeksandr Vasilyevich Mosolov (35) for several drunken brawls and other actions “incompatible with the honorable status of a Soviet composer...”

    The short film Night Mail, with music by Benjamin Britten (22), is shown for the first time, at the Arts Theatre in Cambridge.

    4 February 1940 Kurt Weill’s (39) scenic cantata The Ballad of Magna Carta to words of Anderson, is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of the CBS radio network.

    4 February 1941 Colloque for soprano, baritone, and piano by Francis Poulenc (42) to words of Valéry is performed for the first time, in Théâtre des Mathurins, Paris, the composer at the keyboard.

    The first complete, public performance of Contrasts for violin, clarinet, and piano by Béla Bartók (59) takes place in Boston.  A recording was made last April.  See 9 January 1939.

    4 February 1945 Symphony in G by Lukas Foss (22) is performed for the first time, in Pittsburgh the composer conducting.

    4 February 1948 Cuatro madrigales amatorios, a cycle for voice and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (46) to anonymous words, is performed for the first time, in Circulo Medina, Madrid, the composer at the piano.  Also premiered is Rodrigo’s Barcarola for voice and piano to words of Kamhi (Sra. Rodrigo), the poet at the piano.

    4 February 1950 Jonathon and the Gingery Snare for narrator and orchestra by Robert Ward (32) with words by Stambler is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    4 February 1955 Piano Quintet op.66 by Vincent Persichetti (39) is performed for the first time, at the Library of Congress, Washington, the composer at the keyboard.

    4 February 1956 Relief statique, musique concrète by Toru Takemitsu (25), is performed for the first time, in Yamaha Hall, Tokyo.

    4 February 1959 Estampes for orchestra by Bohuslav Martinu (68) is performed for the first time, in Louisville.

    4 February 1961 Alfred Schnittke (26) marries his second wife, Irina Katayeva, a pianist, at her parents’ apartment in Moscow.

    4 February 1968 Stephen Crane, a cantata by Ulysses Kay (51) to words of Crane, is performed for the first time, at Chicago Musical College.

    4 February 1970 Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel, a plexigram on eight sheets of plastic by John Cage (57), is shown for the first time, in Harcus-Krakow Gallery, Boston.  See 28 June 1970.

    4 February 1971 King Lear, a film with music by Dmitri Shostakovich (64), is shown for the first time.

    4 February 1974 String Quartet no.3 op.40 for soprano and string quartet by Alberto Ginastera (57) to words of Alberti, García Lorca, and Ramón Jiménez is performed for the first time, in Caruth Auditorium, Dallas.

    4 February 1975 The first two volumes of Makrokosmos by George Crumb (45) are heard together for the first time, in Wichita, Kansas.  See 12 June 1980.

    4 February 1982 Pied Piper Fantasy:  Concerto for flute and orchestra by John Corigliano (43) is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles.

    4 February 1983 Concerto Grosso for brass quintet and band by Leslie Bassett (60) is performed for the first time, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

    4 February 1988 Der unterbrochene Gedanke for string quartet by Krzysztof Penderecki (54) is performed for the first time, in Frankfurt.

    Bamboula Beach for orchestra by Charles Wuorinen (49) is performed for the first time, in the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, Miami.

    4 February 1993 Concerto for piano-left hand and orchestra by Ned Rorem (69) is performed for the first time, at the Academy of Music, Philadelphia.

    4 February 1997 Ross Lee Finney dies in Carmel, California, aged 90 years, one month, and twelve days.

    Iannis Xenakis (74) is awarded the Kyoto Prize.

    4 February 2001 Iannis Xenakis dies at his Paris home, aged 78 years, eight months, and six days.

    4 February 2007 I Lift My Eyes to the Hills for chorus, handbells, and organ by Libby Larsen (56) is performed for the first time, at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Minneapolis.

    4 February 2010 Mount Rushmore for chorus and orchestra by Michael Daugherty (55), to words of the four presidents there enshrined, is performed for the first time, in Segerstrom Concert Hall, Costa Mesa, California.

    4 February 2011 Two new works are performed for the first time, in Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan:  Lost Vegas for band by Michael Daugherty (56) and Concerto grosso for saxophone quartet and band by William Bolcom (72).  Bolcom’s is his arrangement of his orchestral score.  See October 20, 1999.

    4 February 2012 Sonata for two pianos op.117 by Lowell Liebermann (50) is performed for the first time, in Kimbrough Concert Hall, Washington State University School of Music, Pullman.

    5 February

    5 February 1748 Christian Gottlob Neefe is born in Chemnitz.

    5 February 1753 Solimano, an opera by Johann Adolf Hasse (53) to words of Migliavacca, is performed for the first time, at the Dresden Court Opera.  The gigantic production includes mobs of people along with many farm and circus animals.

    5 February 1757 Creso, an opera seria by Niccolò Jommelli (42) to words of Pizzi, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Argentina, Rome.

    5 February 1769 The Missa brevis K.65 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (13) is performed for the first time, in the Collegiate Church, Salzburg.

    A Saint Matthew Passion by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (54) is performed for the first time, in Hamburg.

    5 February 1784 Giovanni Paisiello (43) and his wife depart St. Petersburg.  They probably do not intend to return.

    5 February 1789 Catone in Utica, a dramma per musica by Giovanni Paisiello (48) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in Teatro San Carlo, Naples.

    5 February 1811 The Knight of Snowdoun, a musical drama with music by Henry R. Bishop (24) to words of Morton after Scott, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    5 February 1814 Der Götterbund, an allegorical drama by Meyer Beer (Giacomo Meyerbeer) (22) to words of Kley, is performed for the first time, for the birthday of the composer’s mother.

    5 February 1818 Fazio, a tragedy with a song by Henry R. Bishop (31) to words of Milman, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    5 February 1819 Nicolò Paganini (36) gives his first concert in Rome.  It is so successful that he goes on to give two more.

    5 February 1829 Yelva, or The Orphan of Russia, a musical drama by Henry R. Bishop (42) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    5 February 1842 Felix Mendelssohn (33) writes to Ferdinand David about the playing of Franz Liszt (30),  “...he sacrificed a large part of my esteem by the foolish antics he plays not just with his audience (there is no harm in that) but with the music itself as well.  He played Beethoven (†14), Bach (†91), Handel (†82) and Weber (†15) with such wretched shortcomings, so untidily and ignorantly, that I had much rather have heard them played by mediocre pianists.”

    5 February 1851 A series of articles about Frédéric Chopin (†1) written by Franz Liszt  (39) begins appearing in La France musicale.  They will run through 17 August.  Next year they will be put together into the first biography of the composer called simply Frédéric Chopin.

    5 February 1852 Der Rose Pilgerfahrt for solo voices, chorus and orchestra by Robert Schumann (41) to words of Horn is performed publicly for the first time, in Düsseldorf.

    5 February 1858 Richard Wagner (44) returns to Zürich from Paris after receiving an Erard grand piano worth 5,000 francs from Madame Erard.

    5 February 1862 Richard Wagner (48) reads Die Meistersinger to a large crowd in Mainz.

    5 February 1865 Trauungslied for male chorus and organ by Anton Bruckner (40) to words of Proschko is performed for the first time, in the Stadtpfarrkirche, Linz, the composer at the keyboard.

    5 February 1866 Barbe-bleue, an opéra-comique by Jacques Offenbach (46) to words of Meilhac and Halévy, is performed for the first time, at the Variétés, Paris.

    5 February 1871 Richard Wagner (57) completes the full score to Siegfried at Tribschen.

    5 February 1874 Three Hungarian Dances for orchestra WoO1 by Johannes Brahms (40) is performed for the first time, in Leipzig.

    5 February 1881 The first complete public performance of Franz Schubert’s (†52) Symphony no.1 D.82 is given in the Crystal Palace, London, 68 years after it was composed.

    5 February 1882 String Quartet no.2 by Alyeksandr Borodin (48) is performed for the first time, by the Russian Musical Society, St. Petersburg.

    5 February 1884 Two vocal duets by Johannes Brahms (50) are performed for the first time, in Basel:  Phänomen op.61/3 to words of Goethe, and Die Boten der Liebe op.61/4 to anonymous Czech words translated by Wenzig.

    5 February 1887 Before dawn.  Crowds of people anticipating the evening performance are so large that the area around Teatro alla Scala, Milan becomes impassable.

    Morning.  The Mayor of Milan orders that all streets in the vicinity of Teatro alla Scala be closed to traffic.

    Throughout the day, large crowds assemble outside the theatre and windows facing La Scala are filled with people.  They continually shout “Viva Verdi!”

    Otello, a dramma lirico by Giuseppe Verdi (73) to words of Boito (44) after Shakespeare, is performed for the first time, at Teatro alla Scala, Milan.  It is a thunderous, overwhelming success.  There are dozens of curtain calls for the performers, Verdi and Boito.  The composer and his wife, along with the librettist are mobbed as they leave the theatre.  Verdi is almost denuded.  As they enter their carriage the crowd detaches it from the horses and it is drawn by manpower to the Grand Hôtel de Milan.  Finally making it inside, the three appear on the balcony to the multitude.  Crowds in the streets of Milan shout “Viva Verdi” and music is played under his window until 05:00 tomorrow morning.  In the orchestra for the premiere is a 19-year-old cellist named Arturo Toscanini.

    Wedding Cake op.76 for piano and strings by Camille Saint-Saëns (51) is performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique at Salle Pleyel, Paris.

    5 February 1891 A Brass Septet by Jean Sibelius (25) is performed for the first time, in Lovisa.

    5 February 1892 March of the Björneborgers for small orchestra by Jean Sibelius (26) is performed for the first time, in Helsinki.  See 4 July 1900.

    5 February 1893 Melodrama from Nights of Jealousy for narrator, soprano and piano trio by Jean Sibelius (27) to words of Runeberg is performed for the first time, at the Helsinki Music Institute.

    5 February 1898 Two Brown Eyes, a song for voice and piano by Gustav Holst (23), is performed for the first time, in Hammersmith, London.

    5 February 1903 Im April, a song for alto and piano by Anton Bruckner (†6) to words of Geibel, is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    Tears, Idle Tears, a song by Ralph Vaughan Williams (30) to words of Tennyson, is performed for the first time, in St. James’ Hall, London.

    5 February 1905 The Second Cello Concerto of Camille Saint-Saëns (69) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    5 February 1907 The String Quartet no.1 op.7 by Arnold Schoenberg (32) is performed for the first time, in Vienna.  One listener, while criticizing the work by whistling on a door key, is physically attacked by an ardent Schoenberg supporter named Gustav Mahler (46).

    Mosquitoes, for male chorus by Leos Janácek (52), is performed for the first time, in Vyskov.

    5 February 1908 Béla Bartók (26) finishes his Violin Concerto and sends the score to its dedicatee, his lover, the violinist Stefi Geyer.  See 13 February 1908 and 30 May 1958.

    5 February 1911 Trois ballades de Villon, for solo voice and piano by Claude Debussy (48) is given its first complete performance, in Paris.

    5 February 1914 Piano Sonata no.2 op.14 by Sergey Prokofiev (22) is performed for the first time, in Moscow.  Also premiered are Prokofiev’s Ballade for cello and piano op.15 and three of the Ten Piano Pieces op.14.

    5 February 1916 Incidental music to Christiansen’s play Fatherland by Carl Nielsen (50) is performed for the first time, in Copenhagen.

    5 February 1917 Leos Janácek’s (62) cantata The Eternal Gospel, to words of Vrchlicky, is performed for the first time, in Prague.

    5 February 1918 The first concert of Nouveaux Jeunes takes place at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier, Paris, beginning with a lecture entitled “Éloge des critiques” by Erik Satie (51).

    5 February 1922 Concerto gregoriano for violin and orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (42) is performed for the first time, in Rome.

    Marc Blitzstein (16) plays the solo part in the Piano Concerto no.2 of Camille Saint-Saëns (†0) in a performance at the Philadelphia Academy of Music.  The opportunity comes with winning the gold medal in a contest for undergraduate music students sponsored by the Philharmonic Society of Philadelphia.

    5 February 1928 Amy Beach (60) meets Béla Bartók (46) in New York.  She finds his Violin Sonata “hideous.”

    5 February 1930 Twelve Songs op.48 for voice and piano by Gustav Holst (55) to words of Wolfe are performed completely for the first time, in Wigmore Hall, London.  See 9 November 1929.

    5 February 1931 Evocation for speaker, female chorus, and orchestra by Charles Martin Loeffler (70) to anonymous ancient Greek words (tr. Mackail), is performed for the first time, celebrating the dedication of Severance Hall, Cleveland.

    5 February 1933 A suite from the ballet Les noces d’Amour et Psyche by Arthur Honegger (40) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    5 February 1934 Piano Solo by Marc Blitzstein (28) is performed for the first time, at the Mellon Galleries in Philadelphia the composer at the keyboard.

    5 February 1938 Green Ways:  Three Lyric Pieces for solo piano by John Ireland (58) is performed for the first time, by the composer over the airwaves of the BBC originating in London.

    William Grant Still (42) is disappointed when nothing extraordinary happens today.  Four days ago he was visited in a dream by his grandmother who told him to “watch 5 February.”  In a few days Still will receive a letter from the New York World’s Fair asking him to write theme music for the fair.  The letter is written and mailed today, 5 February.

    5 February 1939 Carl Orff’s (43) theatrical microcosm Der Mond to his own words after the Brothers Grimm is performed for the first time, in the Nationaltheater, Munich.

    5 February 1942 Incantation and Dance for oboe and piano by William Grant Still (46) is performed for the first time, in Elmira College Chapel, New York.

    5 February 1943 The twelfth of 18 patriotic fanfares for brass and percussion commissioned by Eugene Goossens and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Fanfare for Poland by Harl McDonald, is performed for the first time, in Cincinnati.

    5 February 1948 Joaquín Rodrigo (46) begins teaching his music history course at the University of Madrid.

    5 February 1951 What is Evil and What is Good for children’s chorus, piano, and clarinet by Alois Hába (57) to words of Mayakovsky, is performed for the first time, in Prague.

    5 February 1955 Cello Concerto no.2 by Heitor Villa-Lobos (67) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    5 February 1956 Parades op.57 for piano by Vincent Persichetti (40) is performed for the first time, at Philadelphia Conservatory.

    5 February 1958 Symphony no.2 by Michael Tippett (53) is performed for the first time, in Royal Festival Hall, London.

    5 February 1961 Hymn and Fuguing Tune no.13 for trombone and piano by Henry Cowell (63) is performed for the first time, in Kaufmann Concert Hall of the YM-YWHA in New York.

    5 February 1963 Three Questions with Two Answers for orchestra by Luigi Dallapiccola (59) is performed for the first time, in New Haven, Connecticut.

    The first movement of the Symphony no.17 by Henry Cowell (65) is performed for the first time, under the title Lancaster Overture, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

    5 February 1965 Cradle Song, a song by Charles Ives (†10) to words of AL Ives, is performed for the first time, in the Alma Gluck Concert Hall, New York.

    Chamber Piece no.1 for 14 players by Stefan Wolpe (62) is performed for the first time, in Coolidge Auditorium of the Library of Congress, Washington.

    5 February 1966 JDE for 14 instruments by Betsy Jolas (39) is performed for the first time, in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

    5 February 1969 Clarinet Concerto by Thea Musgrave (40) is performed for the first time, in Royal Festival Hall, London.

    5 February 1970 Concerto for Orchestra by Elliott Carter (61), composed to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the New York Philharmonic, is performed for the first time, in New York conducted by Leonard Bernstein (51).  The work receives a favorable response from the audience.

    5 February 1972 Fantasia on Jerusalem the Golden for band by Charles Ives (†17) arranged by Brion is performed for the first time, in West Caldwell, New Jersey.

    O Cool is the Valley op.118 for band by Vincent Persichetti (56) is performed for the first time, in Columbus, Ohio.

    Marginal Worlds for twelve players by William Albright (27) is performed for the first time, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

    5 February 1973 Chorus and Orchestra II for soprano, chorus, and orchestra by Morton Feldman (47) is performed for the first time, in St. John’s Smith Square, London.

    5 February 1979 Passacaglia ungherese for harpsichord by György Ligeti (55) is performed for the first time, in Lund, Sweden.

    5 February 1981 Novellette for flute and harp by Isang Yun (63) is performed for the first time, in Bremen.

    5 February 1982 Two works by Mikis Theodorakis (56) are performed for the first time, in East Berlin:  Piano Concerto, composed in 1957, and the Symphony no.2.

    5 February 1984 Crippled Symmetry for flute/bass flute, percussion, and piano/celesta by Morton Feldman (58) is performed for the first time, in the Akademie der Künste, Berlin.

    Symphony no.1 by Wolfgang Rihm (31) is performed for the first time, in Hannover.

    Suite no.2 for violin by Karl Amadeus Hartmann (†20) is performed for the first time, in Spokane, Washington 57 years after it was composed.

    5 February 1985 Concertino for winds and strings by Charles Wuorinen (46) is performed for the first time, in Alice Tully Hall, New York.

    5 February 1986 Fandango sopra un basso del Padre Soler for orchestra by Hans Werner Henze (59) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    5 February 1991 Sutartines for string orchestra, organ, and percussion by Alfred Schnittke (56) is performed for the first time, in Vilnius.

    Aux heures de la nouvelle lune, a symphonic poem by Nikolay Roslavets (†46), is performed for the first time, in Royal Festival Hall, London approximately 80 years after it was composed.

    5 February 1992 Corrente for chamber ensemble by Magnus Lindberg (33) is performed for the first time, at the University of Helsinki.

    5 February 1993 Symphony no.4 by Witold Lutoslawski (80) is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles, conducted by the composer.

    5 February 1995 Symphony no.3 by Philip Glass (58) is performed for the first time, in Künzelsau, Germany.

    Music to Go for viola and cello by Betsy Jolas (68) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    5 February 1998 Variazioni sopra una Soggeto Cavato for clarinet by Donald Martino (66) is performed for the first time, in the Tsai Center, Boston by the composer.

    Exody ‘23:59:59’ for orchestra by Harrison Birtwistle (63) is performed for the first time, in Symphony Center, Chicago.

    5 February 1999 Rockpool Dreaming for soprano saxophone and strings by Peter Sculthorpe (69) is performed for the first time, in City Hall, Newcastle, New South Wales.

    5 February 2000 Symphony no.4 “The Gardens” by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (60) is performed for the first time, at Michigan State University.

    5 February 2002 Chorale for orchestra by Magnus Lindberg (43) is performed for the first time, in De Montfort Hall, Leicester, England.

    5 February 2003 After an initial 17 months of silence, the organ at St. Burchardi in Halberstadt, Germany plays the first sounds in a performance of Organ2/ASLSP by John Cage (†10) intended to take 639 years.  See 5 September 2001.

    5 February 2004 Shûnya for chorus by John Tavener (60) is performed for the first time, in Temple Church, London.

    The Phoenix for soprano and orchestra by Bright Sheng (48), to his own words after Andersen, is performed for the first time, in Seattle.

    5 February 2006 Two works by Donald Martino (†0) are performed for the first time, in Paine Hall of Harvard University:  Violin Sonata no.2 and a Piano Trio.

    5 February 2009 Where the World Ends for orchestra by Gunther Schuller (83) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    5 February 2010 Dirk Simon’s film When the Dragon Swallowed the Sun with music by Philip Glass (73) is shown for the first time, at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, California.

    5 February 2013 Suite no.2 for violin by William Bolcom (74) is performed for the first time, in Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, Colorado.

    5 February 2015 Slow for four viols by Nico Muhly (33) is performed for the first time, in Kings Palace, London.

    6 February

    6 February 1497 Jean de Ockeghem dies, possibly in Tours, aged approximately 87 years.

    6 February 1725 Johann Philipp Krieger dies in Weissenfels, 75 years, eleven months, and ten days after his baptism.

    6 February 1754 Artemisia, an opera by Johann Adolf Hasse (54) to words of Migliavacca, is performed for the first time, at the Dresden Court Opera.

    6 February 1760 La Cecchina, ossia La buona figlivola, a drama giocosa by Niccolò Piccinni (32) to words of Goldoni, is performed for the first time, in the Teatro Delle Dame, Rome.  It is perhaps the most successful comic opera of the eighteenth century.

    6 February 1773 The Golden Pippin, a pasticcio comic opera with five songs by Thomas Augustine Arne (62) to words of O’Hara, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    6 February 1778 Achille in Sciro, a dramma per musica by Giovanni Paisiello (37) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, at the Russian Court, St. Petersburg.

    6 February 1801 Johann Friedrich Reichardt’s (48) tragedia per musica Rosmonda to words of Filistri is performed for the first time, at the Nationaltheater, Berlin.

    6 February 1811 Carl Maria von Weber (24) performs a farewell concert in Darmstadt at the palace of Grand Duke Ludwig.  In need of funds, he is leaving the tutelage of Georg Joseph Vogler (61).

    6 February 1813 Those who met on 24 January meet again in London and sign a manifesto and a set of laws for a “Philharmonic Society.”  Signers include Muzio Clementi (61), Henry R. Bishop (26), Thomas Attwood, Vincent Novello, Johann Peter Salomon and George Smart.

    Gioachino Rossini’s (20) melodramma eroico Tancredi to words of Rossi and Lechi after Voltaire is performed for the first time, in Teatro La Fenice, Venice.  Due to the illness of the two leading ladies, the performance is stopped in the middle of Act II.  It will not be performed all the way through until February 12.

    6 February 1819 A Hochzeitslied ‘Auf Freunde, singt dem Gott der Ehen’ WoO105 by Ludwig van Beethoven (48) is performed for the first time.

    6 February 1829 Le jeune propriétaire et le vieux fermier, ou La ville et le village, a vaudeville by Adolphe Adam (25) to words of Dartois, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre des Nouveautés, Paris.

    6 February 1830 Hector Berlioz (26) writes to Humbert Ferrand of his mental state under the simultaneous burdens of conceiving the Symphonie fantastique and his infatuation with Harriet Smithson.  “I listen to the beating of my heart, its pulsations shake me like the pounding pistons of a steam engine.  Every muscle in my body quivers with pain. . . . Futile! . . . Horrible!”  (Brittan, 218)

    The Argyll Rooms, London, home of the Philharmonic Society, burn to the ground.  The orchestra’s library is saved.

    I pazzi per progetto, a farsa by Gaetano Donizetti (32) to words of Gilardoni, is performed for the first time, in Teatro del Fondo, Naples.  The work scores a success.

    6 February 1843 Hector Berlioz (39) arrives in Dresden.  He meets Richard Wagner (29) who he finds “self-satisfied but warm” and enjoys Rienzi and Der fliegende Holländer.  Wagner has written unkind remarks about Berlioz which appear in the Zeitung für die elegante Welt during Berlioz’ stay, but will regret them once he hears Berlioz’ music.

    The Virginia Minstrels make their New York debut at the Bowery Amphitheatre.

    6 February 1851 Symphony no.3 “Rhenish” by Robert Schumann (40) is performed for the first time, in Düsseldorf, directed by the composer.

    6 February 1856 Le spectre de la rose for alto and orchestra by Hector Berlioz (52) to words of Gautier is performed for the first time, in Gotha.

    6 February 1861 Rokonhangok op.246, a polka française by Johann Strauss (35), is performed for the first time, in the Dianabadsaal, Vienna.

    Hesperus-Polka op.249 by Johann Strauss (35) is performed for the first time, in the Sperl Ballroom, Vienna.

    6 February 1864 The men who will tower over the two opposing forces of German art music for the rest of the century, Richard Wagner (50) and Johannes Brahms (30), meet for the first and last time at the home of Baron von Voclow in Penzing, near Schönbrunn.  Since late 1862, Brahms has been involved in organizing Wagner’s concerts in Vienna.  Brahms performs his Handel Variations prompting Wagner to remark, “It shows what can still be done with the old forms by somebody who knows how to handle them.”

    6 February 1866 Damenspende op.305, a polka française by Johann Strauss (40), is performed for the first time, in the Redoutensaal, Vienna.

    6 February 1881 The Veiled Prophet of Khorassan, an opera by Charles Villiers Stanford (28) to words of Squire after Moore, is performed for the first time, in the Hannover Hoftheater.

    6 February 1893 Herzenskönigen op. 445, a polka française by Johann Strauss (67), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    Incidental music to Tennyson’s play Becket by Charles Villiers Stanford (40) is performed for the first time, in the Lyceum, London.  The composer is not in attendance as he must travel to Milan to review the premiere of Falstaff for the Daily Graphic and the Fortnightly Review.

    6 February 1902 Percy Grainger (19) makes his first appearance with an orchestra in England, playing Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto in Bath.

    6 February 1904 Horatio Parker (40) is hired by the Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas in New York as organist and choirmaster.

    6 February 1906 Two works by Karol Szymanowski (23) are performed for the first time, in Warsaw.  They are Variations on a Polish Theme op.10 for piano and the Concert Overture op.12.  This concert marks the first appearance of Mloda Polska (Young Poland in Music), four young Polish composers embodying a new path for Polish music, free from ideas of “national art”.

    Bardengesang op.55 for male chorus and orchestra by Richard Strauss (41) to words of Klopstock, is performed for the first time, in Dresden.

    Images for piano, Book I, by Claude Debussy (43) is performed completely for the first time, in the Salle des Agriculteurs, Paris.  See 14 December 1905.

    6 February 1907 In Vienna, Gustav Mahler (46) writes to Richard Strauss (42), “I heard the new Schoenberg (32) Quartet yesterday and found it so profound and impressive that I cannot but most emphatically recommend it for the Dresden Festival.”  (Wright & Gillmor, 17)

    Two Military Marches op.57 and a Königsmarsch, both for orchestra by Richard Strauss (42), are performed for the first time, in Berlin, conducted by the composer.

    6 February 1909 Scherzo fantastique op.3 for orchestra by Igor Stravinsky (26) is performed for the first time, in St. Petersburg.  Also possibly performed is an early version of Fireworks op.4.  An interested ballet impressario named Sergey Dyaghilev is in the audience. See 17 June 1908.

    6 February 1914 At the suggestion of Victor Herbert (55), nine men, composers, authors, and publishers, meet at the Lambs Club in New York to discuss the loose copyright laws in the United States.  After two hours, they move to Lüchow’s Restaurant for dinner and more conversation.  See 13 February 1914.

    6 February 1915 La candidata, an operetta by Ruggero Leoncavallo (57) to words of Forzano, is performed for the first time, at the Teatro Nazionale, Rome and the Politeama Chiarella, Turin.

    6 February 1916 The revised version of Sergey Rakhmaninov’s (42) Vocalise, for voice and piano, is performed for the first time.

    6 February 1917 Elegie for cello and orchestra by Wallingford Riegger (31) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

    6 February 1918 Two Duets on Poems by Otto Julius Bierbaum, Maikaterlied and Abendlied for voice and piano by Kurt Weill (17) are performed for the first time, in the Protestant Community Hall in Dessau, the composer at the piano.  They are part of a vocal recital by students of the soprano Emilie Feuge.  Weill accompanies all the singers.  He receives good notices, both as pianist and composer.

    6 February 1919 Two songs by George Gershwin (20) are performed for the first time as part of the musical comedy Good Morning, Judge in the Shubert Theatre, New York: I was so young, to words of Bryan and Caesar, and There’s more to the kiss than the x-x-x, to words of Caesar.

    6 February 1924 Madrigal aux muses op.25 for female chorus by Albert Roussel (54) to words of Bernard, is performed for the first time, at the Salle Pleyel, Paris.  On the same program is the premiere of As It Fell Upon A Day for soprano, flute, and clarinet by Aaron Copland (23) to words of Barnefield.

    Baal Shem for violin and piano by Ernest Bloch (43) is performed for the first time, in Cleveland.  See 19 October 1941.

    6 February 1928 In Berlin, Bruno Walter conducts the first performance of the Symphony no.1 by Dmitri Shostakovich (21) outside of the Soviet Union.  It is an immediate success and marks the beginning of the composer’s international fame.

    6 February 1930 The first complete performance of Petite Suite op.39 for orchestra by Albert Roussel (60) takes place in Paris.  See 11 April 1929.

    6 February 1931 Incidental music to Bertolt Brecht’s play Mann ist Mann by Kurt Weill (30) is performed for the first time, at the Staatliches Schauspielhaus, Berlin.

    6 February 1933 Three songs by Charles Ives (58) are performed for the first time, in Steinway Hall, New York:  Afterglow to words of Cooper, Like a Sick Eagle to words of Keats, and Ann Street to words of Morris.

    Angels and Devils for 76 flutes by Henry Brant (19) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    6 February 1935 Gustav Holst’s (†0) orchestral work Scherzo is performed for the first time, in Queen’s Hall, London.

    Poet’s Song for voice and piano by Aaron Copland (34) to words of Cummings, is performed for the first time, in New York.

    6 February 1936 A second article denouncing Dmitri Shostakovich (29) appears in Pravda.  This one is entitled “Falsehood in Ballet” and takes particular aim at the composer’s ballet The Limpid Stream.

    6 February 1937 Concertino for cello and orchestra by Albert Roussel (67) is performed for the first time, in the Salle Pleyel, Paris.

    6 February 1938 Excerpts from Antonín Dvorák’s (†33) unperformed opera Alfred are performed for the first time, in a broadcast from Prague.  See 10 December 1938.

    6 February 1940 Barbershop Ballad for orchestra by Ross Lee Finney (33) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of the Columbia Broadcasting System originating in New York.

    6 February 1941 Concerto for Orchestra by Zoltán Kodály (58), composed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, is performed for the first time, in Chicago.

    6 February 1944 Piano Concerto op.42 by Arnold Schoenberg (69) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    6 February 1945 Robert Brasillach, editor of the collaborationist newspaper Je suis partout, is executed by order of Charles de Gaulle.  Aghast that someone could be executed for intellectual activities, several prominent French artists and writers signed a petition to spare him, including Arthur Honegger (52), Paul Claudel, Paul Valéry, and Jean Cocteau.

    6 February 1946 String Trio op.105 by Florent Schmitt (75) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    After playing a Brahms (†48) concerto in New York, pianist Claudio Arrau invites the conductor, Leonard Bernstein (27) to his birthday party.  There he meets a young Chilean, Felicia Montealegre y Cohn, and there, according to Bernstein, “we fell in love.”  See 9 September 1951.

    6 February 1947 Luigi Russolo dies in Cerro di Laveno, Varese, aged 61 years, nine months, and seven days.

    Sonata for violin and piano by Irving Fine (32) is performed for the first time, at Harvard University.  See 9 February 1947.

    6 February 1948 At a hearing of the US Immigration and Naturalization Service in New York, Hanns Eisler (49) is ordered out of the country.

    6 February 1949 Chor gefangener Trojer for chorus and orchestra by Hans Werner Henze (22) to words of Goethe, is performed for the first time, in Bielefeld.

    6 February 1950 The Oboe Concerto of Lukas Foss (27) is performed for the first time, in a broadcast concert.

    6 February 1951 Sonata for violin and piano no.3 by Otto Luening (50) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Recital Hall, New York.

    Four Two-Part Inventions for piano by Arthur Berger (38) are performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.

    6 February 1952 Five Songs from William Blake for baritone and orchestra by Virgil Thomson (55) is performed for the first time, in Louisville.

    6 February 1956 Concerto para violão for guitar and orchestra by Heitor Villa-Lobos (68) is performed for the first time, in Houston under the baton of the composer.

    6 February 1958 Arne Mattsson’s film Primavera de la vida, with music by Alberto Ginastera (41), is released in Argentina.

    6 February 1959 Francis Poulenc’s (60) tragédie lyrique La voix humaine, to words of Cocteau, is performed for the first time, in the Opéra-Comique, Paris.

    6 February 1960 Atlantis for 17 players by Morton Feldman (34) is performed for the first time, at the 92nd Street Y, New York.

    6 February 1962 Morton Feldman (36) signs a contract with Edition Peters to publish his music.

    6 February 1964 Atlas Eclipticalis by John Cage (51) is performed by the New York Philharmonic in New York, the first time the work is heard with the orchestration intended by the composer.  Conducted by Leonard Bernstein (45), the performance is deliberately sabotaged by the musicians, who talk, toy with or destroy their microphones, play music not connected to the score, or do nothing.  One-third of the audience leaves, while those remaining engage in a chorus of boos.  See 3 August 1961.

    6 February 1975 A revised version of Antony and Cleopatra, an opera by Samuel Barber (64) to words of Zeferelli after Shakespeare, is performed for the first time, in New York.  See 16 September 1966.

    6 February 1984 Michael Tippett’s (79) Festival Brass with Blues for brass instruments is performed for the first time, in Hong Kong.

    6 February 1992 Concerto for orchestra by Leslie Bassett (69) is performed for the first time, in Orchestra Hall, Detroit.

    6 February 1995 Vier Lieder nach Texten des Angelus Silesius for voice and piano by Paul Hindemith (†31) are performed for the first time, over the airwaves of Rundfunksendung Sudwestfunk II, 60 years after they were composed.

    6 February 1997 Quintet “Five Objects Darkly” op.62 for bass clarinet, horn, violin, viola, and piano by Alexander Goehr (64) is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles.

    6 February 1999 Special Events for piano and cello by Earle Brown (72) is performed for the first time, in the Theaterhaus, Stuttgart.

    6 February 2002 Parada for orchestra by Magnus Lindberg (43) is performed for the first time, in Basingstoke, England.

    6 February 2003 De Toda La Eternidad for soprano and piano or winds by Libby Larsen (52), to words of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, is performed for the first time, at Emory University, Atlanta.

    Concerto for horn and orchestra by Samuel Adler (74) is performed for the first time, in Houston.

    6 February 2005 Fragment for the Virgin for violin and piano by John Tavener (61) is performed for the first time, in Wigmore Hall, London.

    6 February 2009 Concerto for violin and orchestra by Jennifer Higdon (46) is performed for the first time, in Indianapolis.  It will win the Pulitzer Prize.

    6 February 2010 Popule Meus for cello, timpani, and strings by John Tavener (66) is performed for the first time, in Winnipeg.

    6 February 2015 Concerto for viola and orchestra by Nico Muhly (33) is performed for the first time, in the Auditorio Nacional de Música, Madrid.

    7 February

    7 February 1743 Lodovico Giustini dies in Pistoia at the age of 56 years, one month, and 26 days.

    7 February 1753 “When Damon languish’d at my feet”, a song by William Boyce (41) appears in the first performance of The Gamester, a tragedy by Moore, in Drury Lane Theatre, London.

    7 February 1757 Johann Anton Fils (25) marries Elisabeth Range in Mannheim, Palatinate of the Rhine.

    7 February 1759 Les aveux indiscrets, an intermède by Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny (29) to words of La Ribardière after de La Fontaine, is performed for the first time, in Foire St.-Germain, Paris.  The work is a success.

    7 February 1767 Der Traum, a pantomime by Michael Haydn (29), is performed for the first time, in Salzburg.

    7 February 1770 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (14) performs at a reception given by Count Carl Joseph Firmian, Governor-General of Austrian Lombardy in Milan.  It is attended by leading intellectual and artistic figures in Milan, including Giovanni Battista Sammartini (69).  Firmian gives Wolfgang an edition of the works of Metastasio in nine volumes.

    7 February 1774 Antonio Salieri (23) is appointed Imperial Court Chamber Composer and director of the Italian Opera.

    7 February 1775 Montezuma, an opera seria by Antonio Sacchini (44) to words of Bottarelli, is performed for the first time, in King’s Theatre, London.

    7 February 1778 Erifile, an opera seria by Antonio Sacchini (47) to words of De Gamerra, is performed for the first time, in King’s Theatre, London.

    7 February 1779 William Boyce dies, possibly of gout, at his home in London, 67 years, four months and 27 days after his baptism.

    7 February 1786 For a festival given by Emperor Joseph II in the Orangerie (a hothouse) of Schönbrunn Palace to honor Archduchess Marie-Christine, Governor-General of the Austrian Netherlands and Duke Albert of Sachsen-Teschen, two new stage works are performed.  Der Schauspieldirektor K.486, a singspiel by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (30) to words of Stephanie is premiered at one end of the room, followed by Prima la musica e poi le parole, a divertimento teatrale by Antonio Salieri (35) to words of Casti at the other.

    7 February 1792 Il matrimonio segreto, a melodramma giocosa by Domenico Cimarosa (42) to words of Bertati after Colman and Garrick, is performed for the first time, in the Burgtheater, Vienna.  It is a fabulous success.  Emperor Leopold II can not attend due to the treaty concluded today, but he will attend the second performance. When he sees it, he orders the entire company to the palace for a banquet that same night, after which the work is repeated in the Emperor’s private apartments.

    7 February 1796 Franz Joseph Haydn (63) signs a document granting all rights to his Symphonies nos.99-104 to Johann Peter Salomon.

    7 February 1799 John Field’s (16) Piano Concerto no.1 is performed for the first time, in King’s Theatre, London by the composer.

    7 February 1824 Die beiden Neffen oder Der Onkel aus Boston, a singspiel by Felix Mendelssohn (15) to words of Casper, is performed for the first time, before a small invited audience at the Mendelssohn residence in Berlin.

    7 February 1828 The Leonore Overture no.1 by Ludwig van Beethoven (†0), apparently intended for a Prague production of Fidelio, is performed for the first time, only having come to light after the composer’s death.

    Le barbier châtelain, ou La loterie de Francfort, a vaudeville by Adolphe Adam (24) to words of Anne and Théaulon, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre des Nouveautés, Paris.

    7 February 1830 Fryderyk Chopin (20) plays his Piano Concerto no.2 in f minor for the first time, in a private performance in the Chopin home, Warsaw.

    7 February 1836 While in Zwickau on account of his mother’s death, Robert Schumann (25) secretly visits Clara Wieck (16) in Dresden.  Over the next week he will open his heart to her and profess his love.  She reciprocates.

    7 February 1842 Luigi Cherubini (81) is made a Commander of the Legion of Honor.

    7 February 1852 Johann Strauss (26) makes his first appearance as director of Imperial Court Balls.  His Hofball-Quadrille op.116 is performed for the first time.

    7 February 1853 Wiener Punch-Lieder op.131, a waltz by Johann Strauss (27), is performed for the first time, in the Sperl Ballroom, Vienna.

    7 February 1854 Marianne Marschner, third wife of Heinrich August Marschner (58), dies in Berlin, probably of pneumonia.  She is 50 years old.

    Schallwellen op.148, a waltz by Johann Strauss (28), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    7 February 1857 Louis Moreau Gottschalk (27) leaves New York for Havana and a concert tour of Cuba.  He will spend the next five years in the Caribbean.

    7 February 1860 Hrabina, an opera by Stanislaw Moniuszko (40) to words of Wolski after Dierzowski, is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.

    7 February 1861 Grillenbanner op.247, a waltz im Ländlerstil by Johann Strauss (35), is performed for the first time, in the Dianabadsaal, Vienna.

    7 February 1865 Bürgersinn op.295, a waltz by Johann Strauss (39), is performed for the first time, in the Redoutensaal, Vienna.

    7 February 1871 Shawl-Polka française op.343 by Johann Strauss (45) is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    7 February 1873 The first version of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s (32) Symphony no.2 is performed for the first time, in Moscow.  It is a rousing critical and popular success.  See 12 February 1881.

    7 February 1875 Symphonie Espagnole op.21 for violin and orchestra by Edouard Lalo (52) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    7 February 1879 Solo dramatique for clarinet and piano by Ferruccio Busoni (12) is performed for the first time, in Mercantil-Saal, Bolzano, by the composer and his father.

    7 February 1889 Pietro Mascagni (25) and Argenide Carbognani celebrate their religious wedding ceremony in Cerignola Cathedral.  Only the couple, priest, and two required witnesses are present.  The secrecy is due to the fact that everyone in Cerignola, where they have been living for two years, assumes that they are already married.  The bride gave birth three days ago.  The groom is in the middle of composing Cavalleria rusticana.

    7 February 1891 O praise the Lord, all ye nations for chorus and organ by Amy Cheney Beach (23) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    7 February 1892 A Mass in E flat for chorus and orchestra op. 5 by Amy Beach (24) is performed for the first time, in the Boston Music Hall.  Public and critics are enthralled.

    7 February 1893 Giacomo Puccini (34) is named Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Corona d’Italia.

    Lansdown Castle, an operetta by Gustav Holst (18) to words of Cunningham, is performed completely for the first time, at the Corn Exchange, Cheltenham the composer at the piano.  See 22 December 1892.

    7 February 1901 The Chansons de Bilitis for two flutes, two harps, and celesta of Claude Debussy (38) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    7 February 1903 Incidental music to Racine’s play Andromaque by Camille Saint-Saëns (67) is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt, Paris.

    7 February 1906 Midi op.15/2 for voice and piano by Charles Koechlin (38) to words of Leconte de Lisle is performed for the first time, privately, at the home of Mme Duglé, Paris.  See 30 December 1933.

    7 February 1907 Jules Massenet’s (64) drame musical Thérèse, to words of Claretie, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra de Monte Carlo.  The composer and his wife intend to sit in the Prince’s Loge with Prince Albert but, according to his custom, he is too nervous to view the premier and spends the evening alone in the private salon.

    7 February 1908 Incidental music to LC Nielsen’s play Willemoes by Carl Nielsen (42) is performed for the first time, at the Folketeatret, Copenhagen.

    Symphonic Sketches by George Whitefield Chadwick (53) is performed completely for the first time, in Boston.  Critics are universally positive.  See 21 November 1904.

    7 February 1915 Quartet for piano and strings op.133 by Max Reger (41) is performed for the first time, in Leipzig the composer conducting.

    7 February 1920 Four Russian Songs for voice and piano by Igor Stravinsky (37) are performed for the first time, in the Salle Gaveau, Paris.

    Rapsodie sur des chansons françaises op.62 for orchestra by Charles Koechlin (52) is performed for the first time, in Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris.

    7 February 1923 Violin Sonata no.2 by Béla Bartók (41) is performed for the first time, in Berlin, the composer at the piano.

    7 February 1925 Le couvent sur l’eau, a ballet by Alfredo Casella (41) to a story by Vaudoyer, is performed for the first time, at Teatro alla Scala, Milan.

    7 February 1926 A piano reduction of the Symphony no.1 by Dmitri Shostakovich (19) is performed at Moscow Conservatory by the composer before the State Scientific Council and the People’s Commissariat for Education.  See 12 May 1926.

    7 February 1927 American Overture op.42 for chamber orchestra by Sergey Prokofiev (35) is performed for the first time, in Moscow.

    7 February 1929 Kleine Dreigroschenmusik für Blasorchester by Kurt Weill (28) is performed for the first time, in the Berlin Staatsoper am Platz der Republik.

    7 February 1936 Dmitri Shostakovich (29) meets with Platon Mikhailovich Kerzhentsev, the chairman of the Soviet Committee on Arts Affairs.  He passes on suggestions and questions that clearly come from Stalin.  The composer should take up the collecting of folk songs (he never will), and submit libretti of future operas and ballets for approval (he will not complete another).  Mostly, Stalin wants to know if Shostakovich has accepted the criticism of his work.  Shostakovich’s answer is evasive.

    Incidental music to Gide’s play Oedipus by Bohuslav Martinu (45) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of Czechoslovak Radio.

    7 February 1940 Marc Blitzstein (34) gives the first of a series of one-man performances of his musical play No For An Answer at the Malin Studios, New York.  See 5 January 1941.

    7 February 1941 Concerto for violin and orchestra op.14 by Samuel Barber (30) is performed for the first time, at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia.  It is greeted by thunderous applause from the audience.  Critics are generally positive.

    Cello Concerto by Paul Hindemith (45) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    7 February 1943 John Cage (30) and his music gain national attention when he directs a program of percussion music at the Museum of Modern Art, New York in a League of Composers concert.  Included is the premiere of Amores for two prepared pianos and two percussion trios.  Also premiered is Ostinato pianissimo by Henry Cowell (45) conducted by Cage.

    7 February 1947 Morning Song for piano and orchestra by Arnold Bax (63) is performed for the first time, in a recording session in the Abbey Road Studios, London.  See 13 August 1947.

    7 February 1953 Ralph Vaughan Williams (80) marries Ursula Wood, a 31-year-old war widow with whom he has collaborated.  It is his second marriage.

    The Marriage, a television opera by Bohuslav Martinu (62) to his own words after Gogol, is performed for the first time, over the NBC television network originating in New York.

    7 February 1955 Robert Ashley (24) is drafted into the army in Puerto Rico.  Ashley is under the mistaken impression that those drafted in Puerto Rico will be stationed in Puerto Rico.

    7 February 1957 Sketches for a seventh symphony by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (†63), restored and completed by Semyon S. Bogatyryov, are performed for the first time, in Moscow.

    William Schuman (46), President of the Juilliard School, announces that the school will become the educational component of the new Lincoln Center, and will add theatre studies to its present music and dance curriculum.

    7 February 1961 Chorale in the Form of a Canon for string quartet by Henryk Górecki (27) is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.

    7 February 1962 Intervals for bass-baritone, trombone, percussion, and cello by Morton Feldman (36) to his own words is performed for the first time, in Kaufmann Concert Hall of the 92nd Street Y, New York.

    7 February 1964 Symphony no.1 by Arvo Pärt (28) is performed for the first time, in Tallinn.

    Symphony no.5 by Roger Sessions (67) is performed for the first time, in Philadelphia.

    Elegy for violin by Otto Luening (63) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    7 February 1965 Two songs by Charles Ives (†10) are performed for the first time, in Temple Emmanu-El Dallas:  Luck and Work to words of Johnson, and Duty to words of Emerson.

    7 February 1967 Modules I&II for orchestra and two conductors by Earle Brown (40) is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris.

    7 February 1969 Gli eroi di Bonaventura, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (86) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Piccola Scala, Milan.  It is a collection of music from his earlier operas.

    7 February 1970 Grande Aulodia for orchestra by Bruno Maderna (49) is performed for the first time, in Rome.

    7 February 1972 Concerto for percussion and winds by Karel Husa (50) is performed for the first time, at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

    7 February 1975 Laude for concert band by Howard Hanson (78) is performed for the first time, in San Francisco.

    7 February 1977 Palinode for orchestra and tape by Charles Dodge (34) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    7 February 1982 Points d’or for soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone (one player), and 15 instruments by Betsy Jolas (55) is performed for the first time, in Nuremberg.

    7 February 1985 Carceri d’Invenzione IIa for flute and chamber orchestra by Brian Ferneyhough (42) is performed for the first time, in Milan.

    7 February 1988 Two works by Tan Dun (30) are performed for the first time, in Avery Fisher Hall, New York:  Out of Peking Opera (Violin Concerto no.1) and Symphony no.3 “Chang cheng”.  See 8 December 1994.

    7 February 1989 Itinerant for flute by Toru Takemitsu (58), composed in memory of Isamu Noguchi, is performed for the first time, in New York.

    7 February 1991 Concerto for piano and orchestra by Richard Wernick (57) is performed for the first time, at the Kennedy Center, Washington.

    7 February 1993 A revised version of Dérive for eleven instruments by Pierre Boulez (67) is performed for the first time, in London.  See 21 June 1990 and 1 December 2001.

    7 February 1994 22:00  Witold Lutoslawski dies of skin cancer in the Ministry of the Interior Hospital on Emilia Plater Street in Warsaw, Republic of Poland, aged 81 years and 13 days.

    7 February 1996 Triple Concerto for piano, violin, cello and orchestra by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (56) is performed for the first time, in Minneapolis.

    7 February 1998 Roll Out the Thunder for orchestra by Libby Larsen (47) is performed for the first time, in Des Moines, Iowa.

    7 February 2003 Lamentate for piano and orchestra by Arvo Pärt (67) is performed for the first time, in the Tate Gallery, London.

    7 February 2008 Octet:  Double Quartet by William Bolcom (69) is performed for the first time, at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.

    7 February 2009 Amistad Symphony for mezzo-soprano and orchestra by Anthony Davis (57) is performed for the first time, in La Jolla, California.

    7 February 2010 Tanz for violin by Krzysztof Penderecki (76) is performed for the first time, in Worms.

    7 February 2013 Instances for chamber orchestra by Elliott Carter (†0) is performed for the first time, in Benaroya Hall, Seattle.

    7 February 2014 Quiri—Study in Self-Similar Rhythms for piano by Brian Ferneyhough (71) is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.

    8 February

    8 February 1709 Giuseppe Torelli dies in Bologna, aged 50 years, nine months, and 17 days.

    8 February 1741 André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry is born in Liège.

    8 February 1797 Achille all’assedio di Troja, a dramma per music by Domenico Cimarosa (47), is performed for the first time, at Teatro Argentina, Rome.

    8 February 1806 L’eccelsa gara, a cantata composed by Gaspare Spontini (31) to words of Balocchi to honor the French victory at Austerlitz, is performed for the first time, in the Salle Louvoise, Paris.

    8 February 1821 Franz Schubert’s (24) song Sehnsucht D.636 to words of Schiller is performed for the first time, in the Musikverein, Vienna.

    8 February 1826 The second setting of Sehnsucht, a song by Franz Schubert (29) to words of Schiller, is published by Pennauer as his op.39.

    8 February 1827 Franz Schubert’s (30) Lied des gefangenen Jägers D.843 to words of Scott translated by Storck is performed for the first time, in the Musikvereinsaal, Vienna.

    8 February 1846 A fourth child, a son named Emil, is born to Clara Schumann (26) and Robert Schumann (35).

    8 February 1847 Explosions-Polka op.43 by Johann Strauss (21) is performed for the first time, in the Goldener Strauß, Vienna.

    8 February 1848 After reading a letter from Marie d’Agoult to Franz Liszt (36), wherein Marie tells him that Carolyne will not want to be one of his mistresses, Princess Carolyne Sayn-Wittgenstein writes that “I would be happy for her to know that, on the contrary, one really wants to be one of the mistresses...for there are devotions without limits.”

    8 February 1859 Count Wielhorsky invites some members of the now defunct Symphonic Society to his St. Petersburg home in an effort to revive the group.  It will become the Russian Musical Society.

    Promotionen op.221, a waltz by Johann Strauss (33), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    8 February 1863 In Prague, Richard Wagner (49) conducts the Provisional Theatre Orchestra in a concert of his own works.  The principal violist is Antonin Dvorák (21).

    Georges Bizet’s (24) ode-symphony Vasco de Gama to words of Delâtre is performed for the first time, at the Société des Beaux Arts, conducted by the composer.

    8 February 1865 Clara Schumann (45) writes to Johannes Brahms (31) that she has undergone treatment for an injury to her right hand.  The treatment requires the hand to be plunged into the carcass of a recently slaughtered animal.

    8 February 1868 Hector Berlioz (64) gives the last of his St. Petersburg concerts, conducting excerpts from Roméo et Juliette, La Damnation de Faust, and Harold en Italiè.  It is the last performance he will conduct.

    8 February 1872 Giuseppe Verdi’s (58) opera Aida is performed for the first time in Europe, at Teatro alla Scala, Milan.  During the course of the evening, the composer is called out 32 times.  Reviews are mixed.

    8 February 1873 The Hungarian Diet votes money to create an Academy of Music in Budapest.

    Two songs for voice and piano by Gabriel Fauré (27) to words of Gautier are performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris:  Les matelots op.2/2 and La chanson du pêcheur op.4/1.  Also on the program is the premiere of the first three movements of Fauré’s Suite d’orchestre in a reduction for two pianos played by Camille Saint-Saëns (37) and the composer, as well as the premiere of Allegro Appassionato op.43 for cello and orchestra by Camille Saint-Saëns.  See 16 May 1874.

    8 February 1874 The second version of Boris Godunov, an opera by Modest Musorgsky (34) to his own words after Pushkin and Karamazin, is performed for the first time, at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg.  The composer feels a triumph but the audience is a bit bewildered.  Many people feel the performances rescue the music.  See 6 February 1928.

    8 February 1876 Four months after his arrival in the city, Ferruccio Busoni (9) gives his first concert in Vienna, very successfully.  See 13 February 1876.

    8 February 1879 Étienne Marcel, an opéra by Camille Saint-Saëns (43) to words of Gallet, is performed for the first time, at the Grand Théâtre, Lyon.  The press is very positive.

    8 February 1883 Arthur Sullivan (40), WS Gilbert and Richard D’Oyly Carte sign a five-year contract in London.  Gilbert and Sullivan will receive one-third of the profits from their operettas, after expenses and annual rental.

    Sulla Riva for voice and piano by Pietro Mascagni (19) is performed for the first time, at Istituto Musicale Luigi Cherubini, Livorno.

    8 February 1893 Two of the Six Songs op.4 for voice and piano by Sergey Rakhmaninov (19) are performed for the first time, in Kharkov, the composer at the keyboard:  Oh no, I beseech you, do not depart! to words of Merezhkovsky, and In the Silence of the Night to words of Fet.

    Bugle Song for chorus and piano by Arthur Foote (39) to words of Tennyson is performed for the first time, in New York.

    8 February 1897 Alyeksandr Glazunov (31) conducts the premiere of his Symphony no.6 in the Hall of the Nobility, St. Petersburg.

    8 February 1901 The Diamond on the March Snow op.36/6, a song for voice and piano by Jean Sibelius (35) to words of Wecksell, is performed for the first time, in Helsinki.

    8 February 1904 Two works for orchestra by Jean Sibelius (38) are performed for the first time, in Helsinki, conducted by the composer:  the Violin Concerto and Cassazione.  Also premiered is Sibelius’ Have You Courage? op.31/2 for male chorus and orchestra to words of Wecksell.

    8 February 1905 Variations on Balkan Themes op.60 for piano by Amy Cheney Beach (37) is performed for the first time, in Huntington Chambers Hall, Boston.  The audience and critics are positive.

    8 February 1906 At a meeting of the council of St. Petersburg Conservatory, Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov (61) storms out because of their negativity towards the students and director Alyeksandr Glazunov (40).

    8 February 1907 Liebst du um Schönheit, a song by Gustav Mahler (46) to words of Rückert, is performed for the first time (possibly), in Vienna.

    Kammersymphonie op.9 by Arnold Schoenberg (32) is performed for the first time, in the Musikvereinsaal, Vienna.  In the middle of the performance, Schoenberg opponents begin noisily moving their chairs.  Gustav Mahler (46) shouts at them to be quiet, which they do.  At the end, loud applause, led by Mahler, is accompanied by whistles and catcalls.  Alma Mahler will remember that as they proceed home, her husband tells her “I do not understand his music, but he is young; perhaps he is right.  I am old, perhaps I no longer have the ear for his music.”

    8 February 1908 The Second Symphony of Sergey Rakhmaninov (34) is performed for the first time, in St. Petersburg, conducted by the composer.

    8 February 1909 A concert of the music of Mily Balakirev (72) set for this date, at which the composer was to have conducted, is cancelled because of embarrassingly low ticket sales.

    8 February 1910 Five Movements for string quartet op.5 by Anton von Webern (26) is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    8 February 1913 Le ménestrel announces that Lili Boulanger (19) has won the Prix Lepaul awarded by the Paris Conservatoire for her choral works Pour les Funérailles d’un Soldat and Printemps.

    8 February 1914 Irish Rhapsody no.4 “The fisherman of Lough Neagh and what he saw” by Charles Villiers Stanford (61) is performed for the first time, in Amsterdam.

    Vorspiel zu einem Drama for orchestra by Franz Schreker (35) is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    8 February 1915 Oración de las Madres que Tienen a Sus Hijos en Brazos, for solo voice and piano by Manuel de Falla (38) to words of Martínez Sierra, is performed for the first time, in the Hotel Ritz, Madrid, the composer at the piano.  It is part of the first concert of the Sociedad Nacional de Música, formed to promote Spanish music.  The work is the first of Falla’s public antiwar statements.

    8 February 1916 This is the date on which Romanian poet and artist Tristan Tzara claims to have founded the Dada movement in a Zürich cafe.

    Fourteen Songs op.34 by Sergey Rakhmaninov (42) are performed for the first time, in Moscow, the composer at the keyboard.

    8 February 1917 Incidental music to de Musset’s play On ne badine pas avec l’amour by Camille Saint-Saëns (81) is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre de l’Odéon, Paris.

    8 February 1920 Fantasía baetica for piano by Manuel de Falla (43) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    8 February 1921 Serenade op.4 for clarinet, violin, viola, and cello by Ernst Krenek (20) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

    8 February 1922 Violin Sonata no.1 by Béla Bartók (40) is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    A review written from Paris by Virgil Thomson (25) entitled “Kusevitsky, Conductor-The Risen Russian Suggested for Boston” runs in the Boston Evening Transcript.  It is credited for securing the position of conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for Serge Koussevitzky.

    8 February 1925 The third of the Three Quarter-Tone Pieces for piano four hands by Charles Ives (50) is performed for the first time, in Chickering Hall, New York.

    From the Land of Dreams for orchestra by William Grant Still (29) is performed for the first time, in an International Composers’ Guild concert in Aeolian Hall, New York.  The first performance of any of his concert music, Still will say “It was one of the greatest moments of my life.”  Also on the program is the premiere of Ensemble for string quintet with thunder sticks by Henry Cowell (27) and Tres exágonos for voice and piano by Carlos Chávez (25).  Mr. Cowell plays the thunder sticks.  This is the first significant performance of the music of Carlos Chávez in the US.

    Short Story, a piano work by George Gershwin (26) arranged for violin and piano by Samuel Dushkin, is performed for the first time, at the University Club, New York.

    Louco, in a setting for voice and orchestra, by Heitor Villa-Lobos (37) to words of Cadelhe, is performed for the first time, in the Teatro Municipal, São Paulo, the composer conducting.  See 13 November 1915.

    String Quartet in c minor by Ernest MacMillan (31) is performed for the first time, in Toronto.

    8 February 1933 During a London performance of the BBC Orchestra wherein Arnold Schoenberg (58) conducts his Variations for Orchestra, Benjamin Britten (19) briefly meets the illustrious composer.

    Fantaisie burlesque for piano by Olivier Messiaen (24) is performed for the first time, at École Normale de musique, Paris.

    8 February 1934 Mina for small orchestra by Edward Elgar (76) is performed for the first time, in the EMI recording studios, London.

    Four Saints in Three Acts, an opera by Virgil Thomson (37) to words of Stein, is performed for the first time, at the Avery Memorial Hall, Hartford, Connecticut.  The opera is directed by John Houseman and choreographed by Frederick Ashton.  Artists and the elite society of New York, Boston, and Hartford are there, including Buckminster Fuller, Isamu Noguchi, Clare Booth Luce, Philip Johnson, Carl Van Vechten, and Mrs. Averell Harriman.  It is a glittering, smashing success and assures an upcoming production on Broadway.  See 20 February 1934.

    8 February 1935 American Sketches for orchestra by Frederick S. Converse (64) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    8 February 1936 Giulio Cesare, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (53) to his own words after Shakespeare, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa.

    Fire tonight destroys the Teatro Regio in Turin.

    8 February 1939 Ernst Krenek (38) accepts a two-year appointment as full professor at Vassar College.

    William Grant Still (43) marries Verna Arvey, a pianist, in Mexico.

    8 February 1942 Danses concertantes for chamber orchestra by Igor Stravinsky (59) is performed for the first time, in the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, Los Angeles, conducted by the composer.

    8 February 1946 Piano Concerto no.3 by Béla Bartók (†0), left unfinished at his death, is performed for the first time, in Philadelphia.  The last 17 bars were completed by Tibor Serly.

    8 February 1949 L’histoire de Babar, a melodrama for speaker and piano by Francis Poulenc (50) to words of de Brunhoff, is performed for the first time before a live audience, in London the composer at the piano.  See 14 June 1946.

    8 February 1952 String Quartet in D by Arnold Schoenberg (†0) is performed for the first time, at the Library of Congress, Washington.

    8 February 1954 Three Songs op.18 for voice, e flat clarinet, and guitar by Anton Webern (†8) to anonymous words, are performed for the first time, in Los Angeles.

    8 February 1957 A suite for two jazz bands and orchestra from Hans Werner Henze’s (30) ballet Maratona to a story by Visconti, is performed for the first time, in Cologne.  See 24 September 1957.

    8 February 1961 Symphony no.3 “Collages” for orchestra and tape by Roberto Gerhard (64) is performed for the first time, in London.

    8 February 1963 Two works by Anton Webern (†17) are performed for the first time, in Vienna:  a Piano Piece (1925) and a Movement for string trio, almost 40 years after they were composed.

    8 February 1964 Four Poems of Tennyson, a cycle for voice and piano by Ned Rorem (40), is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.

    8 February 1965 A Set of Three Short Pieces for string quartet and other instruments by Charles Ives (†10) is performed for the first time, in Crouse Auditorium of Syracuse University.  Also premiered is Ives’ Waltz-Rondo for piano.

    Symphony no.1 by Gunther Schuller (39) is performed for the first time, in McFarlin Auditorium of Southern Methodist University, Dallas.

    8 February 1968 Symphony no.11 by Roy Harris (69) is performed for the first time, in Philharmonic Hall, New York the composer conducting.

    That Morning Thing, an opera by Robert Ashley (37) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

    8 February 1970 Versions 1 and 4 of Algorithms I for nine instruments and tape by Lejaren Hiller (45) are performed for the first time, in Buffalo.

    8 February 1973 Makrokosmos Vol. I for amplified piano by George Crumb (43) is performed for the first time, at Colorado College, Colorado Springs.  See 12 June 1980.

    8 February 1974 Linea for two pianos, vibraphone, and marimbaphone by Luciano Berio (48) is performed for the first time, in Grenoble.

    String Quartet no.2 by Richard Wernick (40) is performed for the first time, at the University of Pennsylvania.

    Of Wind and Earth for chorus and piano by Leslie Bassett (51) to words of Shelley, Conan Bryant, and St. Francis, is performed for the first time, in Columbus, Ohio.

    8 February 1975 The Dove Descending for chorus by Jonathan Harvey (35), to words of Eliot, is performed for the first time, in Winchester Cathedral.

    Three Choruses on Biblical Texts for chorus and orchestra by Roger Sessions (78) is performed for the first time, in Amherst, Massachusetts.

    8 February 1976 The Jade Garden, a cycle for voice and piano by Leslie Bassett (53), is performed for the first time, at Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti.

    8 February 1980 Die Erschöpfung der Welt, a szenische Illusion by Mauricio Kagel (48), is performed for the first time, in the Württemergische Staatstheater, Stuttgart.

    8 February 1981 Drama for orchestra by Magnus Lindberg (22) is performed for the first time, in Helsinki.

    8 February 1982 Fratres for chamber ensemble by Arvo Pärt (46) is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    8 February 1985 Tracer for flute, oboe, bassoon, violin, double bass, and four-track tape by Earle Brown (58), is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

    8 February 1987 Two Impromptus for piano by Ulysses Kay (70) is performed for the first time, at the Weill Recital Hall, New York.

    8 February 1990 Spring Music for violin, cello, and piano by Ned Rorem (66) is performed for the first time.

    8 February 1991 Spring Music for piano trio by Ned Rorem (67) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall for the one hundredth anniversary of the hall.

    8 February 1992 Südosten from the cycle Die Stücke der Windrose for small orchestra by Mauricio Kagel (60) is performed for the first time, in the Stadthalle, Gütersloh.

    8 February 1996 Hidden Voice 1 for 13 players by Jonathan Harvey (56) is performed for the first time, in St. John’s Smith Square, London.

    8 February 1998 Days and Nights of Rochina for orchestra by Philip Glass (61) is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    8 February 2006 Ghost Ranch for orchestra by Michael Daugherty (51) is performed for the first time, in The Lighthouse, Poole, Great Britain.

    8 February 2009 Song of the Yarra for soprano, violin, chorus, and chamber ensemble by Peter Sculthorpe (79) is performed for the first time, in Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne.

    Christiaan Andriessen’s view on the river Amstel for chamber ensemble and electronics by Louis Andriessen (69) is performed for the first time, in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands.

    9 February

    9 February 1756 Antigono, a dramma per musica by Christoph Willibald Gluck (41) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Argentina, Rome.  During his time in Rome, Gluck is named a Knight of the Golden Spur.

    9 February 1784 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (28) dates the score to his Piano Concerto no.14 K.449 in Vienna.  It is the first entry in his catalogue of musical compositions.

    9 February 1810 While conducting rehearsals for Silvanna in Stuttgart, Carl Maria von Weber (23) is arrested by the police along with his father.  He will be held incommunicado in an inn for 16 days under three charges:  1.  theft of silver articles, 2.  embezzlement of Duke Ludwig’s money (actually done by his father--the amount was repaid but with borrowed money and the lender is demanding his money back) and 3.  bribery and “association with plots for military exemption.”

    9 February 1812 Incidental music for Kotzebue’s plays The Ruins of Athens and King Stephen by Ludwig van Beethoven (41) is performed for the first time, at the opening of the Pest Theatre.

    9 February 1829 Pierre et Catherine, an opera by Adolphe Adam (25) to words of Vernoy de Saint-Georges, is performed for the first time, by the Opéra-Comique, Paris.  It is his first production with the Opéra-Comique and a great success.

    9 February 1839 Hector Berlioz (35) is appointed deputy curator of the Paris Conservatoire Library.  The appointment and salary are retroactive to 1 January.

    9 February 1843 Quintet for piano and strings by Robert Schumann (32) is performed publicly for the first time, in Leipzig.  See 8 January 1843.

    9 February 1856 Un postillon en gage, an operetta by Jacques Offenbach (36) to words of Adenis, is performed for the first time, at the Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris.

    Deux sous de charbon, ou Le suicide de bigorneau, an asphyxie lyrique by Léo Delibes (19) to words of Moineaux, is performed for the first time, at the Folies-Nouvelles, Paris.

    9 February 1858 Cycloiden op.207, a waltz by Johann Strauss (32), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    Stephen Foster (31) signs his fourth contract with the publishers Firth, Pond & Co. in New York.  This one is much more in favor of the company than earlier contracts with Foster.

    9 February 1860 Hector Berlioz (56) publishes a criticism of Richard Wagner’s (46) music in the Journal des débats beginning a second Querelle des Bouffons.  “If this is the religion, and a new one at that, then I am far from confessing it.  I never have, am not about to, and never will.  I raise my hand and swear:  non credo!“

    9 February 1868 Mily Balakirev (31) takes over sole directorship of the Free Music School, St. Petersburg.

    9 February 1870 Der Thurm zu Babel, a sacred opera by Anton Rubinstein (40) to words of Rodenberg, is performed for the first time, in Königsberg.

    9 February 1877 Larghetto and Scherzo for piano, violin, and cello op.32 by John Knowles Paine (38) is performed for the first time, in Wesleyan Hall, Boston.

    9 February 1881 In Filanda, a cantata by Pietro Mascagni (17) to words of Soffredini, is performed for the first time, in the Casa del Casino di San Marco, Livorno.

    9 February 1885 Alban Maria Johannes Berg is born at the Schönbrunner House at Tuchlauben 8 in Vienna, third of four children born to Conrad Berg, proprietor of a book and art store, and Johanna Maria Anna Braun, daughter of a court jeweler.

    9 February 1891 Chanson triste op.40/2 for piano by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (50) is performed for the first time, in Moscow.

    9 February 1893 Falstaff, a commedia lirica by Giuseppe Verdi (79) to words of Boito (50) after Shakespeare, is performed for the first time, at Teatro alla Scala, Milan.  Numerous state and musical luminaries are present including Giacomo Puccini (34), Pietro Mascagni (29) and Teresa Stolz.  Unlike the premiere of Otello, Verdi, his wife, and Boito manage to make it out of the theatre unscathed, but when they reach the Grand Hôtel de Milan the mob of admirers and well wishers awaits.  The three make it into the lobby to be greeted by dignitaries and then appear to the crowds on the balcony.  See 5 February 1887.

    9 February 1897 Fierabras D.796, an opera by Franz Schubert (†68) to words of Kupelwieser after Büsching, von der Hagen and de la Motte Fouqué, is performed for the first time, in Grossherzögliches Hoftheater, Karlsruhe, 74 years after it was composed and nine days after the centennial of the composer’s birth.

    9 February 1900 String Quartet no.5 by George Whitefield Chadwick (45) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    9 February 1903 Marie-Magdeleine, a drame sacrée by Jules Massenet (60) to words of Gallet, is staged for the first time, in Nice.  See 11 April 1873.

    9 February 1906 The Piano Fantasy op.14 by Karol Szymanowski (23) is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.

    9 February 1908 Incidental music to Benzon’s play Parents by Carl Nielsen (42) is performed for the first time, in Copenhagen.

    9 February 1909 The fourth book of the piano suite Iberia by Isaac Albéniz (48) is performed for the first time, at the Salon d’Automne, Paris.

    9 February 1910 L’astre rouge op.13/4 for voice and piano by Charles Koechlin (42) to words of Leconte de Lisle is performed for the first time, in Paris, the composer at the keyboard.

    9 February 1911 Incidental music to Browne’s play Everywoman by George Whitefield Chadwick (56) is performed for the first time, in Parsons Theatre, Hartford, Connecticut.

    9 February 1914 In his Berlin Diary, Jean Sibelius (48) writes, “Heard Duparc’s (66) songs, Korngold’s Trio and Schoenberg’s (39) Second Quartet op.10.  It gave me a lot to think about.  He interests me very much.”

    9 February 1918 Two collections for piano four hands by Igor Stravinsky (35) are performed for the first time, in Paris:  Three Easy Pieces and Five Easy Pieces.

    9 February 1919 Trois Mouvements perpétuels for piano by Francis Poulenc (20) is performed for the first time, in Paris.  See 7 April 1927.

    Angel of Death, a symphonic poem by George Whitefield Chadwick (64), is performed for the first time, in Aeolian Hall, New York.

    9 February 1923 Die gelbe Jacke, an operetta by Franz Lehár (52) to words of Léon, is performed for the first time, in Theater an der Wien, Vienna.  See 10 October 1929.

    A Piano Quartet by Arnold Bax (39) is performed for the first time, in Aeolian Hall, London.

    9 February 1924 Le Petit Elfe Ferme-l’Oeil, a ballet by Florent Schmitt (53) after Andersen, is staged for the first time, at the Opéra-Comique, Paris.

    9 February 1925 Psyché for mezzo-soprano, flute, harp, violin, viola, and cello by Manuel de Falla (48) to words of Jean-Aubry is performed for the first time, in Barcelona, the composer conducting.

    9 February 1928 Alois Hába (34) marries Emilie Rolencová.

    9 February 1932 Four works by Harry Partch (30) for voice and viola are performed for the first time, in San Francisco:  Seven of the Seventeen Lyrics of Li Po to words translated by Obata, By the Rivers of Babylon to words of the Psalms, The Lord is My Shepherd to words of the Psalms, and Potion Scene from Romeo and Juliet to words of Shakespeare.  Public and press are positive.

    9 February 1935 L’Ascension, Quatre Méditations symphoniques for orchestra by Olivier Messiaen (26) is performed for the first time, in Paris.  See 29 January 1935.

    9 February 1937 Béla Bartók (55) gives the premiere of 27 of the numbers from Mikrokosmos in London.

    9 February 1938 Grave and Allegro in c minor for string quartet D.103 by Franz Schubert (†109) is performed publicly for the first time, in Vienna 124 years after its composition.

    9 February 1939 L’Or dans la montagne, a film with music by Arthur Honegger (46), is shown for the first time, in ABC Cinema, Geneva.

    9 February 1940 Double Concerto for two string orchestras, piano, and timpani by Bohuslav Martinu (49) is performed for the first time, in Basel.  Arthur Honegger (47) is in the audience and is greatly moved.

    9 February 1947 Six sonnets composés au secret op.266 for mixed voices by Darius Milhaud (54) to words of Cassou is performed for the first time, in Basel.  Also premiered are the Due Studi for violin and piano by Luigi Dallapiccola (43), the composer at the keyboard.

    Sonata for violin and piano by Irving Fine (32) is given its official premiere in Times Hall, New York.  See 6 February 1947.

    Seven Piano Pieces by Ernst Krenek (46) are performed for the first time, in Bridgman Hall, Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota.

    9 February 1951 John Cage (38) delivers his Lecture on Something at The Club, a regular meeting of artists in Philip Pavia’s Manhattan loft apartment.  It is dedicated to Morton Feldman (25).

    9 February 1955 Two days after Robert Ashley (24) is inducted into the army, his wife Mary gives birth to their first child.

    Of Identity, a ballet by Otto Luening (54) and Vladimir Ussachevsky (43), is performed publicly for the first time, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York.

    9 February 1956 Challenge the Family of Man for orchestra by Ralph Shapey (34) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    9 February 1958 Out of the Depths for chorus and organ by Leslie Bassett (35) to words of the Psalms, is performed for the first time, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

    9 February 1959 Incidental music to Molière’s play L’Avare by Peter Sculthorpe (29) is performed for the first time, at Oxford.

    9 February 1967 Cellist Charlotte Moorman plays a recital called Opera Sextronique before an invited audience in the Filmakers’ Cinémathèque on West 41st Street in New York wearing nothing but a skirt.  After two numbers, she and her collaborator, Nam June Paik, are taken into custody by police.  See 9 May 1967.

    9 February 1970 Cérémony for tape by Pierre Henry (42) is performed for the first time, at the Olympia of Paris.

    9 February 1973 Kyldex 1 by Nicholas Schöffer, Pierre Henry (45), and Alwin Nikolaïs is performed for the first time, at the Hamburg Opera.  It is termed a “spectacle spatio-lumino dynamique et cybernétique.”

    9 February 1974 The Symphony no.1 by Alfred Schnittke (39) is performed for the first time, in Gorky.  This marks the first time a work by a Soviet avant-garde composer is heard in a significant venue.

    9 February 1977 Nadia Boulanger (89) is awarded France’s highest civilian award, Grand Officier of the Legion d’honneur, by President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing in the Elysée Palace, Paris.

    9 February 1981 Garden of Joy and Sorrow for flute, harp, and viola with speaker ad lib by Sofia Gubaidulina (49) to words of Tanzer is performed for the first time, in the Hall of the Composers Union, Moscow.

    9 February 1982 Behold the Sun, a concert aria for soprano, vibraphone, and chamber orchestra op.44a by Alexander Goehr (49) to words of McGrath, is performed for the first time, in Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.

    9 February 1983 The Joshua Tree, a dance score by Ross Lee Finney (76), is performed for the first time, in the Joyce Theatre, New York.

    9 February 1986 The Behavior of Mirrors for guitar by Roger Reynolds (51) is performed for the first time, at the 92nd Street Y, New York.

    9 February 1987 Impression for chamber orchestra by Isang Yun (69) is performed for the first time, in Frankfurt-am-Main.

    9 February 1992 Die Eroberung von Mexico, a Musiktheater by Wolfgang Rihm (39) to his own words after Artaud, is performed for the first time, in the Staatstheater, Hamburg.

    Musique pour Delphine for violin and cello by Betsy Jolas (66) is performed for the first time, in the amphitheater of the Opera of the Bastille, Paris.

    And one of the Pharisees for alto, tenor, and bass voices by Arvo Pärt (56) is performed for the first time, in Davis, California.

    9 February 1998 Sonnengesang for cello, chamber chorus, and percussion by Sofia Gubaidulina (66) to words of St. Francis of Assisi is performed for the first time, in Frankfurt-am-Main.

    9 February 2001 Pegasus op.71 for narrator and orchestra by Lowell Liebermann (39) is performed for the first time, in Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas.

    9 February 2002 Concerto for Double Orchestra by Kevin Volans (52) is performed for the first time, in the Barbican Center, London.

    9 February 2008 String Quartet no.4 op.103 by Lowell Liebermann (46) is performed for the first time, in Temple B’rith Kodesh, Rochester, New York.

    Suite no.2 for cello by Richard Wernick (74) is performed for the first time, in Fairfield Chapel, Oberlin College.

    9 February 2009 Pari intervallo for piano four hands or two pianos by Arvo Pärt (73) is performed for the first time, at the Mannes College of Music, New York.

    9 February 2014 Games, for wind quintet and strings by Gunther Schuller (88) is performed for the first time, in Jordan Hall, Boston.

    Chapel Music, a cycle for chorus and orchestra by Joseph Schwantner (70), to words of Yeats, Thoreau, Herbert, St. John of the Cross, and the Bible, is performed for the first time, in Alice Millar Chapel of Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.

    9 February 2015 Civil Words, a cycle for voice and piano by Jennifer Higdon (52) to words of various writers, is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    10 February

    10 February 1753 Baldassare Galuppi’s (46) dramma giocoso I bagni d’Albano to words of Goldoni, is performed for the first time, in Teatro San Samuele, Venice.

    10 February 1754 Siroe, an opera by Baldassare Galuppi (47) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Argentina, Rome.

    10 February 1775 Der Jahrmarkt, a comische Oper by Georg Benda (52) to words of Gotter and Engel, is performed for the first time, in Gotha.

    10 February 1794 The third season of the Salomon-Haydn concerts begins in the Hanover Square Rooms, London.  The Symphony no.99 by Joseph Haydn (61) is performed for the first time.  Critics are ecstatic.

    10 February 1810 King Friedrich of Württemberg dismisses criminal charges against Carl Maria von Weber (23) and his father.  The case is referred to a civil court where Weber’s creditors wait.

    10 February 1817 King Wilhelm I of Württemberg signs a contract with Johann Nepomuk Hummel (38), four months after Hummel began working for him.

    10 February 1821 Child of the Mountain, or The Deserted Mother, an opera by Anton Philipp Heinrich (39) to words of McMurtrie, is performed for the first time, in the Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia.

    10 February 1844 Cagliostro, an opera by Adolphe Adam (40) to words of Scribe and Saint-Georges, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra-Comique, Paris.

    10 February 1847 Wilhelminen-Quadrille op.37 by Johann Strauss (21) is performed for the first time, in Dommayer’s Casino, Heitzing.

    10 February 1849 Fantasie-Bilder op.64, a waltz by Johann Strauss, Jr. (23), is performed for the first time, in Dommayer’s Casino, Heitzing.

    10 February 1851 Orakel-Sprüche op.90, a waltz by Johann Strauss (25), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    10 February 1858 Concordia op.206, a polka mazur by Johann Strauss (32), is performed for the first time, in the Redoutensaal, Vienna.

    10 February 1860 Johannes Brahms’ (26) Serenade no.2 for orchestra is performed for the first time, in the Wörmerscher Saal, Hamburg.  The composer conducts from manuscript.  The composer’s father is among the double bass players.

    Le carnaval des revues by Jacques Offenbach (40) to words of Grangé, Gille, and Halévy is performed for the first time, at the Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris.

    10 February 1862 Motoren op.265, a waltz by Johann Strauss (36), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    10 February 1867 The music of Anton Bruckner (42) is heard for the first time in Vienna with a performance of the Mass in d in the Hofburgkapelle.

    Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s (26) Festival Overture on the Danish National Hymn is performed for the first time, in Moscow.  The work was commissioned by Nicholay Rubinstein for celebrations surrounding the marriage of the Tsarevich to the Danish princess Dagmar.

    10 February 1871 Indigo und die vierzig Räuber, an operetta by Johann Strauss (45) to words of Steiner, is performed for the first time, before a glittering audience in the Theater-an-der-Wien, Vienna.  The evening is a smashing success and is seen as the opening night of the golden age of Viennese operetta.

    10 February 1874 Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn op.56b for two pianos by Johannes Brahms (40) is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    Fledermaus-Polka op.362 by Johann Strauss (48) is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    10 February 1877 La Foire Saint-Laurent, an opéra-bouffe by Jacques Offenbach (57) to words of Crémieux and de Saint-Albin, is performed for the first time, at the Folies-Dramatiques, Paris.

    10 February 1881 Les contes d’Hoffmann, an opéra-fantastique by Jacques Offenbach (†0) to words of Barbier completed by Guiraud, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra-Comique, Paris.

    El bien público of Havana includes the first notice of Isaac Albéniz (20) as a conductor, in the Círculo Español.

    10 February 1882 Snow Maiden, an opera by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov (37) to his own words after Ostravsky, is performed for the first time, in the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg.

    10 February 1885 Theme and 19 Variations for piano by Hubert Parry (36) is performed for the first time, in London.

    10 February 1886 The Song of the Viking for male chorus and piano by George Whitefield Chadwick (31) to words of Craigin is performed for the first time, in the Music Hall, Boston.

    10 February 1889 Charles Ives (14) plays his first regular church service as organist at the Second Congregational Church in Danbury, Connecticut.

    10 February 1890 Durch’s Telephon op.439, a polka by Johann Strauss (63), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    10 February 1894 The Beginning of a Romance, an opera by Leos Janácek (39) to words of Tichy after Preissová, is performed for the first time, in the National Theatre, Brünn (Brno), conducted by the composer.  Popular with the audience, the press is strongly divided.  This is the only time Janácek conducts one of his operas (or any opera).

    10 February 1896 Klipp-Klapp op.466, a galopp by Johann Strauss (70), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    10 February 1898 Victor Herbert (39) is named conductor of the Pittsburgh Orchestra.  He will be informed tomorrow.

    10 February 1903 Ten Preludes for piano op.23 by Sergey Rakhmaninov (29), are performed for the first time, in Moscow.

    10 February 1905 L’Isle joyeuse and Masques for piano, by Claude Debussy (42), are performed for the first time, in the Salle Aeolian, Paris.

    10 February 1911 Minstrels, one of the Préludes, Book I of Claude Debussy (48), is performed for the first time, in the Salle des Agriculteurs, Paris.

    10 February 1916 Trois poèmes en prose de Lucile de Chateaubriand op.10 for voice and piano by Darius Milhaud (23) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    Tango of the Green Eyes for piano by Enrique Granados (48) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    10 February 1917 The Kairn of Koridwen, a dance drama for eight instruments by Charles T. Griffes (32) after Schuré, is performed for the first time, in the Neighborhood Playhouse, New York the composer at the piano.  It will run for 12 performances, none of which is very good.  Critics are encouraging.

    10 February 1921 At a reception in London, Jean Sibelius (55) meets Ralph Vaughan Williams (48) for the first time.

    10 February 1927 Leos Janácek (72), Arnold Schoenberg (52), and Paul Hindemith (31) are inducted into the Prussian Academy of Arts.

    After rejections from three opera houses, Jonny spielt auf, an opera by Ernst Krenek (26) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in the Leipzig Stadttheater.  It is an immediate success.  By the end of the season, it will be produced in 56 different cities, in six languages.

    10 February 1932 Winter Legends for piano and orchestra by Arnold Bax (48) is performed for the first time, in Queen’s Hall, London.

    10 February 1933 Thomas Mann delivers a lecture at Munich University to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Richard Wagner.  He disapproves of the Nazis using Wagner “for an unholy alliance of Macht and Kultur.”

    10 February 1934 Merry Mount, an opera by Howard Hanson (37) to words of Stokes after Hawthorne is staged for the first time, at the Metropolitan Opera, New York.  Amy Beach (66) is in the audience and finds the music “very rich and interesting.”  See 20 May 1933.

    10 February 1935 The Pilgrim Pavement for soprano, chorus, and organ by Ralph Vaughan Williams (62) to words of Partridge is performed for the first time, in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York.

    10 February 1936 Members of the Moscow Union of Composers jam into their hall to denounce Dmitri Shostakovich (29) and plan the true path of Soviet music.  The scene will be repeated on 13 and 15 February.

    10 February 1938 Duo Concertant for two violins and orchestra by Bohuslav Martinu (47) is performed for the first time, in Lausanne.

    10 February 1940 Five Songs on Poems of Stefan George op.4 for voice and piano by Anton Webern (56) is performed completely for the first time, in Basel.

    10 February 1943 Hasards op.96 for piano quartet by Florent Schmitt (72) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    10 February 1944 Lady in the Dark, a film with music by Kurt Weill (43), is released in the United States.

    10 February 1945 Bruno Maderna (24) marries Raffaella Tartaglia in Verona.  She is currently working for the police.

    10 February 1948 At a ceremony in the Kremlin, Sergey Prokofiev (56) is raised to the status of People’s Artist of the USSR.  At the same time, the Central Committee of the CPSU is voting a resolution attacking Prokofiev, Dmitri Shostakovich (41), Aram Khachaturian (44) and other leading composers of the USSR.  See 5 November 1947 and 11 February 1948.

    10 February 1950 Ballade pour piano et orchestra op.50 by Charles Koechlin (82) is performed for the first time, in Brussels.

    Symphony no.3 by Karl Amadeus Hartmann (44) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of Bayerischer Rundfunk, originating in Munich.

    Concerto for violin and orchestra by William Schuman (39) is performed for the first time, in Boston.  The audience is lukewarm, the press generally positive.

    A Night Song, a song by Charles Ives (75) to words of Moore, is performed for the first time, at the Juilliard School of Music, New York.

    10 February 1952 Two Pastorales for prepared piano by John Cage (39) is performed completely for the first time, in the Cherry Lane Theatre, New York.  Also premiered are Fugue for David Tudor for piano by Lou Harrison (34), Intermission 4 and Intermission 5 for piano by Morton Feldman (26), and Three Pieces for Piano by Earle Brown (25).  It is the first complete performance of Feldman’s Intermissions 1-5.  See 5 July 1951 and 9 December 1951.

    Three works by Donald Martino (20) are performed for the first time, in Syracuse, New York:  From the Bad Child’s Book of Beasts for voice and piano to words of Belloc, Separate Songs for voice and piano to words of Joyce and Houseman, and the Clarinet Sonata, the composer as soloist.

    10 February 1956 Two new works are performed for the first time, at the Juilliard School of Music, New York:  Piano Concerto by Roger Sessions (59) and Concerto for cello and orchestra by Peter Mennin (32).

    10 February 1958 Mythical Beasts for soprano and 16 instruments by Henry Brant (44) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    10 February 1961 Symphony no.7 by Walter Piston (67) is performed for the first time, in Philadelphia.  See 1 May 1961.

    Variations on Thirds for Two Violas and String Orchestra by Henry Cowell (63) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    String Quartet no.5 by David Diamond (45) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    10 February 1962 Wedge for two flutes/piccolo, two trumpets, two trombones, tuba, percussion, piano, and double bass by Roger Reynolds (27) is performed for the first time, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

    10 February 1963 Mikis Theodorakis (37) and the poet Yiannis Ritsos are invited to a public rally by the Bertrand Russell Peace Movement which leads pacifism in Greece.  After a series of disturbances by Stalinists, an audience member rushes the platform and wrests the microphone from Theodorakis.  The two argue, which brings the audience to the support of one or the other.  The meeting is ended before it can dissolve into a riot.

    10 February 1965 Fluktuationen for orchestra by Isang Yun (47) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

    10 February 1969 Four Interludes and a Tragedy for basset clarinet and tape by Harrison Birtwistle (34) is performed for the first time with tape, in London.  See 18 October 1968.

    10 February 1971 Five Waltzes for piano by Benjamin Britten (57) are performed for the first time, over the airwaves of the BBC, 46 years after they were composed.

    10 February 1972 Rage Over the Lost Beethoven for piano, tape, and actors by Lejaren Hiller (47) to words of Parman is performed for the first time, in Buffalo.

    10 February 1976 Bicentennial Symphony 1976 (Symphony no.13) for chorus and orchestra by Roy Harris (77) to words of the US Constitution, Abraham Lincoln, and himself, is performed for the first time, in the Kennedy Center, Washington.

    Southern Harmony for orchestra by Ulysses Kay (59) is performed for the first time, in Kenan Auditorium at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington.

    10 February 1978 For O, the O, the Hobby-Horse is Forgot for six percussionists by Harrison Birtwistle (43) is performed for the first time, in Tokyo.

    10 February 1979 A Solo Requiem for soprano and two pianos by Milton Babbitt (62) to words of Shakespeare, Hopkins, Meredith, Stramm, and Dryden is performed for the first time, in New York.

    10 February 1985 Schwartzer und roter Tanz for orchestra by Wolfgang Rihm (32) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

    Transfigured Wind IV for flute and electronic sound generators by Roger Reynolds (50) is performed for the first time, in Lincoln Center, New York.

    10 February 1994 Symphony no.7 by Alfred Schnittke (59) is performed for the first time, in New York.  The composer makes his last trip to North America to be present.

    10 February 1995 Strathclyde Concerto no.9 for woodwinds and strings by Peter Maxwell Davies (60) is performed for the first time, in City Halls, Gloucester, the composer conducting.

    Five Poems for woodwind quintet by Karel Husa (73) is performed for the first time, in Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall, New York.

    Seven Ghosts for soprano, chorus, brass quintet, and percussion by Libby Larsen (44), to words of various writers, is performed for the first time, in Ordway Music Theatre, St. Paul, Minnesota.

    10 February 1996 Proverb for three sopranos, three tenors, two vibraphones, and two electronic keyboards by Steve Reich (59) to words of Wittgenstein is performed for the first time, in Alice Tully Hall, New York.

    10 February 2001 Furusato no Hoshi for chorus and viola by Toshi Ichiyanagi (68), to words of Tanikawa, is performed for the first time, in Tokyo.

    10 February 2004 The Tempest, an opera by Thomas Adès (32) to words of Oakes after Shakespeare, is performed for the first time, in the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

    Tableaux:  Convolutions on a Theme for alto saxophone and octophonic computer music by Larry Austin (73) is performed for the first time, at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb.

    10 February 2005 Scenes from The Tempest for four vocal soloists and orchestra by Thomas Adès (33) to words of Oakes after Shakespeare, is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles, directed by the composer.

    10 February 2007 Nocturne no.10 op.99 for piano by Lowell Liebermann (45) is performed for the first time, in a memorial concert for Gian-Carlo Menotti (†0) in Salle Garnier, Monte Carlo.

    10 February 2010 Mazurkas for piano by Thomas Adès (38), is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    All Nature Plays, an overture for orchestra by Samuel Adler (81) is performed for the first time, in Bellingham, Washington.

    10 February 2011 Untitled #275 for piano by Francisco López (47) is performed for the first time, in Toonzaal, Den Bosch, the Netherlands.

    10 February 2012 Pauline Oliveros (79) is named the recipient of the John Cage Award by the Foundation for Contemporary Arts.

    Steps for piano by Joan Tower (73) is performed for the first time, at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.

    10 February 2013 Epilog for string quintet by Wolfgang Rihm (60) is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.

    11 February

    11 February 1753 Fetonte, a pasticcio containing the music of Niccolò Jommelli (38), to words of Villati, is performed for the first time, at the Ducal Theatre, Stuttgart, to celebrate the birthday of Duke Carl Eugen of Württemberg.

    11 February 1755 Pelope, an opera seria by Niccolò Jommelli (40) to words of Verazi, is performed for the first time, at the Ducal Theatre, Stuttgart.

    11 February 1758 Two works by Niccolò Jommelli (43) are performed for the first time, in the Ducal Theatre, Stuttgart, in honor of the Duke’s birthday:  the third version of the opera seria Ezio and the serenata L’asilo d’amore both to words of Metastasio.

    11 February 1759 Nitteti, an opera seria by Niccolò Jommelli (44) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in the Opera House, Stuttgart, in honor of the Duke Carl Eugen’s birthday.

    11 February 1760 The second version of Alessandro nell’Indie, an opera seria by Niccolò Jommelli (45) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, at the Stuttgart Opera House, for the birthday of Duke Carl Eugen.

    11 February 1761 L’Olimpiade, an opera seria by Niccolò Jommelli (46) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in the Stuttgart Opera House, in honor of the birthday of Duke Carl Eugen.

    11 February 1762 The third version of Semiramide riconosciuta, an opera seria by Niccolò Jommelli (47) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart Opera House to honor the birthday of Duke Carl Eugen.

    11 February 1763 The third version of Didone abbandonata, an opera seria by Niccolò Jommelli (48) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, at the Stuttgart Opera House to celebrate the birthday of Duke Carl Eugen of Württemberg.

    11 February 1764 A third version of Demofoonte, an opera seria by Niccolò Jommelli (49) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, at the Stuttgart Opera House in honor of the birthday of Duke Carl Eugen.  See 27 January 1753 and 4 November 1770.

    11 February 1765 Le nozze di Bacco ed Arianna, a mascherata coreografica by Giovanni Paisiello (24) to a story by Biondini, is performed for the first time, in Modena.

    11 February 1766 Niccolò Jommelli’s (51) opera seria Vologeso to words of Verazi is performed for the first time, in the Ducal Theatre, Ludwigsburg, to celebrate the birthday of Duke Carl Eugen.

    11 February 1768 Fetonte, an opera seria by Niccolò Jommelli (53) to words of Verazi, is performed for the first time, in the Ducal Theatre, Ludwigsburg.

    11 February 1770 Calliroe, an opera seria by Antonio Sacchini (39) to words of Verazi, is performed for the first time, in the Schloss, Ludwigsburg.

    11 February 1781 Alessandro nell’Indie, a dramma per musica by Domenico Cimarosa (31) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Argentina, Rome.

    11 February 1785 Joseph Haydn (52) is admitted to Freemasonry in a ceremony at Lodge “zur wahren Eintracht”, Vienna.  After today, Haydn never again attends a Freemason meeting.  WA Mozart (29) does not attend as he is giving the first of his six subscription concerts at the Vienna Casino.  His Piano Concerto no.20 K.466 is performed for the first time, the composer at the keyboard.  His father is in attendance.

    11 February 1786 Der Schauspieldirektor K.486, a singspiel by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (30) to words of Stephanie, is performed publicly for the first time, in the Kärntnertortheater, Vienna.

    11 February 1789 A Requiem in c minor by Giovanni Paisiello (48) is performed for the first time, in Naples.

    Il pastor fido, a dramma tragicomico by Antonio Salieri (38) to words of da Ponte after Guarini, is performed for the first time, in the Burgtheater, Vienna.  It will receive only three performances, will be substantially revised by the composer, and presented again in October.

    11 February 1797 Der Ternengewinnst oder Der gedemütigte Stolz, a singspiel by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (57) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in the Herzogliches Hoftheater, Oels.

    La famille suisse, an opéra-comique by Adrien Boieldieu (21) to words of Saint-Just, is performed for the first time, in Théâtre Feydeau, Paris.

    11 February 1804 The second version of Gaspare Spontini’s (29) dramma giocoso per musica La finta filosofa to words of Piccinni is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Favart, Paris.

    11 February 1812 The first Vienna performance of the Piano Concerto no.5 “Emperor” by Ludwig van Beethoven (41) takes place, Carl Czerny (20) at the keyboard.

    11 February 1818 Publication of the Mass op.77 for chorus and orchestra by Johann Nepomuk Hummel (39) is announced in the Wiener Zeitung.

    11 February 1822 Am Geburtstag des Kaisers for solo voices, chorus and orchestra by Franz Schubert (25) to words of Deinhardstein, is performed for the first time, in the Theresianum, Vienna.

    11 February 1825 Two songs by Franz Schubert (28) to words of Mayrhofer are published by Cappi, Vienna as his op.36:  Der zürnenden Diana and Nachstück.

    11 February 1830 La noce de village, a ballet tableau by Ferdinand Hérold (39), is performed for the first time, in the Palais de Tuileries, Paris.

    11 February 1839 After barely two months in Mallorca, Frédéric Chopin (28), George Sand and her children leave Valldemosa.  Their stay was generally disappointing and caused injury to Chopin’s health.  He is coughing blood on a regular basis.

    11 February 1840 Gaetano Donizetti’s (42) opéra comique La fille du régiment to words of Saint-Georges and Bayard is performed for the first time, by the Opéra-Comique, Paris.  Donizetti’s French rivals, jealous of his Paris success, organize a hostile reception.

    Il templario, a melodramma by Otto Nicolai (29) to words of Marini after Scott, is performed for the first time, in Regio Teatro, Turin.  It is extremely successful.

    11 February 1841 Adelia, o La figlia dell’arciere, a melodramma serio by Gaetano Donizetti (43) to words of Romani and Marini after an anonymous French play, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Apollo, Rome.  It is a fiasco.  The theatre is oversold and those not admitted begin a riot.  At one point, the performance has to be stopped.  The impresario, Vincenzo Jacovacci, is arrested and detained overnight.

    11 February 1843 I Lombardi alla prima crociata, a dramma lirico by Giuseppe Verdi (29) to words of Solera after Grossi, is performed for the first time, at Teatro alla Scala, Milan.  It is a triumph.  The audience immediately takes up the nationalistic theme, casting themselves as the Lombards against the Austrians.

    11 February 1852 Electro-magnetische-Polka op.110 by Johann Strauss (26) is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    11 February 1853 Louis Moreau Gottschalk (23) gives his first concert in New York, at Niblo’s Saloon.  The reviews are mostly positive.

    11 February 1855 Ella-Polka op.160 by Johann Strauss (29) is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    11 February 1857 Une Bagatelle op.187, a polka mazur by Johann Strauss (31), is performed for the first time, in the Sperl Ballroom, Vienna.

    11 February 1861 Am Grabe for unaccompanied male chorus by Anton Bruckner (36) to words of Marinelli and von der Mattig, is performed for the first time, by Liedertafel “Frohsinn” in Linz, directed by the composer.

    11 February 1867 Incidental music to Ostrovsky’s play Dmitry Samozvanets and Vasily Shuysky by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (26) is performed for the first time, in the Maliy Theatre, Moscow.

    11 February 1868 Ein Herz, ein Sinn op.323, a polka mazurka by Johann Strauss (42), is performed for the first time, in the Redoutensaal, Vienna.

    11 February 1869 Voyevoda, an opera by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (28) to words of Ostrovsky and the composer, is performed for the first time, in the Bolshoy Theatre, Moscow.  Tchaikovsky is given 15 curtain calls.  Critics are not as positive.

    11 February 1877 Le Siècle publishes an article entitled “Offenbach in America” wherein the newspaper charges that on his return trip to France, Jacques Offenbach (57) ridiculed France to the rage of captain and passengers.  This begins “L’affaire Offenbach” including senators and deputies acrimoniously debating exactly who said what.

    11 February 1878 Narcisse, an idylle antique for solo voices and chorus by Jules Massenet (35) to words of Collin is performed for the first time.

    11 February 1882 Attendez-moi sous l’orme, an opéra comique by Vincent d’Indy (30) to words of Prével and de Bonnières after Régnard, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Favart, Paris.

    11 February 1883 The middle two movements of the Symphony no.6 by Anton Bruckner (58) are performed for the first time, in Vienna.  The audience, which includes Johannes Brahms (49), gives the work a great ovation.  The press is mixed.  See 26 February 1899.

    11 February 1887 Three songs for voice and piano by Johannes Brahms (53) are performed for the first time, in Vienna:  Wie Melodien zieht es mir op.105/1, to words of Groth, Das Mädchen spricht op.107/3, and Maienkätzchen op.107/4 to words of von Liliencron.

    11 February 1888 In Leipzig, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (47) awakens to the sound of a band playing the Russian national anthem below his window.  He dines this day with Mr. and Mrs. Edvard Grieg (44) and Ethyl Smyth.  Tomorrow he leaves for Prague.

    11 February 1892 Two new chamber works by Sergey Rakhmaninov (18) are performed for the first time, as part of his first concert not at the conservatory, in Vostriakov Hall, Moscow:  Trio élégiaque no.1 for piano and strings, and Prelude for cello and piano op.2/1.

    11 February 1895 Idylle de printemps for orchestra by Frederick Delius (33) is performed for the first time, in St. John’s, Smith Square, London.

    11 February 1901 Aschenbrödel Waltz by Johann Strauss (†1) is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.  See 2 May 1901.

    11 February 1903 The Löwe version of the Symphony no.9 of Anton Bruckner (†6) is performed for the first time, in Vienna.  See 2 April 1932.

    11 February 1904 The first two of the Four Songs op.2 by Arnold Schoenberg (29) to words of Dehmel are performed for the first time, in Vienna.  See 26 January 1907 and 14 January 1910.

    Two songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams (31), Jean Renaud and L’Amour de Moy, to anonymous words (tr. England), are performed for the first time, at St. James’ Hall, London.

    11 February 1907 The Tattooed Man, an operetta by Victor Herbert (48) to words of HB Smith and Fowler, is performed for the first time, in Baltimore.  See 18 February 1907.

    11 February 1908 Suite:  Les rêves de Columbine op.65 for piano by Amy Cheney Beach (40) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    11 February 1909 The Cantata In Celebration of the Year 1659 by Carl Nielsen (43), to words of LC Nielsen, is performed for the first time, in Copenhagen.

    11 February 1910 Ernst Bloch (29) directs his last performance as conductor of the Orchestra of Lausanne.

    Iverniana op.70 for two pianos by Amy Cheney Beach (42) is performed for the first time, in Boston by the composer and Carl Faelten.

    11 February 1913 The orchestral version of Lili Boulanger’s (19) Pour les Funérailles d’un Soldat is performed for the first time, at the Paris Conservatoire, along with her vocal quartet Renouveau, the composer at the piano.

    11 February 1915 Percy Grainger (32) gives his New York debut solo recital in Aeolian Hall.  It is very successful.  Critics are delighted.

    11 February 1916 The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra gives its inaugural concert.

    11 February 1918 Romanian Folk Dances for orchestra by Béla Bartók (36) are performed for the first time, in Budapest.

    Pan and Syrinx, a symphonic poem by Carl Nielsen (52), is performed for the first time, in Copenhagen.

    11 February 1922 A “Week of Modern Art” begins in São Paulo to help celebrate the centennial of Brazil.  Heitor Villa-Lobos (34) is featured as the foremost composer of modern Brazilian music.

    11 February 1923 While conducting a rehearsal at Reading, Gustav Holst (48) falls off the podium and hits the back of his head.  He is able to conduct the evening performance, but this injury will cause greater medical problems in the future.

    11 February 1928 The Revolt, a ballet by Bohuslav Martinu (37) to his own story, is performed for the first time, in the National Theatre, Brno.

    Variations on Bonny Sweet Robin for flute, oboe, and piano by Ethel Smyth (69) is performed for the first time, in Wigmore Hall, London.

    11 February 1930 After five years, Ernest Bloch (49) resigns as director of the San Francisco Conservatory.

    11 February 1936 Works by Charles Koechlin (68) are performed for the first time, in Paris:  Vocalise in G major, one of the 15 vocalises pour chant et piano dans tous les tons majeurs, the composer at the piano, and Sonatine modale for flute and clarinet op.155a.

    11 February 1937 While performing his Concerto in F in Los Angeles, George Gershwin (38) experiences a brief blackout.  A physical examination will reveal nothing unusual.  This is his last public performance.

    11 February 1938 Evocations for orchestra by Ernest Bloch (57), is performed for the first time, in San Francisco.

    11 February 1939 Nadia Boulanger (51) becomes the first woman to conduct the New York Philharmonic, in Carnegie Hall.  During the evening she also performs on the piano and organ.

    11 February 1940 Toccanta for soprano, flute, cello, and piano by Henry Cowell (42) is performed for the first time, in the New School Auditorium, New York.

    Rhythmicana for piano by Henry Cowell (42) is performed for the first time, at New York Public Library.

    11 February 1941 The Old Maid and the Thief, an opera by Gian-Carlo Menotti (29) to his own words, is staged for the first time, in Philadelphia.  See 22 April 1939.

    11 February 1945 Missa brevis for chorus and organ by Zoltán Kodály (62) is performed for the first time, in Budapest.  See 9 September 1948.

    11 February 1948 An article appears in the Communist Party daily Pravda entitled “On the opera The Great Friendship by Muradeli.”  It attacks Sergey Prokofiev (56), Dmitri Shostakovich (41), and others who “persistently adhere to formalist perversion and many undemocratic tendencies.  These include atonalism, dissonance, contempt for melody, and the use of chaotic and neuropathic dischords--all of which are alien to the artistic tastes of the Soviet peoples.”

    11 February 1951 Piano Sonata by George Perle (35) is performed for the first time, in New York, by the composer.

    4 Songs to ee cummings for soprano, cello and piano by Morton Feldman (25) is performed for the first time, in McMillin Theatre of Columbia University.

    11 February 1952 Four Songs to Poems of Thomas Campion for mezzo-soprano, clarinet, viola, and harp by Virgil Thomson (55) is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.

    The Tenor, an opera by Hugo Weisgall (39) to words of Shapiro and Lert after Wedekind, is performed for the first time, in Baltimore.

    11 February 1953 Symphony no.4 “Sinfonia Romantica” and Baile for orchestra, both by Carlos Chávez (53), are performed for the first time, in Columbia Auditorium, Louisville, under the baton of the composer.

    11 February 1958 Wind Quintet no.2 by Charles Wuorinen (19) is performed for the first time, in Barnard Parlor, Barnard College, New York.

    11 February 1966 Psalm 140 for soprano and orchestra by Roger Sessions (69) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    11 February 1967 Lukas Foss (44) conducts opera for the first time, in a New York City Opera production of Mozart’s (†175) Le nozze di Figaro.

    The Orchestral Set no. 2 by Charles Ives (†12) is performed for the first time, in Orchestra Hall, Chicago.

    11 February 1969 Double Basses at Twenty Paces for two referees, two bassists, and conductor by Pauline Oliveros (36) is performed for the first time, at the University of California, San Diego.

    11 February 1970 In Re Con Moto et al. for string quartet and piano by Charles Ives (†15) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    11 February 1971 Compases para preguntas ensimismadas for viola and 22 players by Hans Werner Henze (44) is performed for the first time, in Basel.

    Ein Gespenst geht um in der Welt for soprano, chorus, and orchestra by Luigi Nono (47) to words of Marx, Sanchez, and Santamaria, is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of WDR, originating in Cologne.

    11 February 1972 Partita for harpsichord, electric guitar, bass guitar, harp, double bass, and chamber orchestra by Krzysztof Penderecki (38) is performed for the first time, in Rochester, New York.

    11 February 1973 Voices and Instruments II for three female voices, flute, two cellos, and double bass by Morton Feldman (47) is performed for the first time, in Buffalo.

    11 February 1978 La legénde d’Eer for four- or eight-track tape by Iannis Xenakis (55) is performed for the first time, at the inauguration of the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris.

    11 February 1980 An Apotheosis for Archæopteryx for piccolo and berimbau by Lejaren Hiller (55) is performed for the first time, in Buffalo.

    11 February 1981 The Big Lightning, an unfinished operetta by Dmitri Shostakovich (†5) to words of Aseyev, is performed for the first time, in Leningrad Conservatory Bolshoy Hall 49 years after it was composed.  Also premiered is Shostakovich’s Scherzo in E flat op.7 for orchestra 57 years after it was composed.

    11 February 1983 A sound installation by Max Neuhaus (43) is inaugurated in the Bell Gallery of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. It will be up through 10 March.

    Two Songs on Poems of James Joyce for voice and piano by David Del Tredici (45) is performed for the first time, in the Kennedy Center, Washington.

    11 February 1988 Concerto for trumpet and orchestra by Karel Husa (66) is performed for the first time, in Chicago.

    11 February 1990 Illuminations for flute and piano by Leslie Bassett (67) is performed for the first time, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

    11 February 1994 Living Toys for chamber ensemble by Thomas Adès (22), is performed for the first time, in Barbican Hall, London.

    11 February 1996 Piano Etudes nos. 3 and 4 by Unsuk Chin (34) are performed for the first time, in Topeka, Kansas.

    11 February 2009 Quartettino 2 for string quartet by Robin Holloway (65) is performed for the first time, in West Roald Concert Hall, Cambridge.

    11 February 2010 Two works by Elliott Carter (101) are performed for the first time, at the Juilliard School, New York:  Nine by Five for woodwind quintet, and Retracing II for solo horn.

    11 February 2012 Dance Capriccio for piano and string quartet by Bright Sheng (56) is performed for the first time, in Seligman Performing Arts Center, Detroit.

    11 February 2015 Wie Schoen Leuchtet der Morgenstern for english horn, violin, viola, and piano by Libby Larsen (64) is performed for the first time, at the University of South Carolina, Columbia.

    12 February

    12 February 1567 Thomas Campion is born in London.

    12 February 1728 Agostino Steffani dies in Frankfurt, aged 73 years, six months, and 18 days.

    12 February 1760 Václav Jan Dussik (Jan Ladislav Dussek) is born in Czaslau, Bohemia (Cáslav, Czech Republic), 70 km east of Prague, first of eight children born to Jan Joseph Dussik, schoolteacher, organist, and composer, and Veronika Stevetová a harpist and daughter of a judge.

    Les Paladins, a comédie lyrique by Jean Philippe Rameau (76), is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.

    12 February 1763 A Te Deum in D by Niccolò Jommelli (48) is performed for the first time, in Württemberg.

    12 February 1785 At a party in Vienna given by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (29) in honor of Franz Joseph Haydn (52), three of the six string quartets dedicated to Haydn are performed, possibly for the first time.  Haydn informs Leopold Mozart (65) that “I tell you before God and as an honest man, that your son is the greatest composer I know, either personally or by reputation.  He has taste and apart from that, the greatest knowledge of composition.”  See 15 January 1785.

    12 February 1788 Emperor Joseph II orders that Hofkapellmeister Giuseppe Bonno be retired at full pay.  He further orders that the position be filled by Antonio Salieri (37).  The Hofkapelle is put under the jurisdiction of theatre director Count Franz Xaver Orsini-Rosenberg.

    12 February 1797 Joseph Haydn’s (64) national hymn Gott erhälte Franz den Kaiser is performed for the first time, in all the theatres in Vienna for the birthday of Emperor Franz II.

    12 February 1813 Meyer Beer (Giacomo Meyerbeer) (21) learns that he has been appointed court composer to Grand Duke Ludwig of Hesse-Darmstadt.  The post has been secured for him by Georg Joseph Vogler (63).

    12 February 1814 Bayard à Mézières, ou La siège de Mézières, an opéra comique with music by Luigi Cherubini (53), Adrien Boieldieu (38), and two others to words of Chazet and Dupaty, is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris.

    12 February 1817 While on their way from Rome to Milan, Gioachino Rossini (24) and his friend Marchese Francesco Sampieri stop off in Spoleto and see a performance of L’Italiana in Algeri.  They sit in with the orchestra, Sampieri on harpsichord, Rossini on bass.

    12 February 1833 The revised and completed Symphony in g minor by Robert Schumann (22) is performed completely for the first time, in Schneeberg, 20 km southeast of Zwickau.

    12 February 1840 The Fortunate Isles, or The Triumphs of Britannia, an allegorical and national masque with music by Henry R. Bishop (53) to words of Planché, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    12 February 1855 Sirenen op.164, a waltz by Johann Strauss (29), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    12 February 1857 Croquefer, ou Le dernier des Paladins, an operetta by Jacques Offenbach (37) to words of Jaime and Tréfeu, is performed for the first time, by the Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris.

    12 February 1867 Telegramme op.318, a waltz by Johann Strauss (41), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    12 February 1868 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (27) sends to Mily Balakirev (31) the score to a set of dances from his unperformed opera Voyevoda asking if Balakirev can perform them or give him some encouragement.

    12 February 1875 Piano Concerto no.5 by Anton Rubinstein (45) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

    12 February 1876 Dans les ruines d’une abbaye op.2/1, a song for voice and piano by Gabriel Fauré (30) to words of Hugo, is performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris.

    12 February 1880 Sonata for cello and piano by Hubert Parry (31) is performed for the first time, in London.

    12 February 1881 The second version of Symphony no.2 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (40) is performed for the first time, in St. Petersburg.  See 7 February 1873.

    12 February 1889 The Jacobin, an opera by Antonín Dvorák (47) to words of Cervinkova-Riegrova, is performed for the first time, in the Prague National Theatre.

    12 February 1890 Rathhaus-Ball-Tänze op.438, a waltz by Johann Strauss (63), is performed for the first time, in the Neues Wiener Rathaus.

    12 February 1894 Hans von Bülow dies of a brain tumor in Cairo.

    Trio élégiaque (no.2) op.9 for piano and strings by Sergey Rakhmaninov (20), to the memory of Tchaikovsky (†0), is performed for the first time, in Moscow the composer at the keyboard.  After working on it for two months he wrote, “It is a composition on the death of a great artist.  How earnestly, intensely, and painstakingly I have worked.  However such things only go well for priests and pathologists!”  (Scott, 43)

    String Quartet op.32 by Arthur Foote (40) is performed for the first time, in Chickering Hall, Boston.  It is a success with press and public.

    12 February 1896 Charles Louis Ambroise Thomas dies in Paris, aged 84 years, six months and seven days.

    12 February 1898 The Princess op.68, a cycle for vocal quartet and piano by Charles Villiers Stanford (45) to words of Tennyson, is performed for the first time, at the Northern Polytechnic Institute in London.

    LeRoy Ellsworth (Roy) Harris is born in a log cabin near Chandler, Oklahoma Territory, the third of five children born to Elmer Ellsworth Harris, a farmer, and Laura Broddle.  Only three of the five children survive infancy.

    12 February 1900 The Viceroy, an operetta by Victor Herbert (41) to words of Smith, is performed for the first time, at the Columbia Theatre, San Francisco.  See 9 April 1900.

    12 February 1902 After witnessing the Budapest premiere of Also sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss (37), Béla Bartók (20) is so inspired that he begins to devote more and more time to composing.

    12 February 1909 Amoureux séparées, the second of the Deux Poèmes chinois op.12 for voice and piano by Albert Roussel (39) to words of Roché after Giles, is performed for the first time, in Le Havre.

    12 February 1911 Two works for orchestra by Béla Bartók (29) are performed for the first time, in Budapest:  a Romanian Dance, and the first of the Two Portraits.  See 20 April 1916.

    12 February 1918 During the Finnish Civil War, Red troops search the house of Jean Sibelius (52) in Järvenpää, while the composer plays the piano to calm his children.

    12 February 1921 Sonata for piano, flute, oboe, and clarinet op.47 by Darius Milhaud (28) is performed for the first time, in Wiesbaden, the composer at the keyboard.

    12 February 1923 Melvin Epstein Powell is born in New York.

    12 February 1924 “An experiment in modern music” takes place in Aeolian Hall, New York when Rhapsody in Blue for piano and jazz band by George Gershwin (25) is performed for the first time, the composer at the piano.  Among the overflow audience is Ernest Bloch (43), Sergey Rakhmaninov (50), John Philip Sousa (69), Walter Damrosch, Willem Mengelberg, Leopold Stokowski, Jascha Heifetz, Fritz Kreisler, Mary Garden, John McCormack and Leopold Godowsky.  Critics are strongly divided, but the Whiteman band (who plays today) will perform the Rhapsody 84 times in 1924 alone.  Also on the program is the premiere of Suite of Serenades for orchestra by Victor Herbert (65).  This is the last appearance of Herbert as composer.

    12 February 1928 Concerto for piano and orchestra no.1 op.14 by Alyeksandr Vasilyevich Mosolov (27) is performed for the first time, in Leningrad, the composer at the keyboard.

    Gustav Holst’s (53) orchestral work Egdon Heath, Homage to Hardy, is performed for the first time, in Mecca Auditorium, New York.  The dedicatee died only a few weeks ago.

    William Grant Still (32) is presented the Second Award of the William E. Harmon Award for Distinguished Achievement among Negroes in Music.  He receives $100 and a bronze medal.

    A Piano Sonata by Marc Blitzstein (22) is performed for the first time, at a League of Composers concert in the Guild Theatre, New York by the composer.

    12 February 1933 Marie Eugène Henri Duparc dies at Mont-de-Marsan, aged 85 years and 22 days.  His earthly remains will be laid to rest in the Cemetery of Père Lachaise, Paris.

    Le Tombeau resplendissant for orchestra by Olivier Messiaen (24) is performed for the first time, in Salle Pleyel, Paris.

    How Mighty are the Sabbaths, the fifth of the Six Choruses op.53 by Gustav Holst (58) to medieval lyrics (tr. Waddell), is performed for the first time, in Her Majesty’s Theatre, Carlisle the composer conducting.

    12 February 1937 Piano Quintet by Roy Harris is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York on the composer’s 39th birthday.

    Oriane et le Prince d’Amour, a ballet by Florent Schmitt (66) to a story by Séran, is performed for the first time, in a concert setting in Paris.

    12 February 1945 Twelve Notations for piano by Pierre Boulez (19) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    12 February 1946 Musicians Wrestle Everywhere for chorus and strings by Elliott Carter (37) to words of Dickinson, is performed for the first time in a concert, in New York.  See 20 December 1945.

    12 February 1949 Concerto for marimba, vibraphone, and orchestra by Darius Milhaud (56) is performed for the first time, in St. Louis.

    The Quiet One, a film with music by Ulysses Kay (32), is shown for the first time, in New York.

    12 February 1950 String Quartet no.10 by Heitor Villa-Lobos (62) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    12 February 1954 The Tale of the Stone Flower, a ballet by Sergey Prokofiev (†0) to a scenario by Lavrovsky and Mendelson after Bazhov, is performed for the first time, in the Bolshoy Theatre, Moscow.

    12 February 1955 Eleven Transparencies for orchestra by Ernst Krenek (54) is performed for the first time, in Louisville.

    12 February 1958 Pietà for english horn and strings by Ulysses Kay (41) is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.

    The Symphony no.2 by Samuel Adler (29) is performed for the first time, in Dallas.

    12 February 1960 Five Songs for voice and 30 solo instruments by Witold Lutoslawski (47) to words of Illakowicz are performed for the first time, in Katowice.  See 25 November 1959.

    12 February 1963 Five Pieces for piano by George Crumb (33) is performed for the first time, at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

    12 February 1964 Gustav Mahler’s (†52) unfinished Piano Quartet in a minor is performed for the first time, in New York, 86 years after it was composed.

    Quartet Euphometric for string quartet by Henry Cowell (66) is performed for the first time, in Philharmonic Hall, New York, 45 years after it was composed.

    Four cummings Choruses op.98 for chorus and piano by Vincent Persichetti (48) is performed for the first time, in Hanover, New Hampshire.

    12 February 1969 Fanfare for brass and strings by Henryk Górecki (35) is performed for the first time, in Wroclaw.

    Verses for Ensembles for 15 players by Harrison Birtwistle (34) is performed for the first time, in Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.

    12 February 1971 Le voyage chimérique op.149/5 for flute and piano by Charles Koechlin (†20) is performed for the first time, in Lyons Concert Hall at the University of York, 36 years after it was composed.  See 12 September 1986.

    12 February 1977 Concerto for horn and orchestra no.2 by Gunther Schuller (51) is performed for the first time, in Budapest.

    12 February 1984 Dialogues and Contrasts for brass quintet and tape by Vladimir Ussachevsky (72) is performed for the first time, in Merkin Hall, New York.

    Symphony no.3 by William Grant Still (†5) is performed for the first time, in Harrison, Arkansas 26 years after it was composed.

    12 February 1985 Mistral for brass, strings and harpsichord by Roger Reynolds (50) is performed for the first time, in Symphony Space, New York.

    12 February 1986 Thomas Jefferson’s Orbiting Minstrels and Contraband for string quartet, woodwind quintet, jazz sextet, dancer, soprano, computer, visuals, and synthesizer by TJ Anderson (57) is performed for the first time, at Northern Illinois University, De Kalb.

    12 February 1988 Symphony no.2 by Jonathan Lloyd (39) is performed for the first time, in Baden-Baden.

    Moments of Vision for soprano/handbells, tenor/handbells, and a consort of Renaissance instruments by John Harbison (49) to words of Hardy is performed for the first time, at Amherst College, Massachusetts.

    12 February 1993 The Turn of the Tide for orchestra with children’s chorus and instrumentalists by Peter Maxwell Davies (58) is performed for the first time, in Lightfoot Center, Newcastle.

    12 February 1994 In Erwartung for saxophone quartet and six percussionists by Sofia Gubaidulina (62) is performed for the first time, in Stockholm.

    12 February 1995 Song and Dance for tuba and piano by Leslie Bassett (72) is performed for the first time, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

    12 February 1998 Sonata Appassionata for cello and piano by Ralph Shapey (76) is performed for the first time, in Miller Theatre at Columbia University.

    12 February 1999 Wood and Reed Transformed for bassoon and wind ensemble by Leslie Bassett (76) is performed for the first time, at the University of Michigan.

    Lux Perpetua for organ and orchestra by Samuel Adler (70) is performed for the first time, in Dallas.

    12 February 2002 Canto Olympico by Mikis Theodorakis (76) is performed at the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.  The name of the composer is not announced, nor does it appear in any official documents.

    12 February 2003 Peace Upon You, Jerusalem for women’s chorus by Arvo Pärt (67) to words of the Psalms, is performed for the first time, in New York.

    12 February 2006 Gegenstück for contrabass saxophone, percussion, and piano by Wolfgang Rihm (53) is performed for the first time, in Theaterhaus Stuttgart.

    12 February 2007 Double Bind? for violin and electronics by Unsuk Chin (45) is performed for the first time, in Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, Paris.

    12 February 2008 A Gift for flute/piccolo, clarinet, bassoon, horn, and piano by Joan Tower (69) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    12 February 2009 ReduxTwo for piano and computer generated sounds by Larry Austin (78) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    12 February 2011 In the Highest for percussion and strings by John Tavener (67) is performed for the first time, in Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Scotland.

    Colombi Daydream for cello by Roger Reynolds (76) is performed for the first time, in Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris.

    12 February 2012 Gigue Machine for piano by Harrison Birtwistle (77) is performed for the first time, in the Theaterhaus, Stuttgart.

    Tonic for chamber orchestra by Steven Mackey (56) is performed for the first time, in Perelman Theatre, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia.

    12 February 2013 A revised version of The Devils of Loudun, an opera by Krzysztof Penderecki (79) to words of the composer after Huxley, is performed for the first time, in Copenhagen.

    One Red Rose for string quartet by Steven Mackey (56) is performed for the first time, in Zankel Hall of Carnegie Hall, New York.

    12 February 2015 String Quartet no.4 by Libby Larsen (64) is performed for the first time.

    13 February

    13 February 1660 Johann Sigismund Kusser is baptized in Pressburg (Bratislava).

    13 February 1693 Johann Kaspar Kerll dies in Munich, aged 65 years, ten months, and four days.

    13 February 1741 Johann Joseph Fux dies in Vienna, aged approximately 81 years.

    13 February 1759 Johann Georg Albrechtsberger (23) enters upon duties as organist in Melk Abbey, 80 km west of Vienna.

    13 February 1760 François André Danican-Philidor (33) marries Angélique-Henriette-Elisabeth Richer in the Church of Saint-Sulpice, Paris.  She is a distant relative, an excellent singer and harpsichordist, the daughter of a royal musician and from a family of renowned musicians.

    Le maître en droit, an opéra bouffon by Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny (30) to words of Lemonnier after La Fontaine, is performed for the first time, in Foire St.-Germain, Paris.  It is well received.

    13 February 1770 Niccolò Piccinni’s (42) opera buffa La donna di spirito is performed for the first time, in Teatro Capranica, Rome.

    13 February 1773 La casa di campagna, a dramma giocoso by Florian Leopold Gassmann (43) to words possibly by Giovanni Gastone Boccherini, is performed for the first time, in the Burgtheater, Vienna.

    13 February 1776 Domenico Cimarosa’s (26) one-act comedies I sdegni per amore and I matrimoni in ballo are presented before King Ferdinando IV of Sicily in Teatro Nuovo, Naples.  It is the first music of Cimarosa to receive a command performance.

    13 February 1785 Piano Concerto no.18 K.456 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (29) is performed for the first time, in Vienna, the composer at the keyboard, before Emperor Joseph II and Leopold Mozart (65).

    13 February 1816 Teatro San Carlo in Naples is destroyed by fire.  The cost of rebuilding will be paid entirely by the wealthy Domenico Barbaja.

    13 February 1827 Revue musicale is published for the first time, in Paris.

    13 February 1833 Responding to a request from the music critic Ludwig Rellstab for a biographical sketch, Felix Mendelssohn (24) replies that nothing noteworthy has happened in his life other than his birth.

    13 February 1839 The lawyer Heinrich Blumner dies in Leipzig leaving a bequest of 20,000 thaler.  Through the intercession of Felix Mendelssohn (30), the money will be used to found the Leipzig Conservatory.

    Frédéric Chopin (28), George Sand and her children leave Palma aboard a boat with 100 pigs making for Barcelona.  Due to an enormous export duty, they have sold Chopin’s Pleyel piano in Mallorca.

    13 February 1849 Des Wanderers Lebwohl op.237 by Johann Strauss, Jr. (23) is performed for the first time, in the Sofiensaal, Vienna.

    13 February 1863 Anton Bruckner (38) witnesses the first Linz production of Tannhäuser by Richard Wagner (49).  This begins his love affair with the music and ideas of Wagner, opening an entire universe of new possibilities.

    13 February 1868 Vaterländisches Weinlied for male chorus by Anton Bruckner (43) to words of Silberstein, is performed for the first time, in Linz, directed by the composer.

    13 February 1870 Neu Wien op.342, a waltz for male chorus and orchestra by Johann Strauss (44), is performed for the first time, in the Dianabadsaal, Vienna.

    13 February 1875 Fragen op.64/3 for vocal quartet and piano by Johannes Brahms (41) to anonymous Turkish words translated by Daumer is performed for the first time, in Mannheim.

    13 February 1876 Angelo, an opera by Cesar Cui (41) to words of Burenin after Hugo, is performed for the first time, in the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg.

    Eduard Hanslick writes in the Neue Freie Presse, Vienna, “It is a long time since an infant prodigy appealed to us as much as little Ferruccio Busoni (9).”

    13 February 1879 Piano Quartet by Hubert Parry (30) is performed for the first time, in London.

    13 February 1880 A new overture to the opera Vanda by Antonín Dvorák (38) is performed for the first time, in Prague.

    13 February 1883 15:30  Wilhelm Richard Wagner dies in the Palazzo Vendramin, Venice of a heart attack, in the arms of his wife, aged 69 years, eight months and 22 days.  His Venetian doctor, Friedrich Keppler, writes, “It is self-evident that the innumerable psychichal agitations to which Wagner was daily disposed by his peculiar mental constitution and disposition, his sharply defined attitude towards a number of burning questions of art, science, and politics, and his remarkable social position did much to hasten his unfortunate end.”

    Jacques Manheit, a baritone in the Olmütz opera, will recall “...just as I was going from my home to the theatre, I saw a man running through the streets; he was quite distraught, sobbed loudly, and pressed his handkerchief against his eyes; I recognized Mahler (22) with difficulty...I went up to him anxiously and asked him quietly, ‘In heaven’s name, has something happened to your father?’’ ‘Worse, worse, much worse,’ he howled at the top of his voice: ‘the worst, the worst has happened, the Master has died.’...After that it was impossible to talk to Mahler for days.  He came to the theatre for rehearsals and performances, but was inaccessible to everybody for a long time.”

    13 February 1886 An die Tauben op.63/4, a song by Johannes Brahms (52) to words of Schenkendorf, is performed for the first time, in Mannheim.

    13 February 1889 String Quintet in G by Carl Nielsen (23) is performed for the first time, privately in Copenhagen.  See 28 April 1889.

    13 February 1890 Piano Trio no.3 by Hubert Parry (41) is performed for the first time, in London.

    13 February 1894 String Quartet no.2 op.45 by Charles Villiers Stanford (41) is performed for the first time, in Prince’s Hall, London.

    13 February 1897 Paysage op.38 for piano by Ernest Chausson (42) is performed for the first time.

    13 February 1902 The Musical Association of Barcelona sponsors a concert at the Sala Chaissagne of original songs in Catalan.  Among the several composers represented is Enrique Granados (34).  His La boira for voice and piano is heard for the first time.

    13 February 1903 La lampe du ciel op.12, a cantata for solo voices, chorus and orchestra by Charles Koechlin (35) to words of Leconte de Lisle, is performed publicly for the first time, in Paris.  See 26 November 1899.

    13 February 1905 Merlin, an opera by Isaac Albéniz (44) to words of Money-Coutts, is performed for the first time, in a concert setting in French, at the home of M. Tassel in Brussels.  See 18 December 1950 and 20 June 1998.

    Two of the Three Dante Rhapsodies op.92 for piano by Charles Villiers Stanford (52), Beatrice and Capaneo, are performed for the first time, in Bechstein Hall, London by Percy Grainger (22).

    13 February 1908 After six months in hopeless love, Béla Bartók (26) ends his relationship with the 19-year-old violin prodigy Stefi Geyer, in Budapest.

    Jules Massenet’s (65) ballet Espada, to a story by Maugars (pseud. of Baron Henri de Rothschild), is performed for the first time, at the Opéra, Monte Carlo.

    13 February 1909 Deux morceaux op.57 for piano by Alyeksandr Skryabin (37) are performed for the first time, in St. Petersburg by the composer.

    13 February 1910 Two songs for voice and piano, Cantique to words of Maeterlinck and Prière to words of Bataille, by Nadia Boulanger (22) are performed for the first time, in Paris.

    13 February 1914 At a meeting in the Hotel Claridge in New York, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers is formally organized by over 100 attenders.  Victor Herbert (55) is named president.

    13 February 1916 It being thought safe now, Lili Boulanger (22) departs Paris with her mother and sister Nadia (28) to complete her Prix de Rome year.  It was interrupted by the onset of war in 1914.

    13 February 1918 Come raggio di sol for soprano and wind quintet by Alphons Diepenbrock (55) to anonymous words, is performed for the first time, in the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam.

    13 February 1919 In memoriam:  An Irish Elegy by Arnold Bax (35) for english horn, harp, and string quartet, is performed publicly for the first time, in London.  See 10 March 1918.

    13 February 1920 Danzas fantasicas op.22 for orchestra by Joaquín Turina (37) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Price, Madrid.

    13 February 1924 O that it were so for voice and piano by Frank Bridge (44) to words of Landor is performed for the first time, at the Royal College of Music, London.

    13 February 1925 Nadia Boulanger (37) gives a lecture at the Cleveland Institute of Music on “Modern Music and its Evolution.”  Afterwards, she dines with Roger Sessions (28), whom she met last summer in France.  They attend a concert by Igor Stravinsky (42) and afterwards, Boulanger introduces Sessions to Stravinsky.

    13 February 1926 Judith, a biblical opera by Arthur Honegger (33) to words of Morax, is performed for the first time, in Monaco.  See 11 June 1925.

    13 February 1927 Nouvelle sonatine op.87/1 for piano by Charles Koechlin (59) is performed for the first time, at the Université Mercereau, Paris.

    Two Pieces for violin and piano by Aaron Copland (26) are performed for the first time, in a League of Composers concert, in Anderson Galleries, New York the composer at the keyboard.  Also premiered is the song As if a Phantom Caress’d Me for voice and piano by Marc Blitzstein (21) to words of Whitman, and Sonata for violin and piano by Ruth Crawford (25).

    13 February 1929 Incidental music to Mayakovsky’s play The Bedbug by Dmitri Shostakovich (22) is performed for the first time, in the Meyerhold Theatre, Moscow.  Although the Party is not convinced, the public loves it.  It will run over two years.

    13 February 1931 Symphony no.1 by Arthur Honegger (38), composed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    13 February 1933 The surviving sections of Richard Wagner’s opera Die Hochzeit are performed for the first time, in the Rostock Stadttheater, 100 years after they were composed, and on the 50th anniversary of the composer’s death.  All that remains is the Introduction, a chorus and a septet.  Wagner destroyed the libretto.

    The 50th anniversary of Wagner’s death is celebrated in Leipzig in a large ceremony attended by Chancellor Hitler, Winifred and Wieland Wagner, cabinet members, diplomats, and artistic figures.

    13 February 1934 Richard Strauss (69) presides over the first meeting of the Reichsmusikkammer.  At the conclusion, three Sieg Heils are proclaimed and Hitler is called the “champion and creator of the work of national culture.”

    Nadia Boulanger (46) makes her official Paris conducting debut, directing the orchestra of the École Normale.

    13 February 1935 Anton Webern (51) conducts the Vienna Philharmonic on Austrian State Radio for the last time (for both conductor and orchestra).  The authorities probably object to Webern’s programming of the (†87) Mendelssohn Violin Concerto.

    13 February 1938 The Great Citizen, a film with music by Dmitri Shostakovich (31), is shown for the first time.

    Les petits cardinales, an operetta by Arthur Honegger (45) and Jacques Ibert, to words of Willemetz and Brach after Halévy, is performed for the first time, at the Bouffes-Parisiens.

    Jubilee Cantata for baritone, narrator, chorus, and orchestra by Vladimir Ussachevsky (26) is performed for the first time, at Pomona College, Claremont, California to celebrate its 50th anniversary.  Also premiered is Ussachevsky’s Lord’s Prayer for male chorus.

    13 February 1944 The Soundless Song for soprano, chamber ensemble, dancers, and lights by Otto Luening (43) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in the New York Public Library, 21 years after it was composed.  The premiere is an arrangement for soprano and piano.  Also premiered is Luening’s Gliding O’er All for voice and piano to words of Whitman.

    13 February 1945 Poems for Piano, Volume 2 op.5 by Vincent Persichetti (29) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of radio station WNYC, New York by the composer.

    13 February 1950 Duo for viola and cello by Walter Piston (56) is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles.

    13 February 1951 Two Pieces for the piano by Robert Ward (33) are performed for the first time, at the Peabody Institute, Baltimore.  Also premiered is Ward’s Scherzo for piano.

    13 February 1953 Trionfo di Afrodite, a scenic concerto by Carl Orff (57) to words of Catullus, Sappho, and Euripedes, is performed for the first time, at Teatro alla Scala, Milan, as part of the first performance of the complete Trionfi, made up of Carmina Burana, Catulli Carmina, and Trionfo di Afrodite.

    Ritual Dances from Michael Tippett’s (48) unperformed opera The Midsummer Marriage, are performed for the first time, in the Musiksaal, Basel.  See 27 January 1955.

    13 February 1954 O Frabjous Day! from Two Settings from Lewis Carroll for voice and original instruments by Harry Partch (52) is performed for the first time, in Mill Valley, California.

    13 February 1955 Silhouette, a song for voice and piano by Leonard Bernstein (36) to words of the composer after a Lebanese folk song, is performed for the first time, in the National Gallery of Art, Washington.

    13 February 1957 A film of the musical Funny Face with music by George Gershwin (†19) is released.

    13 February 1958 La rose des vents, a ballet by Darius Milhaud (65) to a story by Vidalie and Petit, is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    13 February 1959 Parables, a symphonic suite by Bohuslav Martinu (68), is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    13 February 1961 Symphonic Dances from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein (42) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York, conducted by Lukas Foss (38).  See 19 August 1957.

    13 February 1962 The Paris premiere of Olivier Messiaen’s (53) Chronochromie for orchestra at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées causes violent disagreement in the audience.  The composer himself is almost accosted by a furious music lover.

    Henry Cowell (64) is elected Vice-President of the National Institute of Arts and Letters.

    13 February 1964 Philomel for soprano and four-track tape by Milton Babbitt (47) is performed for the first time, at Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts.

    13 February 1965 Four Statements for organ by Leslie Bassett (42) is performed for the first time, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

    13 February 1969 Scherzi musicali for chamber orchestra by Ulysses Kay (52) is performed for the first time, in Detroit.

    13 February 1972 The second of the Five Bagatelles for guitar by William Walton (69) is performed for the first time, in Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.  See 27 May 1972.

    Ni Bruit Ni Vitesse for two pianos and two percussionists or prepared piano, tape, percussion, and prepared percussion by Lukas Foss (49) is performed for the first time, in Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, conducted by the composer.

    13 February 1978 Fiery Wind for orchestra by Roger Reynolds (43) is performed for the first time, in Alice Tully Hall, New York.

    13 February 1979 Fast Fantasy for cello and piano by Charles Wuorinen (40) is performed for the first time, in a recording session for Finnish Radio, Helsinki.

    13 February 1981 Aïs for solo percussion, amplified baritone, and orchestra by Iannis Xenakis (58) to words of Homer and Sappho is performed for the first time, in Munich.

    Axolotl for cello and electronics by Morton Subotnick (47) is performed for the first time, in Washington.  See 15 February 1982.

    In Praise of Winds for band by Gunther Schuller (55) is performed for the first time, in Hill Auditorium of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

    13 February 1983 Short Suite for orchestra by Charles Wuorinen (44) is performed for the first time, at the State University of New York, Purchase the composer conducting.

    13 February 1985 The Dresden Opera House, faithfully restored, opens for its first postwar season with Weber’s (†158) Der Freischütz, exactly forty years after it (and the rest of Dresden) was destroyed.  It is broadcast live on both East and West German television.  See 13 February 1945.

    13 February 1989 Schwebende Begegnung for orchestra by Wolfgang Rihm (36) is performed for the first time, in Ludwigshafen.

    13 February 1993 Fratres for violin, strings, and percussion by Arvo Pärt (57) is performed for the first time, in Perth, Australia.

    Maldoror for tape by Pierre Henry (64) is performed for the first time, in Salle Olivier Messiaen of Radio France, Paris.  This is a shortened, concert version of Les chants de Maldoror.  See 14 February 1993.

    13 February 1997 American Bouquet for guitar by George Rochberg (78) is performed for the first time, at the Manhattan School of Music, New York.

    13 February 2000 Serynade for piano by Helmut Lachenmann (64) is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.

    13 February 2006 Trio in Four Movements for flute, viola, and harp by Libby Larsen (55) is performed for the first time, in Weigel Hall of Ohio State University, Columbus.

    13 February 2007 Songs and Poems for Solo Cello by Philip Glass (70) is performed for the first time, in the Baryshnikov Arts Center, New York.

    13 February 2008 Deer’s Cry for chorus by Arvo Pärt (72) to the Lorica of St. Patrick, is performed for the first time, in Dundalk and Drogheda, Ireland.

    13 February 2009 Five Choral Scherzi for chorus, viola, and guitar by Samuel Adler (80) is performed for the first time, at the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York.

    13 February 2015 Hestene Staar I Regnet for voice, Hardanger fiddle, and piano by Libby Larsen (64), to words of Andersen (tr.Loge), is performed for the first time.

    14 February

    14 February 1602 Francesco Cavalli is born in Crema.

    14 February 1760 The Jovial Crew or the Merry Beggars, a comic opera by Thomas Augustine Arne (49) to words of Roome, Concanen and Yonge after Brome, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    14 February 1765 Kirchenmusik zur Vermählung Kaiser Joseph d. II und Josepha by Georg Philipp Telemann (83) to words of Zimmermann is performed for the first time, in the Johanneskirche, Hamburg.

    14 February 1767 Johann Christian Bach’s (31) opera Carattaco to words by Bottarelli is performed for the first time, at King’s Theatre, London.

    14 February 1779 I filosofi immaginari, a dramma giocoso by Giovanni Paisiello (38) to words of Bertati, is performed for the first time, at the Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

    14 February 1792 John Field (9) performs on the piano for the first time in public, in a program with other children in the Exhibition Rooms, William Street, Dublin.

    14 February 1798 Johann Simon Mayr’s (34) dramma per musica Lauso e Lidia, to words of Foppa after Marmontel, is performed for the first time, in Teatro La Fenice, Venice.

    14 February 1803 Vienna publishers Artaria and Co. file a petition in the High Police Court, Vienna in an effort to force a retraction from Beethoven (32) of his published statement of 22 January.  See 26 September 1803.

    14 February 1813 Alyeksandr Sergeyevich Dargomizhsky is born in Troitskoye, Tula District, south of Moscow, son of a wealthy landowner, himself the illegitimate son of a nobleman, and Princess Kozlovskaya, a poet.

    14 February 1818 In articles appearing in Vienna journals, Ludwig van Beethoven (47) and Antonio Salieri (67) recommend the use of Johann Nepomuk Maelzel’s new contraption, the metronome.

    14 February 1821 Carl Loewe (24) becomes musical director for the City of Stettin (Szczecin).  He will work in Stettin for the next 45 years.

    14 February 1822 Montrose, or The Children of the Mist, an opera by Henry R. Bishop (35) and others, to words of Pocock, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    14 February 1829 La straniera, a melodramma by Vincenzo Bellini (27) to words of Romani after Prévôt, is performed for the first time, in Teatro alla Scala, Milan.  It is even more successful than last year’s Il pirata.

    14 February 1847 Hector Berlioz (43) leaves Paris for St. Petersburg.  His lover, Marie Recio, is not informed of the details of his whereabouts.  The trip is made during an unusually snowy winter.

    Franz Liszt (35) gives the first of two concerts in Kiev.  It is probably here that Princess Carolyne Sayn-Wittgenstein first sees and hears Liszt.

    14 February 1850 Introduction and Allegro Appassionato for piano and orchestra by Robert Schumann (39) is performed for the first time, in Leipzig, Clara Schumann (30) at the keyboard.  The work is not successful.

    14 February 1854 Bürger-Ball-Polka op.145 and Musen-Polka op.147 by Johann Strauss (28) are performed for the first time, in the Redoutensaal, Vienna.

    14 February 1855 Aurora-Polka op.165 by Johann Strauss (29) is performed for the first time, in the Sperl Ballroom, Vienna.

    14 February 1859 Franz Liszt (47) writes to Grand Duke Carl Alexander of Weimar resigning his post as Kapellmeister.

    14 February 1860 Accelerationen op.234, a waltz by Johann Strauss (34), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    14 February 1865 Electrofor-Polka op.297 by Johann Strauss (39) is performed for the first time, in the Dianabadsaal, Vienna.

    14 February 1871 Auf freiem Fuße op.345, a polka française by Johann Strauss (45), is performed for the first time, in the Redoutensaal, Vienna.

    14 February 1880 The Vienna Conservatory informs Leos Janácek (25) that he may transfer his studies from Leipzig to Vienna for the current term ending 15 July.

    Two chamber works by Gabriel Fauré (34) are performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris:  Piano Quartet no.1 op.15 and Berceuse op.16 for violin and piano, along with the premiere of Fauré’s Concerto for violin and orchestra op.14.

    14 February 1881 Walpurgisnacht op.75/4 for two sopranos and piano by Johannes Brahms (47) to words of Alexis is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    14 February 1882 Two works by Johann Strauss (56) are performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna:  the quadrille Der lustige Krieg op.402, Entweder--oder! op.403, a polka schnell.

    14 February 1883 More than 24 hours after the death of Richard Wagner, Cosima Wagner is persuaded by family members to let go of his body.  He died in her arms yesterday, in Venice.

    Upon hearing the news of Wagner’s death, Hugo Wolf (22) plays the funeral march from Götterdämmerung, then spends the rest of the day in a tree crying.

    On hearing of the death of Richard Wagner, Giuseppe Verdi (69) writes to his publisher, “Sad.  Sad.  Sad!  Wagner is dead!  When I read the news yesterday I may truly say that I was crushed!  It is a great individual who has disappeared!  A name that leaves a powerful imprint on the history of art!”  (Barker, 284)

    Anton Bruckner (58) is at the Vienna Conservatory when he hears of the death of Richard Wagner.  Currently composing the adagio movement of his Symphony no.7, he concludes the work with funeral music in honor of his mentor.

    Sulle rive di Chiaja for piano by Pietro Mascagni (19) is performed for the first time, at the Istituto Musicale Luigi Cherubini, Livorno.

    14 February 1884 Annina op.415, a polka mazurka by Johann Strauss (58), is performed for the first time, in the Volksgarten, Vienna.

    14 February 1888 While Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (47) is in Prague on a concert tour, he meets Antonín Dvorák (46).

    14 February 1889 Violin Sonata in D by Hubert Parry (40) is performed for the first time, in London.

    14 February 1892 Parts of La Nuit Persane by Camille Saint-Saëns (56) to words of Renaud, a version for solo voices and orchestra of his 1870 song cycle Mélodies Persanes, are performed for the first time, in Paris.

    14 February 1894 Trio for piano and strings op.2 by Max Reger (20) is performed for the first time, in Berlin the composer at the keyboard, in the first concert devoted entirely to the music of Reger.

    14 February 1901 Charles T. Griffes (16) appears in public as pianist for the first time in a concert sponsored by the Elmira, New York Women’s Club.  He plays Weber’s (†74) Rondo Brillante and Chopin’s (†51) Ballade op.23.

    14 February 1902 The cases of the antagonists in the Pelléas et Mélisande case, Claude Debussy (39) and Maurice Maeterlinck, are placed before the Société des Auteurs.

    14 February 1905 Chérubin, a comédie chantée by Jules Massenet (62) to words of de Croisset and Cain, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra de Monte Carlo.  The audience is very enthusiastic, requiring constant encores.

    14 February 1908 Déclin d’amour op.13/1 for voice and piano by Charles Koechlin (40) to words of Sully-Prudhomme is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    14 February 1909 Flammes op.10 for voice and piano by Albert Roussel (39) to words of Jean-Aubry is performed for the first time, in Le Havre, the composer at the keyboard.  Also premiered is Amoureux séparés, the second of Roussel’s Deux Poèmes chinois op.12 for voice and piano to words of Roché, the composer at the keyboard.

    14 February 1912 Piano Concerto no.1 by Alyeksandr Glazunov (46) is performed for the first time, in the Hall of the Nobility, St. Petersburg.

    14 February 1914 Vanity of Vanities, a choral symphony by Granville Bantock (45), is performed for the first time, in Liverpool.

    14 February 1915 Paris, a patriotic ode for tenor and orchestra by César Franck (†24) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    14 February 1919 The Hungarian Council of Ministers reorganizes the Budapest Academy of Music as the National Academy of Music of Hungary.  Ernö Dohnányi is appointed director, Zoltán Kodály (36) is deputy director.  With the fall of the Republic of Councils seven months from now, these men will come under official scrutiny.  See 25 June 1920.

    14 February 1920 Erik Satie’s (53) symphonic drama Socrate is performed publicly for the first time, in a piano setting, by the Société National de Musique in Salle de l’Ancien Conservatoire, Paris.  Critics are confused and mixed.  See 3 April 1918, 24 June 1918, 21 March 1919, and 7 June 1920.

    14 February 1922 String Quartet no.1 by Otto Luening (21) is performed for the first time, in Chicago.

    14 February 1925 The second and possibly the first of the Three Quarter-Tone Pieces for two pianos by Charles Ives (50) are performed for the first time, in Aeolian Hall, New York.

    14 February 1931 Trois mélodies for voice and piano by Olivier Messiaen (22) to words of the composer and Cécile Sauvage (his mother) are performed for the first time, in Paris the composer at the keyboard.

    14 February 1934 El castillo de Almodovar for orchestra by Joaquín Turina (51) is performed for the first time, in Madrid.

    14 February 1940 Second Construction for four percussionists by John Cage (27) is performed for the first time, at Reed College in Portland, Oregon.

    14 February 1943 Three works for prepared piano by John Cage (30) are performed for the first time, at the Arts Club of Chicago by the composer to dances of Merce Cunningham:  In the Name of the Holocaust, Ad Lib, and Shimmera.

    14 February 1944 Canon and Fugue op.33a for orchestra by Wallingford Riegger (58) is performed for the first time, in New York.  See 1 August 1942.

    14 February 1945 The city now engulfed in a firestorm, US planes attack Dresden.  Returning from Prague to Berlin, a contingent of German soldiers including Private Hans Werner Henze (18) passes through the city.

    14 February 1948 Order no.17 of the Chief Direction in Control of Representations and Repertoire of the Commission in Charge of the Arts under the Auspices of the Council of Ministers of the USSR is issued.  It bans a long list of music by Sergey Prokofiev (56), Dmitri Shostakovich (41), and many other prominent Soviet composers.  See 16 March 1949.

    A public rehearsal of Trois Tâla by Olivier Messiaen (39) takes place at the Paris Conservatoire.  Afterwards, Pierre Boulez (22) goes backstage and tells his teacher Messiaen that the piece makes him want to vomit.  The relationship between the two will be cool for a few years.

    14 February 1949 An aria and duet from William Grant Still’s (53) unperformed opera Troubled Island are performed over the airwaves of WNYC radio, New York.  See 31 March 1949.

    14 February 1953 Two works by Florent Schmitt (82) are performed for the first time:  Trois poèmes de Ganzo op.118 for voice and piano, and Clarinet Sextet op.128.

    14 February 1956 Steven Mackey is born in Frankfurt to American parents.

    Drei sinfonische Etuden für Orchester by Hans Werner Henze (29) is performed for the first time, in Hamburg.

    14 February 1958 Waltz Serenade for orchestra by George Rochberg (39) is performed for the first time, in Cincinnati.

    14 February 1960 Samuel Adler (31) marries Carol Ellen Stalker of Rochester, New York, a poet, at Temple B’rith Kodesh in Rochester.

    14 February 1962 Incidental music to the radio production of Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s The Tower by Roberto Gerhard (65) is broadcast for the first time, over the airwaves of BBC Third Programme.

    14 February 1964 Narration:  A Description of the Passing of a Year for chorus by Harrison Birtwistle (29) after Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is performed for the first time, in Wigmore Hall, London.

    14 February 1966 Thereminist Paul Tanner is called in to a recording session at the home of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys in Los Angeles.  One song is “Good Vibrations” but Tanner feels the result is not satisfactory and will not be pursued.  He is in error.

    14 February 1967 Chorales for Orchestra by Harrison Birtwistle (32) is performed for the first time, in Royal Festival Hall, London.

    14 February 1969 Versuch über Schweine for baritone and orchestra by Hans Werner Henze (42) to words of Salvatore, is performed for the first time, in Queen Elizabeth Hall, London the composer conducting.  The audience is very appreciative.

    Photoptosis, a prelude for orchestra by Bernd Alois Zimmermann (50), is performed for the first time, in Gelsenkirchen.

    14 February 1970 Love 200 for voice, rock band, and orchestra by Peter Sculthorpe (40), to words of Morphett, is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, Sydney.

    14 February 1972 The Trial of Mary Lincoln, a television opera by Thomas Pasatieri (26) to words of Bailey, is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of television station WGBH, Boston.

    14 February 1974 Several articles appear in China commenting on Ottorino Respighi’s (†37) Pines of Rome, played by the Philadelphia Orchestra in Peking last September.  It is criticized as a “bourgeois work,” “weird and bizarre,” and indicative of the “nasty, rotten life and decadent sentiments.”  Beethoven (†146) and Schubert (†145) are also attacked.

    14 February 1982 Winter Pages for clarinet, bassoon, piano, violin, and cello by Ned Rorem (58) is performed for the first time, in Alice Tully Hall, New York.

    14 February 1984 Thalleïn for 14 players by Iannis Xenakis (61) is performed for the first time, in London.

    Picnic on the Marne for saxophone and piano by Ned Rorem (60) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Recital Hall, New York.

    14 February 1985 Filtres II for flute and piano by Jean-Claude Risset (46) is performed for the first time, in Nice.

    Winds of Nagual--Musical Fable for Wind Ensemble on the Writings of Carlos Castaneda by Michael Colgrass (52) is performed for the first time, at the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston.

    14 February 1987 Two works by Arnold Bax (†33) are heard for the first time, over the airwaves of BBC Radio 3:  Nympholept for piano composed in 1912, and In the Night for piano composed in 1914.  The recording was made 17 September 1986.

    14 February 1988 Charles Wuorinen’s (49) orchestral piece Another Happy Birthday is performed for the first time, in Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco.

    14 February 1991 Song of the Enchanter for orchestra by Thea Musgrave (62) is performed for the first time, in Helsinki.

    David’s Fascinating Rhythm Method for orchestra by John Harbison (52) is performed for the first time, in Baltimore.

    14 February 1992 An infirm William Schuman (81) falls in his New York apartment, breaking a hip and a hand.  He is taken to Lenox Hill Hospital across the street from his apartment.  Doctors operate on his hip.

    14 February 1993 Les chants de Maldoror, a “feuilleton radiophonique” in 50 episodes by Pierre Henry (65) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of France Musique from today until 23 April.  See 13 February 1993.

    14 February 1996 Valentine Piece for flute and little bell by Henryk Górecki (62) is performed for the first time, in Merkin Concert Hall, New York.  Also premiered is Valentine Trills for flute by Joan Tower (57).

    14 February 1997 Sonata for flute and harp op.56 by Lowell Liebermann (35) is performed for the first time, at the University of Delaware.

    14 February 1998 Cello Acrostic for cello by David Del Tredici (60) is performed for the first time, at the University of South Florida.

    14 February 2001 A Lover’s Journey for six male voices by Libby Larsen (50), to words of Joyce, Shakespeare, and Simrock, is performed for the first time, at St. Bartholomew’s Church, New York.

    Two works for treble chorus by Libby Larsen (50) are performed for the first time, in Koger Auditorium of the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque:  Jack’s Valentine to words of Humphreys, and Touch the Air Softly to words of Smith.

    14 February 2004 Echappées for celtic harp and computerized sounds by Jean-Claude Risset (65) is performed for the first time, in Marseille.

    15 February

    15 February 1621 Michael Praetorius dies in Wolfenbüttel, aged approximately 50 years.

    15 February 1759 Cymbeline, a play by Hawkins after Shakespeare, with music by Thomas Augustine Arne (48), is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    15 February 1771 Der büssende Sünder, an oratorio by Michael Haydn (33), is performed for the first time, in Salzburg.

    15 February 1781 Christian Gottlob Neefe (33) is named a candidate for court organist in Bonn.  While there, he will be composition instructor to an aspiring young musician named Ludwig van Beethoven (10).

    15 February 1783 Emperor Joseph II decides to reopen the Italian opera in Vienna.  The singers and instrumentalists are chosen by the Emperor personally, along with Antonio Salieri (32).

    15 February 1791 Cora, an opéra by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (27) to words of Valadier after Marmontel, is performed for the first time, at the Académie Royale de Musique (Paris Opéra).

    15 February 1802 Volume Two of Clementi’s Practical Harmony by Muzio Clementi (50) is published in London.

    15 February 1803 Delphis et Mopsa, a comédie lyrique by André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry (62) to words of Guy, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.

    15 February 1812 Due to tensions between France and Russia, and his pending divorce proceedings, Adrien Boieldieu (36) writes to Tsar Alyeksandr from Paris that he must resign his position as Kapellmeister.

    15 February 1828 The Société des Concerts (Conservatoire concerts) is created by a decree of the French government.  Luigi Cherubini (67) is named president of the society.

    15 February 1832 Friedrich Wieck and his daughter Clara (12) reach Paris.  Here they will meet Nicolò Paganini (49), Friedrich Kalkbrenner (46), Giacomo Meyerbeer (40), Henri Herz (29), Felix Mendelssohn (22) and Frédéric Chopin (21).  Clara is introduced to Parisian music making and society.

    15 February 1838 Felix Mendelssohn (29) conducts the first of four “historical concerts” featuring the music of JS Bach (†87), Handel (†78) and Gluck (†50).

    15 February 1845 Giovanna d’Arco, a dramma lirico by Giuseppe Verdi (31) to words of Solera after Schiller, is performed for the first time, in Teatro alla Scala, Milan and enjoys enormous popular success.

    15 February 1846 At the first of two concerts at the National Theatre in Pest, Hector Berlioz (42) performs his Marche hongroise.  Before leaving Vienna, the intendant of the National Theatre, told him to write something based on a Hungarian tune if he wants the Hungarians to like him and he gives Berlioz a collection to choose from.  He chooses an air called Rákóczy and the piece is completed by the time he reaches Pest.  Berlioz thinks that he is simply doing homage to his hosts by setting a national march, but his music inspires the revolutionary Hungarians to foot-stomping and nationalist demonstrations which drown out the orchestra.  Berlioz will leave Pest a national hero.

    15 February 1847 Franz Liszt (35) visits the home of Princess Carolyne Sayn-Wittgenstein in Kiev.  She invites him to her country estates.  He accepts.

    Seladon-Quadrille op.48 by Johann Strauss (21) is performed for the first time, in Dommayer’s Casino, Heitzing.

    15 February 1857 05:00  Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka dies in an apartment at Französische Strasse 8 in Berlin, probably of carcinoma of the stomach, aged 52 years, eight months and 14 days.

    Symphonie en fa “Urbs Roma” by Camille Saint-Saëns (21) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    15 February 1858 Jux-Brüde op.208, a waltz by Johann Strauss (32), is performed for the first time, in the Sperl Ballroom, Vienna.

    15 February 1860 The Journal des débats publishes Richard Wagner’s (46) soft-spoken reply to Berlioz’ (56) article of 9 February, all 1,400 words of it.

    15 February 1867 An der schönen blauen Donau for chorus by Johann Strauss (41) to words of Weyl is performed for the first time, by 1,200 male voices in the Dianabadsaal, Vienna.  It is a failure and receives mixed reviews.

    15 February 1868 The second version of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s (27) Symphony no.1 “Winter Daydreams” is performed for the first time, in Moscow.  See 1 December 1883.

    Le premier jour de bonheur, an opéra comique by Daniel-François-Esprit Auber (86) to words of d’Ennery and Cormon, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Favart, Paris.

    15 February 1869 Trio for strings D.581 by Franz Schubert (†40) is performed for the first time, in St. James’ Hall, London, 52 years after it was composed.

    15 February 1872 The Correspondenica teatral in Valladolid contains the first extant notice of a concert by Isaac Albéniz (11).  “Words fail us in praising such mastery, such feeling, such perfection...he will be one of the glories of Spanish art.”  However, this is not his first performance.

    15 February 1873 Valentin Alkan (59) makes his first appearance as pianist since 1849 in the first of six “Petits concerts” at the Salle Erard, Paris.  Despite a couple of memory losses, the concert is warmly received by the audience.

    15 February 1874 Antonín Dvorák (32) takes up the position of organist at St. Adalbert’s Church, Prague.

    Patrie overture by Georges Bizet (35) is performed for the first time, at the Cirque d’hiver, Paris to an appreciative audience.

    15 February 1882 Cuanto más viejo, a zarzuela by Isaac Albéniz (21) to words of Zapino, is performed for the first time, in the Teatro de Bilbao.  It is the first stage work of Albéniz.

    15 February 1883 The new Tsar, Alyeksandr III, appoints Mily Balakirev (46) as Superintendent of the Court Chapel, with Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov (38) as his assistant.

    15 February 1884 Mazepa, an opera by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (43) to words of Burenin after Pushkin, revised by the composer, is performed for the first time, in the Bolshoy Theatre, Moscow.  It is a great popular success.  See 3 March 1883.

    Ferruccio Busoni (17) visits Anton Rubinstein (54) in Vienna.  Rubinstein accepts the dedication of Busoni’s Piano Sonata in f minor, although he has no time to actually hear it.

    15 February 1886 Blessed are the dead, a motet for chorus and organ by Charles Villiers Stanford (33) to words of the Bible, is performed for the first time, at a memorial service for Henry Bradshaw in King’s College Chapel, Cambridge.

    15 February 1888 Liebesglut op.47/2, a song by Johannes Brahms (54) to words of Hafis, is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    15 February 1895 Three chamber works by Enrique Granados (27) are performed for the first time, in Madrid, the composer at the keyboard in each:  Piano Quintet in g, Trio for violin, cello, and piano, and Valses poéticos.

    15 February 1897 Octet for two clarinets, two violins, viola, cello, bass, and harp by Charles Martin Loeffler (36) is performed for the first time, in Association Hall, Boston.

    15 February 1900 Selbstgefühl for solo voice and piano, words by Brentano and von Arnim, music by Gustav Mahler (39), is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    15 February 1905 29 of the leading musicians of the Russian nation sign a letter to the press demanding political reforms.  It includes the following:  “When life is in shackles, art cannot be free...When there is no freedom of thought, no freedom of religion, no freedom of expression, and no freedom of the press, all living artistic ideas of the nation are constrained, and creative art withers.”

    15 February 1912 After a concert in Berlin in which Richard Strauss (47) conducts the Berlin Philharmonic, Arnold Schoenberg (37) introduces him to Anton von Webern (28).  It is not known what transpires, but Strauss and Webern will never have dealings nor speak to one another again.

    15 February 1914 Carissima for small orchestra by Edward Elgar (56) is given it’s first public performance, in the Royal Albert Hall, London.  See 21 January 1914.

    15 February 1918 Incidental music to Sigurjónsson’s play The Liar by Carl Nielsen (52) is performed for the first time, in Copenhagen.

    Sergey Rakhmaninov (44) makes his first appearance as an emigre artist, in Copenhagen with the Copenhagen Symphony Orchestra.

    Incidental music to Aristophanes’ play The Birds by Alphons Diepenbrock (55) is performed for the first time, in the Paleis voor Volksvlijt, Amsterdam.

    15 February 1919 Incidental music to Oehlenschlaeger’s play Aladdin by Carl Nielsen (53) is performed for the first time, at the Royal Theatre, Copenhagen.

    Music for Four Stringed Instruments by Charles Martin Loeffler (58) is performed for the first time, in Aeolian Hall, New York.  The composer, Isabella Stewart Gardner, and Charles T. Griffes (38) are present.

    15 February 1924 Karl Amadeus Hartmann (18) is admitted to the Staatliche Akademie der Tonkunst in Munich.

    15 February 1925 The first “Thirteenth Sound” concert, featuring the microtonal music of Julián Carrillo (50) takes place in the Teatro Pincipal, Mexico City.  Works by Carrillo premiered are Preludio a Colón for soprano, flute, guitar, violin, octavina, and harp, Ave María for chorus, octavina, flute, guitar, arpa-citara, violin, and cello, Plenilunio en Tepepan for voices and harp, Prelude no.1 for cello, string quartet, bass, and arpa-citara, and Hoja de album for mezzo-soprano, english horn, and cello.

    15 February 1928 Chanson d’amour op.5/3 for voice and piano by Charles Koechlin (60) to words of Bouilhet is performed for the first time, in Salle des agriculteurs, Paris, 35 years after it was composed.

    Gods for mezzo-soprano, cello, and strings by Marc Blitzstein (22) to words of Whitman is performed for the first time, in the Pennsylvania Athletic Club Ballroom, Philadelphia.

    15 February 1929 Virgil Thomson (32) sings through Four Saints in Three Acts in the Manhattan apartment of Carl Van Vechten before a small contingent of invited, influential guests.  Reaction is mixed.

    15 February 1930 Çançunik for orchestra by Florent Schmitt (59) is performed for the first time, in Paris.  Also premiered is his orchestration of J’entends dans le lointain for piano and orchestra.

    15 February 1931 Sonata for flute and piano by Walter Piston (37) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    String Quartet “The Italian” by Marc Blitzstein (25) is performed for the first time, at the Philadelphia Academy of Music.

    15 February 1932 Two song cycles for voice and piano by Hans Pfitzner (62) are performed for the first time, in Munich:  Sechs Lieder op.40 and Drei Sonette op.41 to words of Berger and Eichendorff.

    15 February 1934 The Social Democratic Party of Austria is abolished by the government.  It administered the Kunststelle, which was in charge of the Workmen’s Symphony Concerts and the Singverein, directed by Anton Webern (50).

    Premonitions, a song by Charles Ives (59) to words of Johnson, is performed for the first time, in San Francisco.

    15 February 1935 String Trio no.2 by Bohuslav Martinu (44) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    Three songs by Charles Ives (60) are performed for the first time, in Vienna:  At the River, to words of Lowry, Immortality to his own words, and The Children’s Hour to words of Longfellow.

    15 February 1940 Paul Hindemith (44) arrives by ship in New York from Genoa.  Travelling on a German passport he was stopped and questioned in Gibraltar by the Royal Navy.  After a perfunctory interview, the captain in charge tells him “Right-O, Mr. Hindemith.  Good by and good luck.”  The composer tells his wife, “I hope the fellow is soon promoted to Admiral.”

    15 February 1941 In Los Angeles, Duke Ellington (41) and his Orchestra record what will become his signature tune, Billy Strayhorn’s Take the A Train.

    15 February 1942 When Johnny Comes Marching Home for band by Roy Harris (44) is performed publicly for the first time, in Mandel Hall at the University of Chicago.

    15 February 1944 Ludus Tonalis for piano by Paul Hindemith (48) is performed for the first time, at the University of Chicago.

    15 February 1946 Dance Sonata for piano by Otto Luening (45) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of radio station WNYC, New York.

    15 February 1947 John Coolidge Adams is born in Worcester, Massachusetts, the only child of Carl John Vincent Adams and Elinore Mary Coolidge.  Both are semi-professional jazz musicians.

    15 February 1948 Movements 3, 4, and 5 of Turangalila-Symphonie by Olivier Messiaen (39) are performed for the first time, under the name Trois Tâla, at the Paris Conservatoire.  See 2 December 1949.

    15 February 1950 Sonata for violin and piano by Bernd Alois Zimmermann (31) is performed for the first time, at the Musikhochschule, Cologne.

    15 February 1951 A String Quartet in c minor by Anton Bruckner (†54) is performed for the first time, in Berlin, 89 years after it was composed.

    15 February 1953 Woodwind Quintet by Hans Werner Henze (26) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of Radio Bremen.

    15 February 1955 Dance Preludes for clarinet and orchestra by Witold Lutoslawski (42) is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.  See 10 November 1959.

    The Little Song that Wanted to be a Symphony for speaker, three women singers, and orchestra by William Grant Still (59) to words of his wife, Verna Avery, is performed for the first time, in Bailey Auditorium, Jackson, Mississippi.

    15 February 1956 Symphony in E flat by Ernest Bloch (75) is performed for the first time, in London.

    The Wife of Martin Guerre, an opera by William Bergsma (34) to words of Lewis, is performed for the first time, in New York.

    15 February 1957 The Poet’s Requiem for soprano, chorus, and orchestra by Ned Rorem (33) to various authors, is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.

    15 February 1958 David Diamond’s (42) symphonic suite The World of Paul Klee is performed for the first time, in Portland, Oregon.

    15 February 1962 A Solemn Music for orchestra by Virgil Thomson (65) is performed for the first time, in New York, conducted by Nadia Boulanger (74).

    15 February 1963 Spirit of the Avalanche, a chamber opera by Alan Hovhaness (51) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Tokyo.

    15 February 1965 Die Soldaten, an opera by Bernd Alois Zimmermann (46) to his own words after Lenz, is performed for the first time, in the Städtische Bühnen Cologne.

    15 February 1967 Mutations II for piano by Ralph Shapey (45) is performed for the first time, at Bowling Green State University, Ohio.

    15 February 1970 A fire in the apartment of Stefan Wolpe (67) in New York causes severe damage to his writings, paintings, and other personal items.  He will receive money from the Rockefeller Foundation to repair damaged manuscripts.

    Concerto for brass quintet and strings by Karel Husa (48) is performed for the first time, in Buffalo conducted by Lukas Foss (47).

    15 February 1971 Lassus ricercare for ten instruments by Betsy Jolas (44) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    Mise en musique du Corticalart by Pierre Henry (43) and Roger Lafosse is performed for the first time.  It is an attempt to turn brain waves into art.

    15 February 1981 The Goose Girl, a children’s opera by Thomas Pasatieri (35) to his own words after the Brothers Grimm, is performed for the first time, in Fort Worth, Texas.

    15 February 1982 Axolotl, in a version for cello, chamber orchestra, and electronics by Morton Subotnick (48), is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles.  See 13 February 1981.

    15 February 1983 Archipelago for chamber ensemble and electronic sound generators by Roger Reynolds (48) is performed for the first time, in the Georges Pompidou Center, Paris.

    Exequien for Calvin Simmons for alto flute, bass clarinet (or vibraphone or piano or two violas), and cello by John Harbison (44) is performed for the first time, at Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts.

    The Andrée Expedition, a cycle for voice and piano by Dominick Argento (55) to words of Salomon Andrée, Nils Strindberg, and Knut Frankel, is performed for the first time, in O’Shaughnessy Auditorium, St. Paul, Minnesota.

    15 February 1984 Concerto for saxophone and orchestra by Robert Ward (66) is performed for the first time, in Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte, North Carolina.

    15 February 1987 Ce-A-Ge-E for piano and harmonizer by Mauricio Kagel (55) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of WDR 3 by the composer.

    Acrostic Song for soprano and ten instruments by David Del Tredici (49), to words of Carroll, is performed for the first time, in St. Clemens Church, New York.

    15 February 1990 Ground for harpsichord by Magnus Lindberg (31) is performed for the first time, in Helsinki.

    15 February 1992 11:43  William Howard Schuman dies in New York, from a heart attack after surgery for a hip ailment, aged 81 years, six months, and eleven days.

    String Quartet no.5 by Philip Glass (55) is performed for the first time.

    15 February 1995 Invocation for horn, timpani, and chimes by Shulamit Ran (45) is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

    15 February 1996 Paean op.49 for wind band by Lowell Liebermann (34) is performed for the first time, in San Antonio, Texas.

    15 February 1998 Sketches for a symphony by Edward Elgar (†63) and elaborated by Payne are performed for the first time as Elgar’s Symphony no.3 in Royal Festival Hall, London, 65 years after they were made by the composer.

    Equale for four trombones by Leslie Bassett (75) is performed for the first time, at Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina.

    15 February 2002 Veni Creator Spiritus for organ by Peter Maxwell Davies (67) is performed for the first time, in Rochester Cathedral.

    15 February 2005 Réflexions for chamber ensemble by Elliott Carter (96) is performed for the first time, at Cité de la Musique, Paris, conducted by the dedicatee, Pierre Boulez (79).

    15 February 2006 Two works for orchestra by Arvo Pärt (70) are performed for the first time, in Turin Cathedral:  La Sindone and La tela traslata.

    Feast During a Plague for orchestra by Sofia Gubaidulina (74) is performed for the first time, in Philadelphia.

    Song Concerto for saxophones and chamber orchestra by Libby Larsen (55) is performed for the first time, in Hancher Auditorium, University of Iowa, Iowa City.

    15 February 2007 Eighth Symphony by Charles Wuorinen (68) is performed for the first time, in Symphony Hall, Boston.

    15 February 2009 Little Cosmic Dust Poem for voice and piano by John Luther Adams (56), to words of Haines, is performed for the first time, at Eastern University, St. Davids, Pennsylvania.

    15 February 2011 Concerto for tuba and orchestra no.2 by Gunther Schuller (85) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    16 February

    16 February 1709 Charles Avison is baptized in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

    16 February 1756 L’Olimpiade, an opera by Johann Adolf Hasse (56) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in the Dresden Court Opera.

    16 February 1763 Il trionfo d’amore, a pastorale by Niccolò Jommelli (48) to words of Tagliazucchi, is performed for the first time, on an improvised stage in Ludwigsburg.

    16 February 1764 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (8) is seized with a “violent sore throat and catarrh” in Paris and is in danger of choking to death.  He will recover in four days.

    16 February 1767 Joseph Haydn’s (34) opera La Canterina is performed for the first time outside Eisenstadt, in the garden of the Primate’s Palace, Pressburg (Bratislava), the composer at the harpsichord.

    16 February 1771 Niccolò Piccinni (43) is appointed second organist of the Royal Chapel, Naples.  During his ten years as second organist, Piccinni will spend much of his time on leave and away at the opera centers of Europe, especially Rome.

    16 February 1778 An untitled intermezzo by Luigi Cherubini (17) is performed for the first time, in Teatro di Serviti, Florence.

    16 February 1822 Zelmira, a dramma by Gioachino Rossini (29) to words of Tottola after Dormont de Belloy, is performed for the first time, in Teatro San Carlo, Naples.  It is well received.

    16 February 1826 Against the advice of his wife and friends, Carl Maria von Weber (39), ill with tuberculosis, departs Dresden for London to direct the premiere of Oberon. As he leaves, his wife believes that she will never see him again.

    16 February 1829 François-Joseph Gossec dies at Passy, Paris, aged 95 years and 30 days.  His earthly remains will be interred in Père-Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.

    A cantata for the engagement of Princess Augusta of Saxe-Weimar by Johann Nepomuk Hummel (50) is performed for the first time.

    16 February 1833 Faust, a ballet by Adolphe Adam (29) to a scenario of Deshayes, is performed for the first time, in King’s Theatre, London.

    16 February 1835 Incidental music to Apel’s play Columbus WWV 37 by Richard Wagner (21) is performed for the first time, in Magdeburg, conducted by the composer.

    16 February 1838 Frédéric Chopin (27) plays for the royal family in Paris.  He is very well received.

    16 February 1839 String Quartet no.3 op.44/1 by Felix Mendelssohn (30) is performed for the first time, in Leipzig.

    16 February 1841 The Premiere grande symphonie of César Franck (18) is performed for the first time, at the Société d’Orléans, Paris.

    16 February 1845 Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka (40) witnesses a concert conducted by Hector Berlioz (41) in the Cirque Olympique, Paris.  “I have had no greater musical pleasure than this second concert of Berlioz’.  In my opinion Berlioz is one of the most remarkable composers of our time.”

    16 February 1848 Frédéric Chopin (37) makes his first appearance in almost six years in a program which includes the public premiere of his Cello Sonata op.65.  One critic calls him “the Ariel of pianists.”  Among the 300 in attendance at the Salle Pleyel is an interested American named Louis Moreau Gottschalk (18).  Unknown to all present, this is Chopin's last performance in Paris.

    Grisélidis, ou Les cinq sens, a ballet by Adolphe Adam (45) to a scenario by Pinel Dumanoir and Mazillier, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.

    Hector Berlioz (44) conducts a command performance at the Drury Lane Theatre before Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and the Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Coburg.

    16 February 1852 Die Unzertrennlichen op.108, a waltz by Johann Strauss (26), is performed for the first time, in the Redoutensaal, Vienna.

    16 February 1853 On four successive nights beginning today, Richard Wagner (39) reads Der Ring des Nibelungen to invited guests in the Hotel Baur au Lac in Zürich.

    16 February 1854 On the birthday of the Dowager, Grand Duchess, Franz Liszt’s (42) symphonic poem Orpheus is performed for the first time, in Weimar, conducted by the composer, as an introduction to a production of Gluck’s (†66) Orfeo ed Euridice.

    L’étoile du nord, an opéra comique by Giacomo Meyerbeer (62) to words of Scribe, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Favart, Paris, in the presence of the imperial family.  It is a fantastic success and the opera will receive 100 performances in its first year at the Opéra-Comique.

    16 February 1859 Following the recommendation of a commission he appointed in 1858, the French Minister of the Interior proclaims that the universal pitch, called “diapason normal”, shall be 870 vps at 15° C. (A435).  A machine built to produce this pitch is housed in a glass case at the Paris Conservatoire.

    16 February 1867 After a quarrel between Mily Balakirev (30) and opera director Bedrich Smetana (42) in Prague, the score to Russlan and Lyudmilla mysteriously vanishes, causing Balakirev to conduct the work from memory.

    A Mass in D for vocal soloists, chorus, orchestra, and organ by John Knowles Paine (28) is performed at the Singakademie Hall in Berlin, conducted by the composer, before a full house including members of the royal family.  None of the Berlin choral groups would perform the work so Paine organized a chorus and rehearsed the work himself.  Critics are fairly positive.  See 21 July 1865.

    16 February 1868 Stanislaw Moniuszko’s (48) cantata Crimean Sonnets to words of Mickiewicz is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.

    Unter Donner und Blitz op.324, a polka schnell by Johann Strauss (42), is performed for the first time, in the Dianabadsaal, Vienna.

    16 February 1872 Epithalam zu Eduard Reményi’s Vermählungsfeier for violin and piano by Franz Liszt (60) is performed for the first time.  It was composed for Reményi’s wedding on 10 February but he does not actually perform it until today.

    16 February 1873 Fosca, an opera by Carlos Gomes (36) to words of Ghislanzoni, is performed for the first time, in Teatro alla Scala, Milan.  The work is a failure.

    16 February 1882 Charles Villiers Stanford (29) receives a letter from the Prince of Wales asking him to attend a meeting to discuss a new Royal College of Music.

    The Piano Trio op.22 by John Knowles Paine (43) is performed publicly for the first time, in Wesleyan Hall, Boston.  See 18 December 1874.

    16 February 1883 Leos Janácek’s (28) superior and father-in-law, Emilian Schulz, asks the Brünn (Brno) Regional School Council to begin disciplinary proceedings against him.  Among the charges are rudeness, taking time off without permission, not completing his duties and “nationalist fanaticism giving an impression of madness.”  Janácek is also in the middle of divorce proceedings with Schulz’s daughter.  No action will be taken against him as the Council will judge it a family dispute.

    The body of Richard Wagner is placed on a train in Venice for Bayreuth, accompanied by his wife and family.

    The Captive in the Caucasus, an opera by Cesar Cui (48) to words of Krilov after Pushkin, is performed for the first time, in the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg.

    Spanisches Lied op.6/1 by Johannes Brahms (49) to anonymous words translated by Heyse, is performed for the first time, in Vienna, 31 years after it was composed.

    16 February 1884 Orchestral Suite no.2 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (43) is performed for the first time, in Moscow.  Following the lengthy celebrations after the success of Mazepa yesterday, the composer has left for Europe and misses the premiere of his suite.

    16 February 1889 Valse-Caprice no.2 op.38 for piano by Gabriel Fauré (43) is performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris.

    16 February 1891 Kremlin op.30 for orchestra by Alyeksandr Glazunov (25) is performed for the first time, in St. Petersburg conducted by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov (46).

    Piano Quartet op.23 by Arthur Foote (37) is performed for the first time, in Boston, the composer at the keyboard.

    16 February 1892 Werther, a drame lyrique by Jules Massenet (49) to words of Blau, Milliet and Hartman after Goethe, is performed for the first time, at the Vienna Court Opera.  This is a German translation by Kalbeck.  See 27 December 1892.

    16 February 1893 En Saga, a tone poem by Jean Sibelius (27) is performed for the first time, in Helsinki conducted by the composer.

    Unter den Linden, a song for voice and orchestra by Ferruccio Busoni (26) to words of Walther von der Vogelweide, is performed for the first time, in Mechanics’ Hall, Worcester, Massachusetts.

    16 February 1895 Guglielmo Ratcliff, a tragedia by Pietro Mascagni (31) to words translated by Maffei after Heine, is performed for the first time, in Teatro alla Scala, Milan, the composer conducting.  Press and public are favorable, although there is much criticism of the drama.

    16 February 1902 Anthem:  Religion for vocal quartet and organ by Charles Ives (27) is performed for the first time, in Central Presbyterian Church, New York.

    16 February 1909 The New York Sun reports that sufficient funds have been raised to revive the New York Philharmonic Society and that Gustav Mahler (48) has been engaged as conductor.

    16 February 1911 Edward Elgar’s (53) Romance for bassoon and orchestra op.62 is performed for the first time, in Hereford, directed by the composer.

    16 February 1918 In spite of parliamentary inquiries about spending tax money on some Czech nationalist, Jenufa by Leos Janácek (63) is produced at the Vienna Hofoper.  With many nobility and important officials present, it is a great success.

    16 February 1919 A statement of aims for the Society for Private Musical Performances, written by Alban Berg (34), is signed by the society’s chairman, Arnold Schoenberg (44).

    16 February 1920 Merry Andrew for piano by John Ireland (40) is performed for the first time, in Wigmore Hall, London.

    16 February 1925 Trois contrepoints for piccolo, oboe, violin and cello by Arthur Honegger (32) are performed for the first time, in Salle Erard, Paris.

    16 February 1926 Concertino for piano, 2 violins, viola, clarinet, bassoon, and horn by Leos Janácek (71) is performed for the first time, in Brno.

    16 February 1927 Cinco piezas infantiles for orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (25) are performed for the first time, in Teatro Principal, Valencia.

    16 February 1928 The first version of Modest Musorgsky’s (†46) opera Boris Godunov, to his own words after Pushkin and Karamazin, is performed for the first time, in Leningrad.

    Four Songs for voice and orchestra op.13 by Anton Webern (44) to various authors, is performed for the first time, in Winterthur.

    16 February 1929 The film Hände by Stella Simon is shown in Berlin with music for player piano and percussion by Marc Blitzstein (23).  The film is already two years old and has been shown before, but this is the first time with Blitzstein’s music.

    Vitebsk, for violin, cello, and piano by Aaron Copland (28), is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.

    16 February 1932 Set for Theatre or Chamber Orchestra by Charles Ives (57) is performed completely for the first time, in the New School for Social Research, New York, 26 years after it was composed.  See 7 December 1931.

    16 February 1936 Density 21.5 for flute by Edgard Varèse (52) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.  It is the first work composed specifically for the platinum flute.

    16 February 1938 John Paul Corigliano is born in New York, son of John Corigliano, a violinist, and Rose Buzen.

    16 February 1939 Miroirs brûlants, a cycle for voice and piano by Francis Poulenc (40) to words of Eluard, is performed completely for the first time, in the Salle Gaveau, Paris.  Also premiered is Poulenc’s  Le Portrait to words of Colette, for voice and piano.  The composer plays the piano for both.  See 14 October 1938.

    16 February 1941 William Walton’s (38) orchestral work Music for Children is performed for the first time, in Queen’s Hall, London.

    16 February 1946 Northern Ballad no.2 for orchestra by Arnold Bax (62) is performed for the first time, in the Royal Albert Hall, London.

    16 February 1947 Piano Sonata by Elliott Carter (38) is performed for the first time, in a broadcast over the airwaves of radio station WNYC from the Frick Art Museum, New York.  See 5 March 1947.

    16 February 1951 String Quartet no.7 “Christmas Quartet” op.73 by Alois Hába (57) is performed for the first time, in Hradec, Králové, Czechoslovakia.

    16 February 1953 Memento: romance de la guardia civil española for vocal soloist, spoken choir, and orchestra by Luigi Nono (29) to words of García Lorca is performed for the first time, in Hamburg conducted by Bruno Maderna (32).  See 4 October 1957.

    16 February 1956 Toccata for orchestra by Leon Kirchner (37) is performed for the first time, in War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco.

    16 February 1957 On a world tour, Henry Cowell (59) suffers a small stroke in Karachi and is hospitalized.

    16 February 1958 A Ballad of the Seven Lively Arts for piano and orchestra by Norman Dello Joio (45) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of CBS television the composer at the piano.

    16 February 1959 Suite for guitar by Ernst Krenek (58) is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles County Auditorium.

    16 February 1960 Danza “Variationen über ein karibisches Thema”, a ballet by Werner Egk (58), is performed for the first time, in the Prinzregententheater, Munich, conducted by the composer.

    16 February 1962 Symphony no.12 “Rural” by Darius Milhaud (69) is performed for the first time, at the University of California, Davis.

    16 February 1963 A Portrait of Vanzetti for speaker, two flutes/piccolo, clarinet, two horns, trumpet, trombone, percussion, and electronic sound generators by Roger Reynolds (28) to words of Vanzetti is performed for the first time, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

    16 February 1964 In Greek general elections, Mikis Theodorakis (38) is elected a deputy of the United Democratic Left from Piraeus.

    16 February 1972 Psalm 122, one of the Four Pieces for Mixed Chorus by Stefan Wolpe (69), is performed for the first time, in McMillin Theatre, New York.

    16 February 1975 Two works for piano by Charles Ives (†20) are performed for the first time, in New York:  March no.6 with Here’s to Good Old Yale and Invention in D.

    16 February 1978 String Quartet in a minor by Anton Webern (†32) is performed for the first time, at the sixth International Webern Festival, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 71 years after it was composed.

    16 February 1979 Medley (Campfire on the ice) for piano by Ross Lee Finney (72) is performed for the first time, in Heeren Hall of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky.

    16 February 1981 Sonata in c minor for cello and piano by Ethel Smyth (†36) is performed publicly for the first time, in Wigmore Hall, London 101 years after it was composed.

    16 February 1983 Contours for tape by Jean-Claude Risset (44) is performed for the first time, at Université de Montréal.

    16 February 1984 Incidental music to the play The Devils after Dostoyevsky by Alfred Schnittke (49) is performed for the first time, in London.

    16 February 1985 The Path of Devotion for chorus and orchestra by Jonathan Harvey (45), to words of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, is performed for the first time, in St. John’s Smith Square, London.

    Preludes for piano by Leslie Bassett (62) is performed for the first time, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

    Gending Vincent for Javanese gamelan by Lou Harrison (67) is performed for the first time, at the University of Oregon in Eugene.

    16 February 1988 Charles Wuorinen’s (49) Josquin:  Ave Christe for piano is performed for the first time, in a private setting in New York.

    16 February 1991 Kalt, an octet for oboe, english horn, trombone, viola, cello, double bass, piano, and percussion by Wolfgang Rihm (38), is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

    16 February 1994 After a funeral in the Church of St. Karol Boromeusz, the cremated remains of Witold Lutoslawski are buried in Powazkowski cemetery, Warsaw.

    16 February 1995 Invisible Irène for synthesized sounds by Jean-Claude Risset (56) is performed for the first time, in Durham, England.

    Quatuor V for strings by Betsy Jolas (68) is performed for the first time, in the Opéra Bastille, Paris.

    16 February 2003 Garden of Eros for violin and piano by Louis Andriessen (63) is performed for the first time, in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

    16 February 2005 Ottoni for brass by Magnus Lindberg (46) is performed for the first time, in Harris Hall, Chicago.

    Circus Maximus (Symphony no.3) for winds by John Corigliano (66) is performed for the first time, at the University of Texas at Austin.

    16 February 2006 Will Sound for chamber group by Wolfgang Rihm (53) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    LUVN BLM for flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin, and cello by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (66) is performed for the first time, in Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles.

    16 February 2008 String Quartet no.3 op.102 by Lowell Liebermann (46) is performed for the first time, in Sibley Auditorium at the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York.

    16 February 2009 Downwind of Roses in Maine for flute, clarinet, and percussion by Libby Larsen (58) is performed for the first time, at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

    16 February 2010 Delusion, a series of short mystery plays with music by Laurie Anderson (62), is performed for the first time, at Vancouver Playhouse, British Columbia, as part the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad.

    16 February 2014 Heroische Prosodie, a symphonic fantasy for orchestra by Bernd Alois Zimmermann (†43), is performed for the first time, in the Staatsoper, Hannover, 66 years after it was composed.

    17 February

    17 February 1653 Arcangelo Corelli is born in Fusignano.

    17 February 1776 By imperial decree, the Burgtheater in Vienna becomes the Hof-und National Theater, a home for German opera.

    17 February 1778 The first performance of a singspiel by a local composer takes place in Vienna.  It is Ignaz Umlauf’s Die Bergknappen which is afforded a warm reception.  The production is a result of a major reorganization of Viennese opera in favor of Germanic composers.  See 2 March 1778.

    17 February 1781 La fète de mirza, a ballet-pantomime by François-Joseph Gossec (47) to a scenario by Gardel, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.

    17 February 1792 The second season of the Salomon-Haydn concerts begins in the Hanover Square Rooms, London.  Symphony no.93 by Joseph Haydn (59) is performed for the first time.  The audience requires an encore of the slow movement.  Press and public are ecstatic.

    17 February 1794 Saffo ossia I riti d’Apollo Leucadio, a dramma per musica by Johannes Simon Mayr (30) to words of Sografi, is performed for the first time, in Teatro La Fenice, Venice.

    17 February 1801 L’irato, ou l’emporté, a comédie-parade by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (37) to words of Marsollier des Vivetières, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra-Comique, Paris.  It is extremely popular and will receive over 100 performances during the composer’s life.

    17 February 1807 Joseph, a drame mêlé de chants by Étienne Nicolas Méhul (43) to words of Duval after the Bible, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris.  It will be performed 50 times during the composer’s life, and revived for the next 100 years.

    17 February 1813 Le séjour militaire, an opéra comique by Daniel-François-Esprit Auber (31) to words of Bouilly and Mercier-Dupaty, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris.

    17 February 1818 Arianna a Nasso, a cantata by Johann Simon Mayr (54), is performed for the first time, possibly in Naples.

    17 February 1819 Carl Maria von Weber’s (32) Mass in G is performed for the first time, in Dresden, to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of the Saxon royal couple.

    17 February 1825 Music to Soane’s historical play Masaniello, the Fisherman of Naples by Henry R. Bishop (38) is performed for the first time, in Drury Lane Theatre, London.

    17 February 1826 Abschied von der Erde D.829, a melodrama for speaker and piano by Franz Schubert (29) to words of von Pratobevera, is performed for the first time, at the Vienna home of Karl Josef von Pratobevera.

    17 February 1832 Incidental music to Raupach’s play König Enzio WWV 24 by Richard Wagner (18) is performed for the first time, in the Royal Saxon Hoftheater, Leipzig.

    17 February 1837 Incidental music to Singer’s play Die letzte Heidenverschwörung in Preußen oder Der Deutsche Ritterorden in Königsberg WWV 41 by Richard Wagner (23) is performed probably for the first time, in the Königsberg Stadttheater.

    17 February 1847 Frédéric Chopin (36) and August Franchomme perform Chopin’s Sonata in g minor for cello and piano op.65 for the first time, in his Paris apartment before George Sand and her daughter, Eugène Delacroix and two others.  See 23 March 1847.

    17 February 1851 Slaven-Ball-Quadrille op.88 by Johann Strauss (25) is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    17 February 1855 Piano Concerto no.1 by Franz Liszt (43) is performed for the first time, in the Ducal Palace, Weimar by the composer at the keyboard and the orchestra directed by Hector Berlioz (51).  It is the first of two joint concerts in Weimar, today’s at the ducal court.  These two concerts are very successful.

    17 February 1857 Phänomene op.193, a waltz by Johann Strauss (31), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    17 February 1859 After several title changes and struggles with censors, Un ballo in maschera, a melodramma by Giuseppe Verdi (45) to words of Somma after Scribe, is performed for the first time, at Teatro Apollo, Rome.  The public is appreciative, the critics mixed.

    17 February 1860 Escenas campestres, a one-act opera by Louis Moreau Gottschalk (30) to anonymous words, is performed for the first time, in the Teatro di Tacón, Havana.  Also premiered are two orchestral works by Gottschalk:  Marcha Triunfal y Final de Opera and La nuit des tropiques.  See 10 July 1859.

    17 February 1867 A second child is born to Richard Wagner (53) and Cosima von Bülow at Tribschen, near Lucerne.  The girl is named Eva Marie after the heroine of Die Meistersinger.  On the same day, the mother’s husband, Hans von Bülow arrives at Tribschen.

    Lob der Frauen op.315, a polka mazurka by Johann Strauss (41), is performed for the first time, in the Volksgarten, Vienna.

    17 February 1868 Hector Berlioz (64) arrives home in Paris from St. Petersburg an artistic conqueror, a physical wreck.

    17 February 1870 Edvard Grieg (26) meets Franz Liszt (58) for the first time (at Liszt’s invitation), in Rome.  Liszt sight-reads through some of Grieg’s music and is very encouraging to him.

    17 February 1872 The second version of Romeo and Juliet, a fantasy-overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (31), is performed for the first time, in St. Petersburg.  See 16 March 1870 and 1 May 1886.

    The finale to Act I of Boris Godunov, an opera by Modest Musorgsky (32) to his own words after Pushkin and Karamazin, is performed for the first time, by the Russian Musical Society, St. Petersburg.  The audience is encouraging enough for him to continue work.  See 8 February 1874.

    17 February 1873 Three scenes from Modest Musorgsky’s (33) opera Boris Godunov are performed for the first time, at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg.  The performers and audience are very enthusiastic.

    17 February 1877 Trio for piano and strings op.21 by Antonin Dvorák (35) is performed for the first time, in Prague.

    17 February 1889 Symphony in d minor by César Franck (66) is performed for the first time, at the Paris Conservatoire, dedicated to Henri Duparc (41).  Some Franck devotees applaud furiously, other audience members are audibly negative.  Most are passive.  The press is mixed.

    17 February 1894 Even though he has been living with Gabrielle Dupont for two years, Claude Debussy (31) announces his engagement to Thérèse Roger, a singer.  Within a month, the couple will abandon this plan.  Today, Roger sings the premiere of the last two of the Proses lyriques by Debussy in the Salle Favart, Paris, the composer at the piano.

    Two works for strings by Jean Sibelius (28) are performed for the first time, in Turku, directed by the composer:  Impromptu and Scherzo.

    17 February 1896 Symphony no.5 by Alyeksandr Glazunov (30) is performed for the first time, in the Hall of the Nobility, St. Petersburg.

    17 February 1897 The Serenade, an operetta by Victor Herbert (38) to words of Smith, is performed for the first time, in Cleveland.  See 16 March 1897.

    17 February 1901 Movements two and three of the revised version of the cantata Das klagende Lied, words and music by Gustav Mahler (40), is performed for the first time, in Vienna, under the baton of the composer.  Alban Berg (16) calls it “a magnificent work!!!!”  (Pople, 114)  See 2 December 1934.

    17 February 1904 Madama Butterfly, a tragedia giapponese by Giacomo Puccini (45), to words of Illica and Giacosa after Belasco and Long, is performed for the first time, in the Teatro alla Scala, Milan.  The production is accompanied by whistles, shouts, and general pandemonium engineered by rivals of the composer.  Reviews are mixed.  Puccini, Illica, and Giacosa withdraw the production tonight and cancel an upcoming engagement in Rome to make changes.

    17 February 1906 The piano work Rustiques op.5 by Albert Roussel (36) is performed for the first time, at the Salle Pleyel, Paris.

    17 February 1911 Edward Elgar (53) agrees to replace Hans Richter as principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.

    17 February 1912 Jules Massenet’s (69) opéra tragique Roma to words of Cain after Parodi, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra de Monte Carlo.  Critics and public respond warmly.

    17 February 1917 Burlesque for piano by Bohuslav Martinu (26) is performed for the first time, in Policka by the composer.

    17 February 1921 Pastorale d’été, a work for chamber orchestra by Arthur Honegger (28), is performed for the first time, in Salle Gaveau, Paris.

    17 February 1922 Rival claimants to the leadership of the Dada “movement”, André Breton and Tristan Tzara, are given a “trial” in the Closerie des Lilas (a cafe) in Paris.  About 100 members of the city’s artistic world are in attendance, including Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Constantin Brancusi, and Jean Cocteau.  The “judge” is Erik Satie (55).  Insults are thrown back and forth in an uncontrolled and uproarious manner.  Afterwards, one group, including Satie, goes to another cafe to preserve Bréton’s “defeat” on paper.

    Simples coletânea:  Num Berço oncantado for piano by Heitor Villa-Lobos (34) is performed for the first time.

    17 February 1923 La Roue, a film with music by Arthur Honegger (30), is released in France.

    George Gershwin (24) arrives in London to produce The Rainbow.

    Tanzsuite aus Klavierstücken von François Couperin for orchestra by Richard Strauss (58) is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    17 February 1924 Drake’s Drum for solo voice and orchestra by George Whitefield Chadwick (69) to words of Newbold, is performed for the first time, in St. James Theatre, Boston, conducted by the composer.  Also premiered is Chadwick’s Voice of Philomel for solo voice and orchestra to words of Stevens.

    17 February 1930 Cello Concerto by Arthur Honegger (37) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    17 February 1935 Ronsard à son âme for voice and orchestra by Maurice Ravel (59) to words of Ronsard, is performed for the first time, in this orchestral setting, at the Opéra-Comique, Paris.  See 26 April 1924.

    17 February 1936 Incidental music to Lenormand’s play La folle du ciel by Darius Milhaud (43) is performed for the first time, in Théâtre Mathurins, Paris.

    17 February 1937 Minature pastorals, set 1&2 for piano by Frank Bridge (57) are performed for the first time, at the Royal College of Music, London.

    17 February 1940 Can’tcha Line ‘em for orchestra by William Grant Still (44) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of the Columbia Broadcasting System.

    17 February 1943 Sergey Rakhmaninov (69) gives his last performance, in Knoxville.  He is so ill afterward that he is forced to return home to Los Angeles.

    Aaron Copland’s (42) Music for Movies, an arrangement for chamber orchestra of music from three of his film scores, is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.

    17 February 1944 William Schuman’s (33) William Billings Overture is performed for the first time, in New York.

    17 February 1946 An orchestral arrangement of the two-piano work Danzón cubano by Aaron Copland (45) is performed for the first time, in Baltimore.  See 9 December 1942.

    17 February 1948 At a meeting of the All-Moscow Composers’ Union, Sergey Prokofiev’s (56) Sixth Symphony, Ode on the End of the War and Festive Poem are branded as worthless and evil.

    17 February 1949 First Piano Sonata by Charles Ives (74) is performed for the first time, in the YMHA Hall, New York, 40 years after the composer finished it.

    17 February 1952 Boulevard Solitude, a lyric drama by Hans Werner Henze (25) to words of Jokisch after Weil, is performed for the first time, at the Hanover Opera House.  See 7 June 1952.

    Improvvisazione no.1 for orchestra by Bruno Maderna (31) is performed for the first time, in Hamburg.

    To you, America! for band by William Grant Still (56), composed for the 150th anniversary of the United States Military Academy at West Point, is performed for the first time.

    Waltz for Merle, a dance for piano by Stefan Wolpe (49), is performed for the first time, at the YMHA in New York.

    17 February 1956 Two Madrigals for voice and piano by Hugo Weisgall (43) to 17th century English texts are performed for the first time, at the Juilliard School, New York.

    17 February 1957 Metamorphoses for tape, electronic instruments, and percussion by Vladimir Ussachevsky (45) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    17 February 1958 Élégie for horn and piano by Francis Poulenc (59) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of the BBC, the composer at the piano.

    17 February 1960 Divertimento for brass ensemble and percussion by Karel Husa (38) is performed for the first time, in Ithaca, New York.

    17 February 1961 Sarà dolce tacere for eight solo voices by Luigi Nono (37) to words of Pavese is performed for the first time, in Washington.

    Purgatory, an opera by Hugo Weisgall (48) to words of Yeats, is performed for the first time, in Washington.

    Piece in Two Parts for flute and piano by Stefan Wolpe (58) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Recital Hall, New York.

    17 February 1962 A Song of Orpheus for cello and orchestra by William Schuman (51) is performed for the first time, in Indianapolis.  The press is very positive.

    Movements for woodwind quintet by Ralph Shapey (40) is performed for the first time, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

    17 February 1963 Concerto for violin and orchestra op.83 by Alois Haba (69) is performed for the first time, in Prague.

    May Rain for voice, piano, and percussion by Lou Harrison (45) to words of Gidlow is performed for the first time, in Aptos, California, 22 years after it was composed.  Also premiered is Harrison’s Holly and Ivy:  A Carol for tenor, harp, two violins, cello, and bass.

    17 February 1964 Chamber Concerto for cello and ten instruments by Charles Wuorinen (25) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    Athaliah, an opera by Hugo Weisgall (51) to words of Goldman after Racine, is performed for the first time, in New York.

    17 February 1970 This Means That... for electronic sources by Luciano Berio (44) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    17 February 1977 A Symphony of Three Orchestras by Elliott Carter (68) is performed for the first time, in Avery Fisher Hall, New York, under the baton of Pierre Boulez (51).

    17 February 1978 Three chamber works by Anton Webern (†32) are performed for the first time, at the sixth International Webern Festival, Baton Rouge, Louisiana:  Scherzo and Trio in a minor for string quartet (1904), Trio Movement for clarinet, trumpet and violin (1920), and a String Trio Movement (Ruhig) (1925).

    17 February 1982 Child’s Play, Seven little pieces for piano by Helmut Lachenmann (46) is performed for the first time, in Toronto.

    Ballade for piano by George Perle (66) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    17 February 1985 Music for Twelve for chamber ensemble by Leon Kirchner (66) is performed for the first time, in Jordan Hall, Boston the composer conducting.

    17 February 1987 Tashi for clarinet, two violins, viola, cello, and piano by Lukas Foss (64) is performed for the first time, at the Kennedy Center, Washington the composer at the piano.

    17 February 1992 Sinfonietta no.1 for strings by Krzysztof Penderecki (58) is performed for the first time, in Warsaw, the composer conducting.

    17 February 1993 Thirteen for chamber ensemble by John Cage (†0) is performed for the first time, in the Stadthalle, Gütersloh.

    A Poet to His Beloved op.40 for tenor, flute, string quartet, and piano by Lowell Liebermann (31), to words of Yeats, is performed for the first time, in Alice Tully Hall, New York.

    17 February 1994 Partita for orchestra by Elliott Carter (85) is performed for the first time, in Orchestra Hall, Chicago.  See 25 April 1998.

    17 February 1995 Ghost Opera for string quartet and pipa, with stone, water, paper, and metal by Tan Dun (37) is performed for the first time, in Brooklyn.

    17 February 1996 The Time of Drumming for orchestra by John Luther Adams (43) is performed for the first time, in Anchorage, Alaska.  See 8 November 1997.

    17 February 1997 Planctus, a song for voice and piano by Philip Glass (60) to words of Merchant, is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    17 February 1998 Six Songs on Poems by Henry W. Longfellow op.57 for tenor and piano by Lowell Liebermann (36) is performed for the first time, in Merkin Concert Hall, New York, the composer at the keyboard.

    17 February 1999 Orkney Saga III:  An Orkney wintering.  Stone poems in Orkahowe:  “great treasure...” for alto saxophone and orchestra by Peter Maxwell Davies (64) is performed for the first time, at the University of Warwick, conducted by the composer.

    17 February 2000 Musica da camerata for flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, and strings by Richard Wernick (66) is performed for the first time.

    Contes de fees by John Zorn (46) is performed for the first time, at the Society for Ethical Culture, New York.

    17 February 2007 Joining Up the Dots for two violins, viola, cello, bass, and two pianos by Kevin Volans (57) is performed for the first time, in Dublin.

    Dark Waves for two pianos and electronics by John Luther Adams (54) is performed for the first time, in Anchorage, Alaska.

    17 February 2010 Missa brevis for twelve cellos by Arvo Pärt (74) is performed for the first time, in the Konzerthaus, Berlin.

    17 February 2011 Untitled #276, a sound installation by Francisco López (47), opens at the metro station Velazquez in Madrid.

    17 February 2012 Claude Debussy:  Children’s Corner for orchestra by Hans Abrahamsen (59) is performed for the first time, in Utrecht.

    Credo Fugue for chorus by David Del Tredici (74) to words of Herrick is performed for the first time, at the 92nd St. Y in New York.

    18 February

    18 February 1632 Giovanni Battista Vitali is born in Bologna.

    18 February 1761 Le jardinier et son seigneur, an opéra comique by François-André Danican-Philidor (34) to words of Sedaine, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre de la Foire St. Laurent, Paris.  The public receives the work well, but critics are mixed.

    18 February 1764 La moglie in calzoni, a dramma giocoso by Giovanni Paisiello (23) to words of Palomba, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Marsigli-Rossi, Bologna.

    18 February 1779 Charles Burney reports to the Royal Society on the prodigious musical abilities of William Crotch (3).

    18 February 1794 Horatius Coclès, an opéra by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (30) to words of Arnault, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.  Based on republicanism and patriotism, it is reasonably successful.

    18 February 1810 King Friedrich of Württemberg is about to banish Carl Maria von Weber (23) when 42 creditors press their cases against him, causing the duke to re-arrest the composer at the expense of the creditors.  He will finish Silvana during his imprisonment.

    18 February 1819 Les troqueurs, an opéra comique by Louis Joseph Ferdinand Hérold (28) to words of d’Artois and d’Artois after Vadé after La Fontaine, is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris.

    18 February 1825 The Mendelssohn family purchases a new mansion in Berlin, at 3 Leipzigerstrasse.  It will become a meeting place for the Mendelssohn circle, including Heinrich Heine, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and Alexander von Humboldt.

    18 February 1830 Two songs for voice and piano by Hector Berlioz (26) to words of Moore, translated by Gounet, are performed for the first time, in Paris:  Le Coucher du soleil and Chant sacré.

    18 February 1837 Pia de’ Tolomei, an tragedia lirica by Gaetano Donizetti (39) to words of Cammarano after Sestini and Dante, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Apollo, Venice.  It gets a mixed reception.

    18 February 1847 Vielka, a revision of Ein Feldlager in Schlesien by Giacomo Meyerbeer (55), revised by Birch-Pfeiffer, is performed for the first time, in Theater-an-der-Wien, Vienna.  The title role is sung by Jenny Lind.  It is very successful, though not enough to please the composer.  See 7 December 1844.

    18 February 1851 Aurora-Ball-Tänze op.87, a waltz by Johann Strauss (25), is performed for the first time, in the Sperl Ballroom, Vienna.

    18 February 1854 Stanislaw Moniuszko’s (34) opera Halka to words of Wolski after Wojcicki, is staged for the first time, in Vilnius.  See 1 November 1848.

    18 February 1857 The mortal remains of Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka are laid to rest in Berlin, in the presence of nine people, including Giacomo Meyerbeer (65) and an official from the Russian embassy.

    Liebestreu op.3/1, a song by Johannes Brahms (23) to words of Reinick, is performed for the first time, in Göttingen.

    18 February 1860 Philémon et Baucis, an opéra by Charles Gounod (41) to words of Barbier and Carré after de la Fontaine, is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre-Lyrique, Paris.

    18 February 1861 The new Italian Parliament is opened by King Vittorio Emanuele of Sardinia in Turin.  Deputy Giuseppe Verdi (47) takes his seat.  Count Camillo Benso di Cavour, Prime Minister of Sardinia, declares the Kingdom of Italy.  In the evening, Verdi attends a performance of La Favorita in the Teatro Regio.  At the end of the second act, as word spreads that he is in the theatre, the audience begins to spontaneously shout “Viva Verdi!”

    18 February 1865 Samuel Sebastian Wesley (54) is appointed organist of Gloucester Cathedral.

    18 February 1867 Künstlerleben op.316, a waltz by Johann Strauss (41), is performed for the first time, in the Dianabadsaal, Vienna.

    18 February 1869 Ein deutsches Requiem for soprano, baritone, chorus, orchestra and organ by Johannes Brahms (35) to words from the German Bible of Martin Luther is performed completely for the first time, in the Gewandhaus, Leipzig.

    18 February 1880 Three Intermezzi op.13 for clarinet and piano by Charles Villiers Stanford (27) are performed for the first time, in Cambridge, the composer at the piano.

    18 February 1883 The earthly remains of Richard Wagner are laid to rest near his home, Wahnfried, near Bayreuth.  After the mourners depart, Cosima Wagner enters the open grave and lays down on the coffin.  Family members find her and escort her back to the house.

    18 February 1893 Fantasia op.116/7 for piano by Johannes Brahms (59) is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    18 February 1895 String Quintet by Charles Martin Loeffler (34) is performed for the first time, in Union Hall, Boston.  Critics are generally, though not universally, pleased.

    18 February 1902 Le jongleur de Notre-Dame, a miracle opera by Jules Massenet (59), to words of Léna after France, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra de Monte Carlo.  Massenet receives continuous standing ovations.  Prince Albert awards him with the Grand-Croix of the Order of St. Charles.  The crowd roars “Vive le Prince!  Vive Massenet!”

    18 February 1904 The poème lyrique Hélène, by Camille Saint-Saëns (68) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Monaco.

    The Symphony no.2 of Vincent d’Indy (52) is performed for the first time, in Paris.  It is universally acclaimed.

    Béla Bartók (22) gives his first concert in Britain, in Manchester.  He plays the Spanish Rhapsody of Franz Liszt (†17) and the Variations on a Theme by Handel of Robert Volkmann.  His symphonic poem Kossuth is also performed.  The critics are generally positive.

    18 February 1905 The dean of Russian composers, Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov (60), publicly endorses the letter to the press demanding political reforms.

    18 February 1906 Jour d’été à la montagne, a symphonic triptych by Vincent d’Indy (54), is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    18 February 1907 Josef Matthias Hauer (23) marries Leopoldine Hönig in Wiener Neustadt.

    The Tattooed Man, an operetta by Victor Herbert (48) to words of HB Smith and Fowler, is performed for the first time in New York, at the Criterion Theatre.  See 11 February 1907.  It will run less than eight weeks.

    18 February 1912 English Dance for orchestra by Percy Grainger (29) is performed for the first time, at the London Palladium.

    18 February 1916 Symphony no.1 by Daniel Gregory Mason (42) is performed for the first time, in Philadelphia.

    18 February 1917 Five Poems for voice and piano op.27 by Sergey Prokofiev (25) to words of Akhmatova are performed for the first time, in Moscow.

    Sonatine for piano op.59/4 by Charles Koechlin (49) is performed for the first time, at the home of Mme Herscher-Clément, Paris.

    18 February 1923 The orchestral suite Vanishing Midnight by Bohuslav Martinu (32) is performed for the first time, in Prague.

    18 February 1925 Concertino for flute, violin, harpsichord, and strings by Ernst Krenek (24) is performed for the first time, in Winterthur.

    Two works by Heitor Villa-Lobos (37) are performed for the first time, in Teatro Sant’Ana, São Paulo:  Choros no.2 for flute and clarinet and Coleção brasileira for voice and orchestra, to words of da Silva Telles, conducted by the composer.

    18 February 1926 Drei Anekdoten für Radio for clarinet, trumpet, violin, double bass, and piano by Paul Hindemith (30) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of Frankfurt Radio.

    18 February 1927 Incidental music to de Bouhélier’s play L’Impératrice aux Rochers by Arthur Honegger (34) is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.  See 18 May 1928.

    Two Folk Song Fragments op.46/2 for piano by Gustav Holst (52) are performed for the first time, in Aeolian Hall, London.

    18 February 1928 Der Zar lässt sich photographieren, an opera by Kurt Weill (27) to words of Kaiser, is performed for the first time, at the Neues Theater, Leipzig.  It is well received and will be widely successful.

    18 February 1932 The symphonic poem Helvetia by Ernest Bloch (51) is performed for the first time, in Chicago.  The critics are not impressed.

    18 February 1933 Kurt Weill’s (32) play with music Der Silbersee:  ein Wintermärchen, to words of Kaiser, is performed for the first time, simultaneously in Leipzig, Erfurt, and Magdeburg.  Even though the Nazis try to intimidate the management and the performance, the work is a hit with the audience and the press, except for Nazi newspapers.

    18 February 1936 Sonata for violin and piano no.3 by Paul Hindemith (40) is performed for the first time, in Geneva.

    18 February 1938 Filling Station, a ballet by Virgil Thomson (41) to a scenario by Christensen, is performed for the first time in its orchestral arrangement, in New York.  See 6 January 1938.

    18 February 1939 Trois danses for orchestra by Florent Schmitt (68) are performed for the first time, in Paris.

    Trois réalisations op.107/1 for organ by Charles Koechlin (71) is performed completely for the first time, in Salle Gaveau, Paris.  See 8 April 1935.

    18 February 1940 Paul Hindemith (44) arrives in Buffalo to take up residence for his first lengthy teaching position in the US, at the University of Buffalo.

    At a meeting of the Seattle Artists League, John Cage (27) delivers his lecture “What next in American art?”  When published, it will be called, “The Future of Music:  Credo.”

    18 February 1945 Suite no.2 from the ballet Gayaneh by Aram Khachaturian (41) is performed for the first time, in Moscow Conservatory Bolshoy Hall.

    18 February 1947 The Telephone, or L’amour a trois, an opera buffa by Gian-Carlo Menotti (35) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in the Heckscher Theatre, New York.

    18 February 1952 The Symphony-Concerto op.125 for cello and orchestra by Sergey Prokofiev (60) is performed for the first time, at Moscow Conservatory.  The concert is attended by the ailing composer but he is too ill to go to the stage to receive applause.

    Composition for Orchestra no.1 by Luigi Nono (28) is performed for the first time, in Hamburg conducted by Bruno Maderna (31).

    18 February 1954 Incidental music to Giraudoux’s play Ondine by Virgil Thomson (57) is performed for the first time, in the 46th Street Theatre, New York.

    18 February 1955 Violin Concerto no.2 by Ernst Krenek (54) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of WDR, Cologne.

    Symphony no.5 “Sinfonia sacra” by Howard Hanson (58) is performed for the first time, in Philadelphia.

    Piano Trio no.2 by Ross Lee Finney (48) is performed for the first time, in Coolidge Auditorium of the Library of Congress, Washington.

    18 February 1956 Gustave Charpentier dies at 66 Boulevard Rouchechouart in Paris, aged 95 years, seven months, and 24 days.  His mortal remains will be laid to rest in the Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.

    18 February 1958 Sinfonia Concertante for two orchestras by Bohuslav Martinu (67) is performed for the first time, in Basel, 26 years after it was composed.

    18 February 1960 Quiet Design, musique concréte by Toru Takemitsu (29) is performed for the first time, as part of a multimedia exhibition in Sogetsu Hall, Tokyo.

    18 February 1961 Irkanda III for piano trio by Peter Sculthorpe (31) is performed for the first time, in the Birmingham Art Gallery, Great Britain.

    18 February 1962 Public Opinion Descends upon the Demonstrators, an electronic music theatre by Robert Ashley (31) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

    18 February 1963 15 études pour alto saxophone et piano op.188 by Charles Koechlin (†12) is performed completely for the first time, over the airwaves of Radio France III.  See 14 March 1962.

    Piece for Two Instrumental Units by Stefan Wolpe (60) is performed for the first time, in McMillin Theatre of Columbia University.

    18 February 1964 Alexandre bis, an opera by Bohuslav Martinu (†4) to words of Wurmser, is performed for the first time, in Mannheim, 27 years after it was composed.

    18 February 1965 Alberto Ginastera’s (48) Harp Concerto is performed for the first time, in Philadelphia.

    18 February 1966 A Psalm for Living for chorus and piano by William Grant Still (70) to words of his wife Verna Arvey, is performed for the first time, in Houston, conducted by the composer.

    18 February 1973 Swing Set for clarinet and piano by TJ Anderson (44) is performed for the first time, at the University of Iowa.

    18 February 1975 Songs of Praise and Lamentation for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra by George Perle (59) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    18 February 1976 Soliloquies for clarinet by Leslie Bassett (53) is performed for the first time, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

    18 February 1981 Gending Hermes for Javanese gamelan by Lou Harrison (63) is performed for the first time, in Evans Auditorium, Lewis and Clark College, Portland, Oregon.

    18 February 1982 Inaugural Piece for three trumpets and three trombones by TJ Anderson (53) is performed for the first time, at the City College of New York.

    The electroacoustic version of Eclipse for voices and electronic sound generators by Roger Reynolds (47) to words of various authors is performed for the first time, in Symphony Space, New York in a concert to honor Ross Lee Finney (75).  See 31 January 1980.

    Phantasmagoria, a Fantasy for narrator, magnetic tape, digital synthesizer, and orchestra by Larry Austin (51) arranged from the Universe Symphony of Charles Ives (†27) is performed for the first time, at North Texas State University, Denton.

    18 February 1984 Western Springs for two choruses, two jazz groups, and two orchestras by Henry Brant (70) to his own words is performed for the first time, at the University of California at San Diego.

    18 February 1986 Concerto for flute and orchestra by David Diamond (70) is performed for the first time, in New Haven, Connecticut.

    Phaedra for string orchestra by Philip Glass (49) is performed for the first time, in the Dallas Majestic Theatre.

    18 February 1987 Prèsage for six ondes martenot by Toshi Ichiyanagi (54) is performed for the first time, in Marseille.

    Lightness and Weight for tuba and orchestra by Jonathan Harvey (47) is performed for the first time, in Poole, Dorsetshire.

    18 February 1988 Kammersinfonie I for two oboes, two horns, and strings by Isang Yun (70) is performed for the first time, in Gütersloh.

    To Remember:  to be remembered for chorus by Samuel Adler (59) is performed for the first time, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

    18 February 1991 Three Sketches for cello by Jonathan Harvey (51) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

    The Hidden Treasure for string quartet by John Tavener (47) is performed for the first time, in Walter Moberly Hall, Keele.

    18 February 1993 Silhouettes de comédie op.193, twelve pieces for bassoon and orchestra by Charles Koechlin (†42) is performed for the first time, at the Bern Casino, 50 years after it was composed.

    18 February 1994 C-A-G-E for piano, in memory of John Cage (†1) by Tan Dun (36), is performed for the first time, in Tokyo.

    Song-Dances to the Light for treble chorus, Orff instruments, and orchestra by Libby Larsen (43), to words of various authors, is performed for the first time, at the Kennedy Center, Washington.

    18 February 1995 Darwin Marching for trumpet and orchestra by Peter Sculthorpe (65) is performed for the first time, in the Northern Territory Parliament House, Darwin.

    Music for flute, strings, and percussion by Sofia Gubaidulina (63) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    Dancetracks, for an Improvising Guitarist for electric guitar and tape by Paul Lansky (50) is performed for the first time, in London.

    18 February 1998 Phoenix Rising for orchestra by Thea Musgrave (69) is performed for the first time, in Royal Festival Hall, London.

    18 February 2001 Sakura-Variationen for saxophone, percussion, and piano by Helmut Lachenmann (65) is performed for the first time, in Cologne.

    18 February 2002 Veni Creator Spiritus for flute and bass clarinet by Peter Maxwell Davies (67) is performed for the first time, at the Royal Academy of Music, London.

    18 February 2006 String Quartet no.10 by Kevin Volans (56) is performed for the first time, in O’Reilly Theatre, Dublin.

    18 February 2011 Laura Sonnets for voice and piano by William Bolcom (72) to words of Angelou, Dickinson, and Kenyon are performed for the first time, at the University of Georgia in Athens.

    19 February

    19 February 1605 Orazio Vecchi dies in Modena, aged 54 years, two months and 13 days.

    19 February 1653 Luigi Rossi dies in Rome, aged approximately 55 years.

    19 February 1743 Luigi Boccherini is born in Lucca.

    19 February 1763 Orione, ossia Diana vendicata, a drama by Johann Christian Bach (27) to words of Bottarelli, is performed for the first time, in King’s Theatre, London, in the presence of the King and Queen.  The evening is a great success.  Charles Burney notes that this was “the first time that clarinets had admission in our opera orchestra.”

    19 February 1770 Silvain, an opéra-comique by André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry (29) to words of Marmontel after Gessner, is performed for the first time, at the Comédie-Italienne, Paris.

    19 February 1813 Andante e Rondo Ungarese for bassoon J.158 by Carl Maria von Weber (26), a reworking of a piece for viola, J.79, is performed for the first time, in Prague.

    19 February 1815 Violin Concerto no.7 by Louis Spohr (30) is performed for the first time, in Vienna.  It is judged among the best in that form yet composed.

    19 February 1838 Der Bäbu, a komische Oper by Heinrich August Marschner (42) to words of Wohlbrück, is performed for the first time, in the Hannover Hoftheater.  Despite the unheated opera house and freezing weather, the opera is a resounding success.

    19 February 1841 Felipe Pedrell is born in Tortosa, 150 km southwest of Barcelona.

    19 February 1844 Violin Sonata W.33 by Peter Cornelius (19) is performed for the first time, in Wiesbaden, the composer at the piano.

    19 February 1850 Hector Berlioz (46) conducts the first concert of the Société Philharmonique in Paris.  This new cooperative orchestra was founded by 220 shareholders including, Gaspare Spontini (75), Giacomo Meyerbeer (58), Hector Berlioz (46), Franz Liszt (38) and about 200 musicians.

    Stephen Foster (23) publishes a song called Gwine to Run All Night.  It is popularly known as Camptown Races.

    19 February 1855 Man lebt nur einmal! op.167, a waltz in the style of a ländler by Johann Strauss (29), is performed for the first time, in the Sperl Ballroom, Vienna.

    19 February 1864 The Renegade for double male chorus by Bedrich Smetana (39) to words of Metlinskij translated by Celakovsky is performed for the first time.

    19 February 1865 The Augsburg Allgemeine Zeitung begins attacks on Richard Wagner (51), mentioning his excessive spending and abusing the generosity of King Ludwig.

    19 February 1878 Ballsträußchen op.380, a polka schnell by Johann Strauss (52), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    19 February 1881 The first complete public performance of Franz Schubert’s (†52) Symphony no.3 D.200 is given in the Crystal Palace, London 66 years after it was composed.

    19 February 1884 Go, Lovely Rose, a song by Arthur Foote (30) to words of Waller, is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    19 February 1887 Barcarolle no.2 op.41 for piano by Gabriel Fauré (41) is performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris.

    A Symphony in g minor by Edouard Lalo (65) is performed for the first time, in Paris.  It is well received by public and press.

    19 February 1888 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (47) conducts a very successful concert of his own music in Prague which includes the Piano Concerto no.1, the Violin Concerto, Romeo and Juliet, and the Overture 1812.  In the audience is Leos Janácek (33) who will review the performance.

    Two works by Johann Strauss (62) are performed for the first time, in the Musikvereinsaal, Vienna:  Simplicius-Quadrille op.429 and the polka française Soldatenspiel op.430.

    19 February 1893 Ninetta-Quadrille op.446 by Johann Strauss (67) is performed for the first time, in the Musikverein, Vienna.

    19 February 1898 At a rehearsal for the Vienna premiere of Ruggero Leoncavallo’s (40) La bohème, the composer, and conductor Gustav Mahler (37) battle in front of musicians and cast about the inclusion of the singer Ernest Van Dyck.  Receiving no satisfaction, Leoncavallo withdraws but later sends a letter to the hall threatening to withdraw his work if Van Dyck is not included.  Mahler does not give in.  Leoncavallo takes his cause to the press.

    19 February 1910 Arnold Schoenberg (35) applies for a professorship in music theory at Vienna Conservatory.  His application will be supported by Gustav Mahler (49).

    Jules Massenet’s (67) comédie héroique Don Quichotte, to words of Cain after Le Lorrain, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra de Monte Carlo.  The audience loves it, calling repeatedly for encores.

    19 February 1914 Aubade to Alwin Schroeder for cello and piano op.77 by Arthur Foote (60) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    19 February 1915 Jules Ecorcheville, the 42-year-old French musicologist and editor of the music catalogue of the Bibliothèque National de Paris, is killed in action in Champagne.

    19 February 1920 Four Characteristic Pieces for piano by Frank Bridge (40) are performed for the first time, at the Royal College of Music, London.

    19 February 1921 Suite for cello and orchestra op.16bis by Camille Saint-Saëns (85) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    19 February 1922 The International Composers’ Guild, founded by Edgard Varèse (38) and others for the performance of modern music, gives its first concert, in New York.

    19 February 1923 Symphony no.6 by Jean Sibelius (57) is performed for the first time, in Helsinki, the composer conducting.  Also premiered are three orchestrations of piano pieces:  Valse chevaleresque, Suite champêtre and Suite caractéristique.

    19 February 1924 Two works by Otto Luening (23) are performed for the first time, in Chicago:  Sonatina for flute and piano, the composer playing flute, and Three songs for soprano and piano or small orchestra to words of Hesse and Sharpe, the composer at the keyboard.

    19 February 1925 Lachian Dances by Leos Janácek (70) is performed for the first time, as a ballet in Brno.  See 2 December 1924.

    19 February 1926 György Kurtág is born in Lugoj, Romania.

    Skyscrapers, a ballet by John Alden Carpenter (49), is performed for the first time, at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York.  The sold-out audience and critics are enthusiastic.  See 5 November 1926.

    19 February 1927 During intermission of a concert given by Sergey Prokofiev (35) in Leningrad where he plays his Piano Concerto no.2, the conductor, Nikolay Andreyevich Malko, introduces him to Dmitri Shostakovich (20).  Shostakovich is not as impressed as he thought he would be.

    19 February 1928 Intermezzo (Clowns) for jazz band by Charles Martin Loeffler (67) is performed for the first time, in Symphony Hall, Boston.

    19 February 1931 Olivier Messiaen (22) makes his performing debut at the organ of Église de la Trinité, Paris.

    The meditation symphonique Les offrandes oubliées for orchestra, by Olivier Messiaen (22), is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris.

    The film of the Die Dreigroschenoper, with music a pastiche of popular songs by Kurt Weill (30), is shown for the first time, at the Atrium, Berlin.

    The Prison, a symphony for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra by Ethel Smyth (72) to words of Brewster, is performed for the first time, in Usher Hall, Edinburgh the composer conducting.

    19 February 1932 Symphonic Ode, by Aaron Copland (31), composed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, is performed for the first time, in Symphony Hall, Boston.

    19 February 1933 Six Choruses for female voices and orchestra by Florent Schmitt (62) are performed for the first time, in Paris.

    19 February 1934 George Gershwin (35) begins a twice weekly radio program, “Music by Gershwin” over the airwaves of New York radio station WJZ.  It airs for 15 minutes on Monday and Friday.

    19 February 1936 The Girl Friends, a film with music by Dmitri Shostakovich (29), is shown for the first time.

    Sonata for violin and piano by Frederick S. Converse (65) is performed for the first time, in Jordan Hall, Boston.

    19 February 1938 Bruno Walter conducts the Vienna Philharmonic for the last time.  After Austria’s absorption into Germany, Walter will be denied this honor due to his “impure racial status.”

    19 February 1946 Un ami viendra ce soir, a film with music by Arthur Honegger (53), is shown for the first time, in Paris.

    19 February 1947 Bachianas Brasileiras no.3 for piano and orchestra by Heitor Villa-Lobos (59) is performed for the first time, in New York, conducted by the composer.

    After years of correspondence and championing of his work, Lou Harrison (29) meets Charles Ives (72) for the first time, in Danbury, Connecticut.  Ives asks Harrison to edit his complete works.

    19 February 1949 At the Beach for trumpet and piano by Virgil Thomson (52) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    Partita for wind quintet by Irving Fine (34) is performed for the first time, in Times Hall, New York.

    19 February 1950 Barba Garibo op.298 for chorus and orchestra by Darius Milhaud (57) to words of Lunel is performed for the first time, in Menton.

    19 February 1953 US Secretary of State John Foster Dulles orders the removal from International Information Administration libraries and Voice of America broadcasts, any music by a communist or communist sympathizer.  These include works by Aaron Copland (52), George Gershwin (†15), Roger Sessions (56), Virgil Thomson (56), Roy Harris (55), and Leonard Bernstein (34).

    Rhapsody-Concerto for viola and orchestra by Bohuslav Martinu (62) is performed for the first time, in Cleveland.

    19 February 1954 Nonet no.3 op.82 by Alois Hába (60) is performed for the first time, in the Rudolfinum, Prague.

    19 February 1960 String Quintet by George Perle (44) is performed for the first time, in San Francisco.

    19 February 1962 The Dove Descending Breaks the Air, an anthem for chorus by Igor Stravinsky (79) to words of Eliot, is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles.

    From the Hearts of Women, a cycle for voice and piano by William Grant Still (66) to words of his wife, Verna Arvey, is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles.

    19 February 1964 From Jewish Folk Poetry op.79a, a cycle arranged for three solo voices and orchestra by the composer, Dmitri Shostakovich (57), is performed for the first time, in Glinka Concert Hall, Leningrad the composer at the keyboard.  See 15 January 1955.

    Concertone for brass quintet and orchestra by Charles Wuorinen (25) is performed for the first time, in Iowa City.

    19 February 1969 TemA for flute, mezzo-soprano, and cello by Helmut Lachenmann (33) is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.

    19 February 1975 Morning.  Luigi Dallapiccola dies of a pulmonary edema in the Ospedale San Giovanni di Dio in Florence, aged 71 years and 16 days.  His mortal remains will be laid to rest in Trespiano Cemetery, Florence.

    Vier Gedichte aus Atemwende for voice and piano by Wolfgang Rihm (22) is performed for the first time, in Freiburg.

    19 February 1980 Variations for winds, strings, and keyboards for chamber ensemble by Steve Reich (43) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.  See 14 May 1980.

    19 February 1982 Abelard and Heloise, an opera by Robert Ward (64) to words of Hartman, is performed for the first time, in Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte, North Carolina.

    19 February 1984 Concerto for saxophone and orchestra by Gunther Schuller (58) is performed for the first time, in Pittsburgh.

    19 February 1985 Symphony no.3 by Peter Maxwell Davies (50) is performed for the first time, in Free Trade Hall, Manchester.

    19 February 1988 Symphony no.1 op.9 by Lowell Liebermann (26) is performed for the first time, in Alice Tully Hall, New York.

    19 February 1989 Bruchstück “Die Vorzeichen” for orchestra by Wolfgang Rihm (36) from his unperformed music theatre piece Die Eroberung von Mexico, is performed for the first time, in Hamburg.  See 9 February 1992.

    19 February 1991 Sinfonietta II for orchestra by George Perle (75) is performed for the first time, in San Francisco.

    19 February 1992 Bone Alphabet for percussion by Brian Ferneyhough (49) is performed for the first time, in Mandeville Auditorium, La Jolla, California.

    19 February 1995 Wind Octet by Isang Yun (77) is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.

    The Rose Lake for orchestra by Michael Tippett (90) is performed for the first time, in London.

    19 February 1999 Naive and Sentimental Music, an orchestral essay by John Adams (52), is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles.

    19 February 2000 Fiddle Suite for Huqin and string quartet by Chen Yi (46) is performed for the first time, at Duke University.  See 13 April 1999.

    19 February 2004 Fantasy on “Nobody Knows” for baritone and orchestra by David Del Tredici (67) is performed for the first time, in Saratoga Springs, New York.  Also premiered is Ain’t Goin’ to Study War No Mo’ for baritone and chamber ensemble by John Harbison (65).

    19 February 2012 Belgian Bliss for wind quintet by David Del Tredici (74) is performed for the first time, at Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, Mount Vernon, Illinois.

    19 February 2015 FLiGHT I:  Imagining for string quartet, visual projections, and multichannel sound by Roger Reynolds (80) is performed for the first time, in Forbes Center for the Performing Arts, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia.

    20 February

    20 February 1626 John Dowland is buried in London approximately 63 years after his birth.

    20 February 1769 Kaiser Constantin I. Feldzug und Sieg, an oratorio by Michael Haydn (31), is performed for the first time, in Salzburg.

    20 February 1776 La Contadina fedele, an opera by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (36), is performed for the first time, in the Turm-Theater, Johannisberg, near Jauernig (Javorník).

    20 February 1804 Giovanni Paisiello (63), resident in Paris, receives notification from the Regio Senato of Naples that he is named Maestro di Cappella.

    20 February 1808 Ein französischer Prolog von Madame Aurore Bursay: Venez plaisirs charmants by Johann Friedrich Reichardt (55) is performed for the first time, in the Kassel Hoftheater.

    20 February 1816 Almaviva, ossia L’inutile precauzione (later called Il barbiere di Siviglia ), a commedia by Gioachino Rossini (23) to words of Sterbini after Beaumarchais and Petrosellini, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Argentina, Rome.  The evening is a disaster.  A hostile audience whistles Rosina.  Bartolo trips over a trap door and bloodies his nose (for which the onlookers called for an encore).  A cat appears and steals the show, urged on by the audience.  See 10 August 1816.

    20 February 1819 Omaggio umiliato, a cantata by Gioachino Rossini (26) to words of Niccolini, is performed for the first time, in Teatro San Carlo, Naples as part of celebrations over the recovery of King Ferdinando from an illness.

    20 February 1821 Don John, or The Two Violettas, an operatic drama with music by Henry R. Bishop (34) to words of Reynolds after Beaumont and Fletcher, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    20 February 1823 Gretchen am Spinnrade D.118, a song by Franz Schubert (26) to words of Goethe, is performed publicly for the first time, in the Vienna Musikverein.

    20 February 1827 Two works by Felix Mendelssohn (18) are performed for the first time, in Stettin (Szczecin), conducted by Carl Loewe (30):  Concerto in A flat for two pianos and orchestra and the Overture “A Midsummer Night's Dream.” The composer plays one piano in the concerto, the conductor the other.  His music is a great success but is overshadowed by the second half of the program, the Symphony no. 9 of Ludwig van Beethoven (56), performed for the first time in northern Germany.  Mendelssohn plays first violin.  (The concerto could have been performed earlier, at a family concert in Berlin.)

    20 February 1832 The Demon, or The Mystic Branch, a romantic opera by Henry R. Bishop (45) to words of Ftizball and Buckstone after Scribe, is performed for the first time, in Drury Lane Theatre, London.  It is a reworking of Meyerbeer’s (40) Robert le diable.

    20 February 1837 Die beiden Schützen, a komische Oper by Albert Lortzing (35) to his own words after Patrat (tr. Cords), is performed for the first time, in Leipzig Stadttheater.

    20 February 1839 Simon Mayr (75) reads the first part of his History of the Oratorio and the Mysteries to the Ateneo, Bergamo.

    20 February 1843 Festspiel zur Feier der Vermählung des Kronprinzen von Hannover und der Prinzessin Marie von Altenburg by Heinrich August Marschner (47) to words of Waterford-Perglass is performed for the first time, in Hannover.  The performance takes place two days after the wedding and is well received.

    20 February 1852 Stephen Foster (25) and his wife Jane depart Pittsburgh aboard the steamboat James Millingar for a vacation down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.  It is the only time Foster will ever visit the South.

    20 February 1858 Giacomo Meyerbeer (66) reaches agreement with Mathilde Heine, widow of Heinrich Heine (died 17 February 1856), to prevent publication of four of Heine’s poems which cast the composer in an unfavorable light.  He pays her 4,500 francs.  They will be published in 1869 after Meyerbeer’s death.

    20 February 1860 Immer heiterer op.235, a waltz im Ländlerstyle by Johann Strauss (34), is performed for the first time, in the Sperl Ballroom, Vienna.

    20 February 1865 Episode op.296, a polka française by Johann Strauss (39), is performed for the first time, in the Redoutensaal, Vienna.

    20 February 1867 The New England Conservatory of Music opens at the Music Hall in Boston with a faculty of 13.

    20 February 1874 King Ludwig II of Bavaria makes a loan of over 200,000 marks to the Bayreuth project.

    20 February 1875 Pursuaded by Richard D’Oyly Carte, WS Gilbert visits Arthur Sullivan (33) at his home in Victoria Street, London.  He reads to Sullivan his libretto to an operetta called Trial By Jury “in the manner of a man considerably disappointed with what he had written. As soon as he had come to the last word he closed up the manuscript violently, apparently unconscious of the fact he had achieved his purpose so far as I was concerned, inasmuch as I was screaming with laughter the whole time.”

    20 February 1876 The revised version of Anton Bruckner’s (51) Symphony no.2 is performed for the first time, in Vienna conducted by the composer.  See 26 October 1873.

    20 February 1879 Les béatitudes, an oratorio by César Franck (56) to words of the Bible adapted by Colomb, is performed for the first time, in the composer’s Paris apartment with piano accompaniment.  Franck sprained his wrist yesterday and the piano part is played by his student, Vincent d’Indy (27).  Some who promised to come, including Jules Ferry, Minister of Education, Olivier Halanzier, director of the Opéra, and Ambroise Thomas (67), fail to show.  Édouard Lalo (56) is there as a critic.  The listeners leave one by one during the performance and only a few friends of Franck remain at the conclusion.  See 15 June 1891.

    Pariser Polka op.382 by Johann Strauss (53) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    20 February 1881 The second version of the Symphony no.4 by Anton Bruckner (56) is performed for the first time, privately by the Akademischer Wagner-Verein, in Vienna.  See 4 February 1880, 22 January 1888, 12 December 1909 and 20 September 1975.

    20 February 1882 The march Pas Redoublé no.2 by Edward Elgar (24) is performed for the first time, in Guildhall, Worcester.

    20 February 1886 Suite ancienne no.1 for piano by Isaac Albéniz (25) is performed for the first time, in Círculo de la Unión Mercantil e Industrial, Madrid by the composer.

    20 February 1894 Moses, a sacred opera by Anton Rubinstein (64) to words of Mosenthal, is performed for the first time, in a concert setting in the Neues Deutschestheater, Prague.  The work did receive a public dress rehearsal in Riga in June 1892 but the performance was cancelled due to bankruptcy.

    20 February 1896 Andante and Finale for piano and orchestra by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (†2) is performed for the first time, in St. Petersburg.  The work was left unfinished at the composer’s death and was completed by Taneyev.

    20 February 1897 The first and third of the Trois Gymnopédies by Erik Satie (30), as orchestrated by Claude Debussy (34), are performed for the first time, in the Salle Erard, Paris.

    20 February 1902 Symphonic Fantasy and Fugue op.57 for organ by Max Reger (28) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

    20 February 1904 Two of the Mélodies populaires grecques, for solo voice and piano by Maurice Ravel (28) are performed for the first time, in the School of Advanced Studies, Paris.

    20 February 1905 Ten Songs for Male Choir op.83 by Max Reger (31) are performed for the first time, in Leipzig.

    20 February 1907 The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya, an opera by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov (62) to words of Belsky after Meledin and Melnikov, is performed for the first time, at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg.

    String Quartet no.4 by Charles Villiers Stanford (56) is performed for the first time, at Cambridge University.

    20 February 1909 The first “Futurist” manifesto appears in Le Figaro written by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.

    Two of the Four Old English Carols op.20b by Gustav Holst (34), to anonymous words, for chorus and piano, are performed for the first time, in Blackburn, Lancashire.  See 26 March 1909.

    20 February 1910 Ibéria from Images for orchestra by Claude Debussy (47) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    20 February 1921 Sonata for violin and piano no.1 by Ernest Bloch (40) is performed for the first time, in Aeolian Hall, New York.

    20 February 1922 Two songs by George Gershwin (23) to words of Ira Gershwin are performed for the first time, as part of the musical comedy For Goodness Sake in the Lyric Theatre, New York:  Someone and Tra-la-la.

    At the same time, one of Gershwin’s songs to words of DeSylva is premiered at the Lyceum Theatre, New York as part of the play with music The French Doll:  Do it again!

    20 February 1927 String Quartet no.1 op.24 by Alyeksandr Vasilyevich Mosolov (26) is performed for the first time, in Moscow.

    Sergey Prokofiev (35) meets a number of young Soviet composers at a gathering in his honor in Leningrad.  Among the hopefuls who play their music for him is Dmitri Shostakovich (20).  Prokofiev is not overwhelmed, but he is impressed enough to begin praising Shostakovich publicly.

    20 February 1929 Toshiro Mayuzumi is born in Yokohama.

    Sergey Prokofiev (37) goes to the Soviet embassy in Paris to look at scores by Russian composers.  While there, an embassy official asks him to play at a reception there on 5 March.  Prokofiev is greatly conflicted.  “It is necessary, apparently, to choose either Russia or emigration.  It is clear, that of the two I choose Russia.”  He will perform on 5 March.

    20 February 1930 Ethel Smyth (71) and Virginia Woolf meet for the first time at Woolf’s London home.

    Olivier Messiaen (21) gives his first public recital in Paris, playing organ at the Trinité.  Here he gives the first performance of his Diptyque:  Essai sur la vie terrestre et l’éternité bienheureuse.

    In his column in El Mirador, Roberto Gerhard (33) begins a series of responses to the critic Lluís Millet about Gerhard’s concert of last 22 December.  It begins a famous newspaper debate about the future of Catalan music.

    20 February 1934 Sonata for two violins and piano by Bohuslav Martinu (43) is performed for the first time, in London.

    Four Saints in Three Acts, an opera by Virgil Thomson (37) to words of Stein, opens in the 44th Street Theatre in New York.  Two days before the opening the New York fire marshal condemns the set.  Producers respond by coating the entire set with a flame retardant chemical.  Reluctantly, the fire marshal allows the production to proceed.  It is the hit of the Broadway season.  The press runs from confusion to euphoria.  George Gershwin (35) is in the audience.  He finds the music “entertaining” but is not impressed by the libretto.  See 8 February 1934.

    20 February 1941 After discovering that the family tree of Johann Strauss (†41) contains unbaptized Jews, the Nazi government publishes on vellum, a statement officially “purifying” Strauss and his music.  They then secretly replace a matrimonial record in St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna with a forgery.

    Adagio for Orchestra by Leos Janácek (†12) is performed for the first time before a live audience, in Brno.  The work was already broadcast over Czechoslovak Radio-Brno in 1930.

    20 February 1942 The Island God, an opera by Gian-Carlo Menotti (30) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in the Metropolitan Opera House, New York.

    20 February 1943 Die Kluge by Carl Orff (47) to his own words after the Brothers Grimm is performed for the first time, in the Städtische Bühnen, Frankfurt-am-Main.

    The 13th of 18 patriotic fanfares for brass and percussion commissioned by Eugene Goossens and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Fanfare for Commandos by Bernard Rogers (50), is performed for the first time, in Cincinnati.

    20 February 1944 A Prisoner’s Music Festival begins at the prisoner of war camp in Eichstätt, Germany.  It is organized by British Lieutenant Richard Wood and concludes with the world premiere of a specially commissioned choral work by Wood’s good friend, Benjamin Britten (30):  The Ballad of Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard for male chorus and piano.

    20 February 1945 In Piazzas Palladio for voice and piano by Ned Rorem (21) to words of Phemister is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of radio station WNYC, New York the composer at the keyboard.

    20 February 1948 Lina (Llubera) Prokovieva, first wife of Sergey Prokofiev (56) is arrested off a Moscow street, charged with attempting to defect, stealing a secret document, and ties to a foreign embassy.  She will not return to Moscow for eight years and will never see Prokofiev again.

    L’âme heureuse, a ballet by Charles Koechlin (80) cobbled together from earlier compositions to a scenario by Charrat, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra-Comique, Paris.

    Three Bagatelles for piano by Arthur Berger (35) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of radio station WNYC, originating in New York.

    20 February 1950 Don Quixote, a ballet by Roberto Gerhard (53) to his own scenario after Cervantes, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden.

    20 February 1951 Anthony Curtis Davis is born in Paterson, New Jersey, the son of Charles T. Davis, an English teacher who, in 1955, will become the first African-American professor at Princeton University.

    20 February 1956 New works are performed for the first time at the Juilliard School, New York:  Spring Comes Singing for voice and piano by Henry Cowell (58) to words of Hagemeyer, Piano Sonata no.10 op.67 by Vincent Persichetti (40), and Three Children’s Songs for Grownups (later Childhood Fables for Grownups) for voice and piano by Irving Fine (41) to words of Norman.

    20 February 1959 The Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center comes into existence with the beginning of a grant of $175,000 to the two universities.  The directors are Otto Luening (58) and Vladimir Ussachevsky (47) at Columbia, and Milton Babbitt (42) and Roger Sessions (62) at Princeton.

    20 February 1961 Noon.  George Percy Aldridge Grainger dies of abdominal cancer in White Plains Hospital, White Plains, New York, aged 78 years, seven months, and twelve days.

    Santa Fe Timetable for chorus by Ernst Krenek (60) to words from the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Timetable is performed completely for the first time, in Los Angeles.  See 12 March 1947.

    20 February 1962 String Quartet no.3 by Ulysses Kay (45) is performed for the first time, at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

    20 February 1966 Sonata no.2 for solo violin by George Perle (50) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    20 February 1968 Two Chinese Epitaphs for chorus and percussion by Stefan Wolpe (65) in an English version by Papernow-Shapiro, are performed for the first time, in McMillin Theatre of Columbia University, 31 years after the original versions were composed.

    20 February 1970 Three Rituals for two or four percussionists, film, and lights by Lejaren Hiller (45) is performed for the first time, in London.

    20 February 1971 Points and Dances from Peter Maxwell Davies’ (36) opera Taverner for small instrumental ensemble is performed for the first time, in Queen Elizabeth Hall, London the composer conducting.  See 12 July 1972.

    20 February 1974 All Sons of Adam for alto, flute, clarinet, celesta, guitar, marimba, viola, and cello by Peter Maxwell Davies (39) is performed for the first time, in Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, directed by the composer.

    20 February 1976 Retour-Windungen for twelve cellos by Iannis Xenakis (53) is performed for the first time, in Bonn.

    The Blind Fiddler, a cycle for voice, flute, clarinet, keyboards, guitar, percussion, violin, and cello by Peter Maxwell Davies (41) to words of Mackay Brown, is performed for the first time, in Freemason’s Hall, Edinburgh the composer directing.

    Cantata X (Spirit Music) for soprano and three clarinets by Jonathan Harvey (36) to words of Steiner is performed for the first time, in Sheffield.

    Fanfare and Chorale for orchestra by Howard Hanson (79) is performed for the first time, in Cincinnati.

    Colloquy for solo instruments, orchestra and tape by Vladimir Ussachevsky (64) to words of XJ Kennedy is performed for the first time, in Salt Lake City.

    20 February 1978 Romanza on the Notes of the Fourth Psalm op.38c for two violins, two violas, and strings by Alexander Goehr (45) is performed for the first time, in Edinburgh, conducted by the composer.

    20 February 1981 Gazebo Dances for orchestra by John Corigliano (43) is performed for the first time, in Woodbury, New Jersey.

    20 February 1982 Prologo e Fantasia for orchestra by William Walton (79) is performed for the first time, in Royal Festival Hall, London.

    20 February 1983 Concerto grosso for woodwind quintet by Ralph Shapey (61) is performed for the first time, in the Guggenheim Museum, New York.

    20 February 1987 Symphony no.1 “Time Current” by Toshi Ichiyanagi (54) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    Magma for orchestra by Wolfgang Rihm (34) is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.

    Symphonic Fantasia nos.7&8 by Otto Luening (86) are performed for the first time, in New York.

    20 February 1988 Concerto for string quartet and orchestra by Gunther Schuller (62) is performed for the first time, at the Oscar Mayer Theatre, Madison, Wisconsin.

    20 February 1996 13:15 Toru Takemitsu dies of intestinal cancer in a Tokyo hospital, aged 65 years, four months, and twelve days.  During his final hours he listens to a radio broadcast of the St. Matthew Passion, his favorite work of Johann Sebastian Bach (†245).

    20 February 1997 Olympic Dances for orchestra by John Harbison (58) is performed for the first time, in Denton, Texas.  See 27 February 1997.

    20 February 2002 Life on a String, a film with music by Laurie Anderson (54), is released in Germany.

    20 February 2003 The Map for cello and orchestra by Tan Dun (45) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    20 February 2005 God So Loved the World for chorus by Libby Larsen (54) is performed for the first time, at Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis.

    21 February

    21 February 1758 Two odes by William Boyce (46) appear in the first performance of Agis, a tragedy by Home, in the Drury Lane Theatre, London.

    21 February 1768 Der Kampf der Busse und Bekehrung, an oratorio by Michael Haydn (30), is performed for the first time, in Salzburg.

    21 February 1772 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (16) completes his Symphony K.124 in Salzburg.

    21 February 1791 Carl Czerny is born in a corner house on Waggasse in Leopoldstadt, Vienna, the son of Wenzel Czerny, an organist, oboist, singer, piano teacher and repairman, and Maria Ruzitschka.  He is baptized today in the church of St. Leopold.

    21 February 1807 Publication of the Piano Sonata “Appassionata” op.57 by Ludwig van Beethoven (36) is announced.

    21 February 1813 La rosa bianca e la rosa rossa, a melodramma eroico by Simon Mayr (49) to words of Romani after de Pixérécourt, is performed for the first time, in Teatro San Agostino, Genoa.

    21 February 1816 Ludwig van Beethoven (45) obtains a court order forbidding his late brother’s wife Johanna from visiting her son at boarding school.

    21 February 1818 After drinking a healthy amount of red wine with his friend Anselm Hüttenbrunner at Hütenbrunner’s Vienna home, Franz Schubert (21) composes the song Die Forelle at his friend’s desk.

    Zuma, or The Tree of Health, a comic opera with music by Henry R. Bishop (31) to words of Dibdin after Genlis, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    21 February 1832 Clara Wieck (12) and her father meet Frédéric Chopin (21) for the first time, in Paris.  Chopin is very complementary of her talent and will send her a manuscript copy of his Piano Concerto in e minor.

    21 February 1836 Clément Philibert Léo Delibes is born in St. Germain du Val, the only child of Philibert Delibes, a postal worker and Clémence Delibes, the daughter of an opera singer.

    21 February 1839 A setting of Psalm 95 for solo voices, chorus and orchestra by Felix Mendelssohn (30) is performed for the first time, in Leipzig.

    21 February 1840 L’écumeur de mer, a ballet by Adolphe Adam (36), is performed for the first time, before the imperial court in St. Petersburg.

    21 February 1842 Frédéric Chopin (31) is the featured performer at the Salle Pleyel, Paris.  He plays the Andante spianato, Ballade no.3, Nocturnes opp.48/2, 27/2 and 15/1, Prelude op.28/15, three etudes from op.25, the Impromptu op.51 and others.  It is his last performance for six years.

    21 February 1852 La poupée de Nuremberg, an opera by Adolphe Adam (48) to words of Leuven and Beauplan after Hoffmann, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra-National, Paris.

    21 February 1854 Carnevals-Specktakel-Quadrille op.152 by Johann Strauss (28) is performed for the first time, in Schwender’s Colosseum, Vienna.

    21 February 1862 Minna Wagner shows up unexpectedly at Richard Wagner’s (48) residence in Biebrich.  He describes what follows as “ten days in hell.”  He wants a divorce but can not suggest it because of her bad health.  They decide on a separation.  She will move to Dresden.

    21 February 1872 Thérèse de Chorier d’Indy dies.  She has left her not inconsiderable wealth to her grandson, Vincent d’Indy (20).  This will allow him to pursue music rather than the legal career insisted upon by his father.

    21 February 1873 The chapel organ at Versailles, built in 1736 and newly restored by Cavaillé-Coll, is inaugurated by Camille Saint-Saëns (37) and Charles-Marie Widor.

    21 February 1874 Months before his graduation, Charles Villiers Stanford (21) is appointed organist at Trinity College, Cambridge for two years, with the proviso that he be allowed some part of that term to study in Leipzig.

    21 February 1879 Fantasia Waltzes for piano duet by Charles Villiers Stanford (26) are performed for the first time, at Cambridge University.  The composer takes one part.

    21 February 1881 Modest Musorgsky (41) makes his last public appearances at morning and evening concerts in St. Petersburg.

    21 February 1885 Nocturne no.1 op.33/1 for piano by Gabriel Fauré (39) is performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris.

    21 February 1886 Khovanshchina, an opera by Modest Musorgsky (†4) to his own words, completed and orchestrated by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov (41), is performed for the first time, in St. Petersburg.  It is produced by an amateur group because the Imperial Theatres rejected it.

    21 February 1889 I Think of Thee, My God for chorus by Charles Ives (14) to words of Monsell is performed for the first time, in Brewster, New York.

    21 February 1890 After nine months of waiting, Pietro Mascagni (25) receives a telegram informing him that his entry, Cavalleria rusticana, is a finalist in the composition competition sponsored by the publisher Sonzogno.  He is summoned to Milan to present the opera to the jury.  “Reading the telegram, I cried like a baby.”

    21 February 1891 Incidental music to Shakespeare’s play Hamlet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (50) is performed for the first time, in the Mikhailovsky Theatre, St. Petersburg.

    Condor, an opera by Carlos Gomes (54) to words of Canti, is performed for the first time, in Teatro alla Scala, Milan.

    21 February 1892 Le carillon, a légende mimée et dansée by Jules Massenet (49) to a story by van Dyck and de Roddaz, is performed for the first time, at the Burgtheater, Vienna.

    Mala vita, an opera by Umberto Giordano (24) to words of Daspuro after Di Giacomo is performed for the first time, in Teatro Argentina, Rome.

    21 February 1893 Poème de l’amour et de la mer for voice and orchestra by Ernest Chausson (38) to words of Bouchor is performed for the first time, in Brussels.  The premiere is heard in a two-piano version with the composer at one keyboard.

    21 February 1895 Klosterfräulein op.61/2 for soprano, alto and piano by Johannes Brahms (61) to words of Kerner is performed for the first time, in Merseburg.

    21 February 1900 The Seasons, a ballet by Alyeksandr Glazunov (34), is performed for the first time, at the Hermitage Theatre, St. Petersburg.

    21 February 1904 Old Norwegian Melody with Variations op.51 for orchestra by Edvard Grieg (60) is performed for the first time, in the National Theatre, Christiania (Oslo).  This is Grieg’s orchestration of his work for two pianos.  See 1 November 1891.

    21 February 1907 A Village Romeo and Juliet, a lyric drama by Frederick Delius (45) to words of Keary after Keller, is performed for the first time, at the Komische Oper, Berlin.

    21 February 1908 Book Two of the piano work Images, by Claude Debussy (45) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    21 February 1911 Against his doctor’s orders, Gustav Mahler (50) conducts the New York Philharmonic in Carnegie Hall while he is suffering with a fever from his recurring throat ailment.  It turns out to be his last performance.  He directs the premiere of Berceuse élégiaque op.42 for orchestra by Ferruccio Busoni (45).

    21 February 1914 Incidental music to Aristophanes’ play The Achamians by Hubert Parry (66) is performed for the first time, in Oxford.

    Polonaise américaine and Impromptu, two piano works by John Alden Carpenter (37), are performed, possibly for the first time.

    21 February 1918 Easter Hymn for voice and piano by Frank Bridge (38) to words of Wagemann, is performed for the first time, at the Royal College of Music, London.

    21 February 1920 Double Concerto for violin, cello, and orchestra by Frederick Delius (58) is performed for the first time, in Queen’s Hall, London.

    At a concert organized by Jean Cocteau at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, the following works are performed for the first time:  Le boeuf sur le toit, a ballet by Darius Milhaud (27), Sonata for piano duet and Cocardes, a cycle for solo voice, cornet, trombone, bass drum, triangle, and violin, both by Francis Poulenc (21) (the latter to words of Cocteau), and Trois petites pièces montées by Erik Satie (53).

    21 February 1921 At the invitation of Sergey Diaghilev, Igor Stravinsky (38) meets Vera de Bosset Sudeikina, a married Russian woman, in Paris.  They hit it off immediately and will soon begin an affair.

    21 February 1927 Der Zarewitsch, an operetta by Franz Lehár (56) to words of Jenbach and Reichert after Zapolska, is performed for the first time, in the Deutsches Künstlertheater, Berlin.

    21 February 1929 Roman Festivals, a tone poem by Ottorino Respighi (49), is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    21 February 1932 Four Songs with orchestra op.22 by Arnold Schoenberg (57), to words of Dowson (tr. George) and Rilke, are performed for the first time, in Frankfurt-am-Main.

    Two works by American composers are performed for the first time, in the Salle Pleyel, Paris:  The Fourth of July by Charles Ives (57) and Two Appositions:  One Movement for Orchestra by Henry Cowell (34).

    Song of Faith for chorus, unseen speaker, and orchestra by John Alden Carpenter (55) to words of Washington and the composer, is performed for the first time, in a radio broadcast to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington.

    21 February 1936 Lady of Secrets, a film with music by William Grant Still (40), is released in the United States.

    21 February 1941 Salavat Iulaev, a film with music by Aram Khachaturian (37), is released.

    21 February 1943 Fanfares for the Red Army for brass by William Walton (40) is performed for the first time, in the Royal Albert Hall, London.  On the same program is the premiere of A Solemn Fanfare for brass by Arnold Bax (59).

    Music for MacNeice’s play Pericles by Benjamin Britten (29) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of the BBC.

    21 February 1944 Ballad of a Boy Who Remained Unknown op.93 for soprano, tenor, chorus, and orchestra by Sergey Prokofiev (52) to words of Antokolsky, is performed for the first time, in Moscow.

    21 February 1946 Memories of a Child’s Sunday for orchestra by Roy Harris (48) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of CBS radio originating in Carnegie Hall.

    21 February 1947 Slugging a Vampire, a song by Charles Ives (72) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Times Hall, New York.

    21 February 1948 Suite for woodwind quartet by Henry Cowell (50) is performed for the first time, in McMillin Theatre, Columbia University, New York.

    21 February 1949 Woodwind Quintet by Elliott Carter (40) is performed for the first time, in a radio broadcast from Times Hall, New York.

    21 February 1950 After trading insults in the New York Herald Tribune, Arnold Schoenberg (75) in Los Angeles, writes to Aaron Copland (49) in New York, stating “I am always ready to live in peace.”

    21 February 1952 Amahl and the Night Visitors, an opera by Gian Carlo Menotti (40) to his own words, is staged before a live audience for the first time, in Bloomington, Indiana.  See 24 December 1951.

    21 February 1955 Four Russian Songs for soprano, flute, harp, and guitar by Igor Stravinsky (72) are performed for the first time, in Los Angeles.

    21 February 1960 Cantata for City, Nation, World for chorus by Leslie Bassett (37) to various texts is performed for the first time, in Buffalo.

    21 February 1964 A ballet on Variations pour une porte et un soupir by Pierre Henry (36) to a choreography by Béjart, is performed for the first time, in the Palais des Beaux Arts, Brussels.

    Sonatina for accordion by David Diamond (48) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    21 February 1967 Antiphony III (Pearl-White Moments) for chorus and tape by Kenneth Gaburo (40) to words of Hommel is performed for the first time, at Mandel Hall of the University of Chicago, the composer conducting.

    21 February 1971 Aulos for flute, two horns, strings, and percussion by Ulysses Kay (54) is performed for the first time, at Indiana University, Bloomington.

    21 February 1973 Cindy for chorus by Roy Harris (75) is performed for the first time, in University Theatre, California State University, Los Angeles.

    21 February 1975 Still and Moving Lines of Silence in Families of Hyperbolas for voices, instruments, dancers, and percussion by Alvin Lucier (43) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    21 February 1981 Phone for electronics by John Chowning (46) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    Ecclesiastical Symphonies for orchestra by Charles Wuorinen (42) is performed for the first time, in Centennial Hall, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois.

    21 February 1982 Margot le Rouge, a lyric drama by Frederick Delius (†48) to words of Gaston-Danville, is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of the BBC, 80 years after it was composed.  See 8 June 1983.

    21 February 1987 Walzer 2 “Drängender Walzer” for orchestra by Wolfgang Rihm (34) is performed for the first time, in Frankfurt.

    21 February 1990 The Way for traditional Japanese instruments and dancer by Toshi Ichiyanagi (57) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    21 February 1991 Umfassung for orchestra by Wolfgang Rihm (38) is performed for the first time, in Milan.  It was composed in memory of Luigi Nono (†0).

    Shog for orchestra by Jacob Druckman (62) is performed for the first time, in Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris.

    21 February 1996 Aria antigua for recorder and claves by Joaquín Rodrigo (94) is performed for the first time, in Madrid.  See 10 June 1959 and 18 December 1994.

    21 February 2001 Littlemore Tractus for chorus and organ by Arvo Pärt (65) is performed for the first time, at St. Nicholas’ Church, Oxford.

    21 February 2002 September Canticle for organ, brass, percussion, amplified piano, and strings by Joseph Schwantner (58) is performed for the first time, in Eugene McDermott Concert Hall, Dallas.

    21 February 2004 Episodes for violin and piano by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (64) is performed for the first time, in Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, Florida.

    Telino's Acrobats for bass clarinet by Richard Wernick (70) is performed for the first time, at the Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, New York.

    21 February 2007 Tevot for orchestra by Thomas Adès (35), is performed for the first time, in the Philharmonie, Berlin.

    21 February 2008 Conjurer:  Concerto for Percussionist and String Orchestra by John Corigliano (70) is performed for the first time, in Pittsburgh.

    21 February 2015 To Music for piano by David del Tredici (77) is performed for the first time, at the Tenri Cultural Institute, New York.

    22 February

    22 February 1674 John Wilson dies at Westminster, aged 78 years, ten months, and 17 days.

    22 February 1753 Charles Avison (44) dates his A Reply to the Author of Remarks On the Essay on Musical Expression. William Hayes, a professor at Oxford University, strongly criticized Avison’s less than laudatory remarks about Handel (67) in his Essay, and his preference for church music of the Italian school rather than the English.  Avsion calls Hayes a “tasteless pedant.”  Sales of the original Essay increase.

    22 February 1767 Il prologo, by Christoph Willibald Gluck (52) to words of del Rosso, is performed for the first time, in Teatro della Pergola, Florence.  It was composed to celebrate the end of the confinement of Maria Luisa, Grand Duchess of Tuscany.

    22 February 1772 L’americano, an intermezzo by Niccolò Piccinni (44), is performed for the first time, in Teatro Capranica, Rome.

    22 February 1776 Phoebe at Court, an operetta by Thomas Augustine Arne (65) to his own words after Lloyd, is performed for the first time, in the Little Theatre, Haymarket.

    22 February 1780 Atys, a tragédie lyrique by Niccolò Piccinni (52) to words of Marmontel after Quinault, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.  The premiere is performed badly but by the second night it will be very successful, which is a comfort to the anti-Gluckists.

    22 February 1781 Emilie, ou La belle esclave, a comédie lyrique by André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry (40) to words of Guillard, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.

    22 February 1791 Penso, rifletto, an aria for Matin y Soler’s Il burbero di buon cuore by Luigi Cherubini (30) is performed for the first time, in Théâtre De Monsieur, Paris.

    22 February 1798 Encore un tuteur dupé, a comédie by Giuseppe Cambini (52) to words of Roussel, is performed for the first time, in Théâtre Montansier, Paris.

    22 February 1799 Begin the noble song, also known as Ode to St. Cecilia for chorus and orchestra by Samuel Wesley (32) to words of his grandfather of the same name, is performed for the first time, at Covent Garden.  It is the first important work by Wesley to be performed in London.

    22 February 1800 Lorenzo da Ponte, partner in a publishing firm with Jan Ladislav Dussek (40) and Domenico Corri, goes bankrupt in London.

    22 February 1810 It is determined that Carl Maria von Weber (23) owes three times his assets.  Weber agrees to a debt payment arrangement to placate the creditors.  They petition for his release.

    22 February 1815 A large concert is given in Boston with massed choirs and instrumentalists to celebrate Washington’s Birthday and the Treaty of Ghent.  The event will inspire the founding of the Boston Handel and Haydn Society.  See 15 March 1815.

    22 February 1825 Der Holzdieb, a singspiel by Heinrich August Marschner (29) to words of Kind, is performed for the first time, in Dresden Hoftheater.  It is very successful.

    22 February 1826 Incidental music to von Uechtritz’s play Alexander und Darius by Heinrich August Marschner (30) is performed for the first time, in Dresden.

    22 February 1834 César Franck (11) wins the First Prize in piano at the Royal Conservatory of Liège.

    22 February 1848 César Franck (25) marries Félicité (Saillot) Desmousseaux, daughter of two actors in the Comédie-Française, in the Church of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, Paris.  Desmousseaux is the stage name of her parents, Saillot her legal name.  The couple are given safe conduct by revolutionaries over their barricades as they leave church.

    22 February 1859 Auroraball-Polka op.219 by Johann Strauss (33) is performed for the first time, in the Sperl Ballroom, Vienna.

    22 February 1862 L’Union op.48, a fantasy on Yankee Doodle, Hail Columbia and The Star-Spangled Banner for piano by Louis Moreau Gottschalk (32), is performed for the first time, in New York by the composer.  The work stirs the crowd into a patriotic frenzy.

    22 February 1865 A four-part Fugue in G for organ by Hubert Parry (16) is performed for the first time, in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor.

    Hofballtänze op.298, a waltz by Johann Strauss (39), is performed for the first time, in the Hofburg, Vienna.

    22 February 1871 A board of musicians, assembled by the Imperial Theatre Directorate, rejects Modest Musorgsky’s (31) opera Boris Godunov for performance, complaining that it does not have an important female role.

    22 February 1874 A posthumous exhibition of drawings and architectural sketches by Victor Hartmann opens in St. Petersburg, through the efforts of Vladimir Stasov.  (This could be 24 February)

    Ouverture de Phèdre for orchestra by Jules Massenet (31) is performed for the first time.

    22 February 1878 Symphony no.4 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (37) is performed for the first time, in Moscow.  It is generally successful.

    22 February 1881 Stürmisch in Lieb’ und Tanz op.393, a polka-schnell by Johann Strauss (55), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    22 February 1883 Angelus!  Prière aux anges gardiens in the version for string quintet by Franz Liszt (71) is performed for the first time, in Prague.

    22 February 1885 The Moscow branch of the Russian Musical Society elects Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (44) as its director.

    22 February 1892 Unparteiische Kritiken op.442, a polka mazurka by Johann Strauss (66), is performed for the first time,in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    22 February 1897 Hugo Wolf (36) makes his last public concert appearance, accompanying his songs in a recital at the Bösendorfersaal, Vienna.

    22 February 1903 After paralytic convulsions, Hugo Filip Jakob Wolf dies at the Lower Austrian Provincial Asylum, Vienna, in the arms of his attendant, Johann Scheibner.  Wolf is aged 42 years, eleven months, and nine days.

    22 February 1905 Desiring more income from his published works, Jean Sibelius (39) leaves Breitkopf & Härtel and signs a contract with Robert Lienau, head of Schlesingerische Buch- und Musikhandlung.  He must compose four major works per year and will receive a minimum of 8,000 Reichsmarks.

    At a private performance for Rimsky-Korsakov (60) and his circle in St. Petersburg, a Piano Sonata in f# minor by Igor Stravinsky (22) is performed for the first time.

    22 February 1906 Richard Strauss (41) meets Hugo von Hofmannsthal in Berlin.  They have met before, but this is the first conversation of any length or significance.  Hofmannsthal allows Strauss to use his play Elektra any way he likes.

    22 February 1907 Introduction et Allegro for harp, string quartet, flute and clarinet by Maurice Ravel (31) is performed for the first time, at the Cercle Musical, Hôtel de la Société Française de Photographie.

    22 February 1909 In the Fen Country for orchestra by Ralph Vaughan Williams (36) is performed for the first time, in Queen’s Hall, London.

    22 February 1911 Anton von Webern (27) marries Wilhelmine Mörtl, the daughter of Webern’s uncle, a notary, in a civil ceremony in the courthouse of Danzig.  After she became pregnant last autumn, the pair made every effort to marry in the Church.  Application was made for papal dispensation, owing to the fact that they were first cousins.  Without response from the Church, the two are forced into a civil ceremony.  The Church will finally bless the union in 1915, after the birth of three children.

    22 February 1912 Lili Boulanger (18) performs in public for the first time, in a salon on the Rue Bally, Paris.

    Symphony no.7 by Charles Villiers Stanford (59) is performed for the first time, in Queen’s Hall, London conducted by the composer.

    22 February 1916 After several stopovers along the way, Lili Boulanger (22), along with her mother and sister Nadia (28), reaches the Villa Medici to complete her Prix de Rome year.

    America First, a march by John Philip Sousa (61), is performed for the first time, simultaneously in the New York Hippodrome and in Washington, to celebrate the birthday of George Washington.

    22 February 1918 Deità Silvane for high voice and 15 instruments by Ottorino Respighi (38) to words of Rubino is performed for the first time, in Rome.

    Pribaoutki for solo voice and chamber ensemble by Igor Stravinsky (35) is performed for the first time, in Aeolian Hall, London.  This performance is done with piano accompaniment.  See 6 June 1919.

    22 February 1922 Six Impromptus for piano by Francis Poulenc (23) are performed for the first time, in Paris.

    22 February 1929 String Quartet no.4 by Béla Bartók (47) is performed for the first time, in London.

    Concerto for piano and wind octet by Colin McPhee (28) is performed for the first time, in Rochester, New York the composer at the keyboard and Howard Hanson (32) conducting.

    22 February 1930 The second meeting of the New York Musicological Society takes place in Blanche Walton’s apartment in New York.  One of the founders, Charles Seeger, does not allow his student Ruth Crawford (28) to attend because he desires the group “not be confused with a women’s club.”  However he does allow her to sit outside the room with the door ajar.  When she arrives, she finds the door closed.  Later that evening, Crawford confides to Blanche Walton that she is fond of Seeger.

    22 February 1931 Vers la plage lointaine, nocturne op.43, a symphonic poem by Charles Koechlin (63), is performed for the first time, in Théâtre Sarah Bernhardt, Paris.

    22 February 1932 John Philip Sousa (77) conducts the combined band of the Navy, Army, and Marine Corps in front of the Capitol Building in Washington in the first performance of his George Washington Bicentennial march, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Washington’s birth.

    22 February 1939 Incidental music to Priestley’s play Johnson over Jordan by Benjamin Britten (25) is performed for the first time, in the New Theatre, London.

    22 February 1941 Ballad of a Railroad Man for chorus and orchestra by Roy Harris (43) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of WNYC originating at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

    22 February 1943 Immortality for chorus by John Ireland (63) to words of Crompton is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of the BBC originating in Bedford.

    22 February 1944 Two Songs op.18 for voice and piano by Samuel Barber (33) are performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York:  The Queen’s Face on a Summery Coin, to words of Horan, and Monks and Raisins, to words of Garcia Villa.

    22 February 1945 The organ music improvised by Olivier Messiaen (36) on 2 February is used for the first time, in the production of Fabre’s play Tristan et Yseult in the Théâtre Édouard VII, Paris.

    Symphony on a Hymn Tune by Virgil Thomson (48) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York the composer conducting.  Critics are generally disappointed.

    22 February 1948 A Piano Sonata by Werner Egk (46) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

    22 February 1949 Sonata for solo cello by George Perle (33) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    Quartet for trombones by Leslie Bassett (26) is performed for the first time, at the University of Michigan.

    22 February 1950 Luigi Dallapiccola (46) wins the prize for best film score at the Second International Congress of Art Films in Brussels for his music to the film L’esperienza del cubismo.

    22 February 1951 Symphony no.2 by Charles Ives (76) is performed for the first time, in New York, conducted by Leonard Bernstein (32) 50 years after it was completed by the composer.  See 4 March 1951.

    22 February 1952 Sergey Prokofiev’s (60) festive poem The Meeting of the Volga with the Don River op.130, composed to celebrate the completion of the Volga-Don Canal, is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of Radio Moscow.

    22 February 1956 Movements 1, 2, 3, and 5 of Folk Fantasy for Festivals for folksingers, soloists, speakers, chorus, and piano by Roy Harris (58) are performed for the first time, at the Juilliard School of Music, New York.  See 14 November 1957 and 6 May 1963.

    Calcium Light Night from Set no.1 for chamber orchestra by Charles Ives (†1), edited and arranged by Henry Cowell (58), is performed for the first time, in Sprague Memorial Hall, Yale University.  Also premiered are Ives’ songs No More to words of Whittier, There is a certain garden, Yellow Leaves to words of Bellamann, and A Sea Dirge to words of Shakespeare.

    22 February 1960 Duke Ellington (60) enters the Blue Jay Restaurant in Baltimore and is refused service because he is black.

    Marginal Sounds for violin, piano, celesta, vibraphone, xylophone, and percussion by Ernst Krenek (59) is performed for the first time, in Caspary Auditorium of the Manhattan School of Music, New York.  See 17 April 1962.

    22 February 1961 Satires, a cycle for voice and piano by Dmitri Shostakovich (54) to words of Chorny (pseud. Glücksberg, is performed for the first time, at Moscow Conservatory Malyi Hall.  The audience requires the singer, Galina Vishnevskaya, to repeat the entire cycle twice.

    Lowell Seth Liebermann is born in New York.

    22 February 1963 Triptych on Texts of Blake for voice, violin, cello, and piano by Ulysses Kay (46) is performed for the first time, at Winston-Salem State Teachers College, North Carolina.

    22 February 1969 Sun Music II for orchestra by Peter Sculthorpe (39) is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, Sydney.

    22 February 1970 From A to Z, a radio opera by Bruno Maderna (49) to words of Rass, is staged for the first time, in Darmstadt.

    22 February 1971 Stanza I for soprano, guitar, harp, piano, celesta, and vibraphone by Toru Takemitsu (40) to words of Wittgenstein is performed for the first time, in Tokyo Metropolitan Festival Hall.

    22 February 1974 Five Portraits for violin and piano by Ulysses Kay (57) is performed for the first time, at the Library of Congress, Washington.

    22 February 1977 Dots, Lines, and Zigzag for bass clarinet and piano by Sofia Gubaidulina (45) is performed for the first time, in the Information Center of the Czech Socialist Republic in East Berlin.

    Sections I and II of Quartets I-VIII for 24 instruments by John Cage (64) are performed for the first time, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York conducted by Lukas Foss (54).  See 31 May 1978.

    22 February 1978 Introitus for piano and chamber orchestra by Sofia Gubaidulina (46) is performed for the first time, in the Hall of the Composers’ Union, Moscow along with premieres by three other composers.  Every important “unofficial” composer in the USSR is in attendance.

    22 February 1981 After Reading Shakespeare for cello by Ned Rorem (57) is performed for the first time, in Philadelphia.

    22 February 1984 Taffytime for large ensemble by Robert Erickson (66) is performed for the first time, at the University of California at San Diego.

    22 February 1985 Clair de lune, a chamber opera by Libby Larsen (34) to words of Hampl, is performed for the first time, in Little Rock, Arkansas.

    22 February 1987 A Medley of Nursery Rhymes and Conundrums op.33c for mezzo-soprano and piano by Robin Holloway (43) is performed for the first time, at Caius College, Cambridge the composer at the keyboard.

    22 February 1991 On the Verge/Troubadour Songs for string quartet and scordatura electric guitar by Steven Mackey (35) is performed for the first time, at Stanford University.

    22 February 1996 Concerto for clarinet and orchestra by George Rochberg (77) is performed for the first time, in Philadelphia.

    22 February 1997 Two works by Lowell Liebermann are premiered on his 36th birthday:  Nocturne no.5 op.55 for piano, in Carnegie Hall, New York, and Kontrapunktus for Japanese drums and orchestra op.52, in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

    22 February 2000 Shopping List of a Poisoner for vocal soloist by Louis Andriessen (60) is performed for the first time, in the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam.

    22 February 2001 George Crumb (71) receives a Grammy Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition for his Star Child.

    Fascinating Ribbons for winds, percussion, and piano by Joan Tower (62) is performed for the first time, in Denton, Texas.

    22 February 2002 Two Songs for Firth School for unison voices and piano by Peter Maxwell Davies (67) is performed for the first time, at the opening of the new Firth School at Finstown, Orkney.  The words were created as a collaboration by the composer, the headmaster of the school, John Moar, and the children of the school, who perform the premiere.

    Pedal Tones for organ and orchestra by Steven Mackey (46) is performed for the first time, in Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco.

    22 February 2003 Canzona and Toccata for trumpet and organ by Robin Holloway (59) is performed for the first time, in Kelvin Grove Art Gallery, Glasgow.

    22 February 2006 Overvoltage Rumble for bass clarinet, percussion, guitar, cello, bass, and electronics by Annie Gosfield (45) is performed for the first time, in Merkin Concert Hall, New York.

    Sonata for cello and piano no.3 op.90 by Lowell Liebermann is performed for the first time, in the Fort Worth Museum of Modern Art, Fort Worth, Texas, the composer at the keyboard on his 45th birthday.

    22 February 2007 Orion, a dance by Cesc Gelabert with music by Francisco López (43) and Borja Ramos, is performed for the first time, in the Lliure Theatre, Barcelona.

    22 February 2008 Evening in the Palace of Reason for string quartet and strings by Libby Larsen (57) is performed for the first time, at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, St. Paul, Minnesota.

    22 February 2010 Sunrise for flute, harp, and viola by Thea Musgrave (81) is performed for the first time, in the Morgan Library, New York.

    23 February

    23 February 1649 John Blow is baptized in Newark, Nottinghamshire.

    23 February 1662 Johannes Crüger dies in Berlin, aged 63 years, ten months and 14 days.

    23 February 1685 Georg Friedrich Händel is born in Halle.

    23 February 1704 Georg Muffat dies in Passau, 50 years, eight months, and 22 days after his baptism.

    23 February 1771 Empress Maria Theresia grants royal consent to Florian Leopold Gassmann (41) to form the Tonkünstler-Societät.  It will provide pensions for the widows and orphans of Viennese musicians.

    23 February 1773 Alzuma, a play by Murphy after Dryden and Voltaire, with music by Thomas Augustine Arne (62), is performed for the first time, at Covent Garden, London.

    23 February 1776 Walder, an ernsthafte Operette by Georg Benda (53) to words of Gotter after Marmontel, is performed for the first time, in Gotha.

    23 February 1789 Jan Ladislav Dussek (29) makes his first appearance in England at the Professional Concert in Hannover Square in London.

    23 February 1791 The publication of Joseph Haydn’s (58) String Quartets op.64 is announced in the Wiener Zeitung.

    23 February 1799 La punition, an opéra comique by Luigi Cherubini (38) to words of Desfaucherets, is performed for the first time, in Théâtre Feydeau, Paris.  It is not well received, will be reworked and presented again with more successful results.

    23 February 1809 The Circassian Bride, an opera by Henry R. Bishop (22) to words of Ward, is performed for the first time, in the Drury Lane Theatre, London.  Unfortunately, the theatre will burn down tomorrow, taking the score with it.

    23 February 1810 King Friedrich of Württemberg orders the release of Carl Maria von Weber (23) as well as his banishment.

    23 February 1819 Johann Nepomuk Hummel (40) signs a contract with Grand Duke Carl August of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach making him Kapellmeister.

    23 February 1823 A Symphony in D by Jan Václav Vorísek (31) is performed for the first time, in Vienna.  It is moderately successful.

    23 February 1825 Giacomo Meyerbeer (33) returns to Paris from his Italian sojourn.  He is there to produce his first opera in the city, Il Crociato in Egitto.  See 7 March 1824.

    23 February 1831 Richard Wagner (17) matriculates at Leipzig University as a music student.

    23 February 1835 La juive, an opéra by Fromental Halévy (35) to words of Scribe, is performed for the first time, in the Paris Opéra.  It will become Halévy’s most important success.

    23 February 1837 César Franck (14) plays the piano in a concert featuring several different performers at the Athénée Musical, Paris.  He performs part of his own Deuxième grand concerto for piano and orchestra.  Although overshadowed by others on the program, he receives mildly positive notices.

    23 February 1841 Richard Wagner (27) writes an article from Paris to appear in the Dresden Abendzeitung. He announces the impending death of the Paris Opéra and that its savior will be Giacomo Meyerbeer (49).

    23 February 1843 Hector Berlioz (39) performs for a second time in the Gewandhaus, Leipzig in a very successful benefit for the poor.  Robert Schumann (32) attends and shakes Berlioz’ hand saying “This offertoire (from the Requiem):  It surpasses everything!”

    23 February 1845 Unable to get a hearing in Paris, Symphony no.1 by Louise Farrenc (40) is performed for the first time, in Brussels.

    23 February 1846 Zeitgeister Waltz op. 25 by Johann Strauss (20) is performed for the first time, in Dommayer’s Casino, Heitzing.

    23 February 1854 Les Préludes, a symphonic poem by Franz Liszt (42), is performed for the first time, in Wiemar, directed by the composer.

    La Viennoise op.144, a polka-mazurka by Johann Strauss (28), is performed for the first time, in the Sperl Ballroom, Vienna.

    23 February 1856 Manon Lescaut by Daniel-François-Esprit Auber (74) to words of Scribe after Prévost is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Favart, Paris.  The work does well tonight but will ultimately fail.

    23 February 1857 Wien, mein Sinn! op.192, a waltz by Johann Strauss (31), is performed for the first time, in the Sperl Ballroom, Vienna.

    23 February 1861 Die Kinder der Heide by Anton Rubinstein (31) to words of Mosenthal after Beck, is performed for the first time in the Vienna Kärntnertortheater.

    23 February 1862 Franz Schubert’s (†33) String Quartet D.112 is performed for the first time, by the Vienna Musikverein, 48 years after it was composed.

    23 February 1865 Samuel Sebastian Wesley (54) resigns as organist of Winchester Cathedral.

    23 February 1867 The adagio movement of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s (26) Symphony no.1 is performed for the first time, in St. Petersburg.  It is paired with the scherzo movement, already premiered in 1866.  See 15 February 1868.

    23 February 1873 Richard Strauss (8) appears as conductor for the first time, directing his first composition, Schneider-polka, orchestrated by his father, at a concert in Munich.

    23 February 1877 Le timbre d’argent, a drame lyrique by Camille Saint-Saëns (41) to words of Barbier and Carré, is performed for the first time, at the National-Lyrique, Paris.  It is moderately successful and receives 18 performances.  Charles Gounod (58) is in the audience and is very impressed.

    23 February 1881 Modest Musorgsky (41) suffers a seizure at the home of contralto Darya Leonova in St. Petersburg but recovers and spends the night there, sleeping in a chair.

    23 February 1882 Symphony no.1 by George Whitefield Chadwick (27) is performed for the first time, at the Boston Museum, the composer conducting.

    23 February 1883 Five songs by Johannes Brahms (49) are performed for the first time, in Vienna:  Therese op.86/1 to words of Keller, Feldeinsamkeit op.86/2 to words of Allmers, Nachtwandler op.86/3 to words of Kalbeck, Mädchenlied op.85/3 to traditional words, and In Waldeseinsamkeit op.85/6 to words of Lemcke.

    23 February 1887 Jabberwocky for male chorus by George Whitefield Chadwick (32) to words of Carroll is performed for the first time, in the Music Hall, Boston.

    23 February 1888 Suite in D for orchestra by Edward Elgar (30) is performed completely for the first time, conducted by the composer in Birmingham.  See 14 March 1882 and 13 December 1883.

    23 February 1892 Responding from a request from Charles Villiers Stanford (39) that Johannes Brahms (58) allow Cambridge University to confer an honorary doctorate on him in June 1893, Brahms sends his “thanks but no thanks.”  At that season, he would rather be “walking beside some lovely Italian lake.”  He suggests that Stanford should do the same.

    23 February 1894 Piano Sonata op.6 by Alyeksandr Skryabin (22) is performed for the first time, in St. Petersburg by the composer.

    23 February 1897 Gustav Mahler (36) accepts baptism as a Roman Catholic in the Kleine Michaeliskirche in Hamburg.

    23 February 1898 The Austrian premiere of Ruggero Leoncavallo’s La bohème takes place in Vienna conducted by Gustav Mahler (37).  Although there are demonstrations by supporters of the two men, the evening goes off without major incident and Leoncavallo pronounces himself pleased with the result.

    23 February 1901 Picarol, a zarzuela with words by Mestres and music by Enrique Granados (33), is performed for the first time, at the Teatre Líric Català, Barcelona.  It enjoys a good success.

    23 February 1903 Variations on a Theme of Chopin op.22, a piano work by Sergey Rakhmaninov (29), is performed for the first time, by the composer, at a concert for the Ladies Charity Prison Committee in Moscow.

    23 February 1908 Parting, for male chorus by Leos Janácek (53), is performed for the first time, in Brünn (Brno).

    Nox op.15/3 for voice and orchestra by Charles Koechlin (40) to words of Leconte de Lisle is performed for the first time, in Paris the composer conducting.  Also premiered is the orchestral arrangement of Koechlin’s Au loin op.20/2.  See 7 April 1897.

    23 February 1909 Sergey Prokofiev’s (17) “Second Symphony” is given its first performance, privately, in St. Petersburg.  He will withdraw it.

    23 February 1910 Feuillet d’album op.58 for piano by Alyeksandr Skryabin (38) is performed for the first time, in Moscow by the composer.

    Psalm 100 for chorus, orchestra, and organ op.106 by Max Reger (36) is performed for the first time, in Chemnitz.  It is received very positively by press and critics.

    La chanson des ingénues op.22/1 for voice and piano by Charles Koechlin (42) to words of Verlaine is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    23 February 1912 The unveiling of the third version of the Telharmonium takes place at Carnegie Hall, New York before a meeting of the New York Electrical Society.  The press barely notices.

    23 February 1913 Gurre-Lieder, for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra by Arnold Schoenberg (38) to words of Jacobsen (tr. Arnold), is performed for the first time, in the Musikvereinsaal, Vienna, under the baton of Franz Schreker (34).  There is a 15-minute standing ovation at the conclusion.  Anton von Webern (29) is released from the sanitarium in order to attend the concert.

    23 February 1914 Afternoon.  A memorial bust of Jules Massenet (†1) is unveiled before the Monte Carlo Opéra by Prince Albert who makes a speech in honor of his friend.

    Evening.  Cléopâtre, a drame passionel by Jules Massenet (†1) to words of Payen (pseud. of Liénard), is performed for the first time, at the Opéra de Monte Carlo.

    23 February 1916 The White Peacock op.7/1 for piano by Charles T. Griffes (31) is performed for the first time, at the Punch and Judy Theatre, New York.  See 22 June 1919.

    23 February 1918 Henry Cowell (20) enlists in the United States Army at Oakland, California.  He will spend most of his 15 months in uniform as a flutist at Camp Crane near Allenstown, Pennsylvania.

    23 February 1924 Lejaren Arthur Hiller, Jr. is born in New York City, USA only child of Lejaren A Hiller (born John Hiller), a photographer, artist, and writer, and Sarah Plummer, a model and dancer.  The household will also include “35 cats and a pet monkey.”

    23 February 1928 Igor Stravinsky’s (45) opera-oratorio Oedipus Rex, to words of Cocteau after Sophocles, is staged for the first time, in the Vienna Staatsoper.  See 30 May 1927.

    23 February 1930 Momoprecoce for piano and orchestra by Heitor Villa-Lobos (42) is performed for the first time, in the Salle Pleyel, Paris.

    23 February 1933 Soviet Music begins publication in Moscow.

    23 February 1934 Between 07:30 and 08:00  Edward William Elgar dies of cancer in his sleep at his home, The Red House (now Marl Bank), Rainbow Hill, Worcester, aged 76 years, eight months, and 21 days.

    A Boy Was Born op.3 for boys’ chorus, female chorus, and male chorus by Benjamin Britten (20) to anonymous 15th and 16th century words, is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of the BBC originating at Broadcasting House, London.

    23 February 1935 Stefan Zweig, the librettist of Die schweigsame Frau, writes to Richard Strauss (70) from Vienna, declining Strauss’ request for a collaboration on another libretto.  Zweig, who is Jewish, sees political consequences ahead.

    The Plays of Mary, an opera by Bohuslav Martinu (44) to words of Nezval, Závada, and the composer after various sources, is performed for the first time, in the National Theatre, Brno.

    Prelude and Fugue op.46 for piano by Albert Roussel (65) is performed for the first time, in Salle Chopin, Paris.

    23 February 1936 Sketch no.1 by Marc Blitzstein (30) is performed for the first time, at the New School for Social Research in New York.  It will be incorporated into The Cradle Will Rock.

    23 February 1937 Overture to Adventure for orchestra by Arnold Bax (53) is performed for the first time, in Winter Gardens, Bournemouth.

    23 February 1938 Signature for orchestra by Aaron Copland (37) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    23 February 1941 Virgil Thomson (44) writing in the New York Herald Tribune, attacks Kurt Weill (40) and Lady in the Dark saying, “It smells of Hollywood.  It is hokum, like Louise, sincere hokum.  If it really touches you, you go all to pieces inside.  If not, it is still something anyway, though not so much...Mr. Weill seems to have a great facility for writing banal music and the shamelessness to emphasize its banality with the most emphatically banal instrumentation.”

    Rebus for orchestra by Frank Bridge (†0) is performed for the first time, in Queen’s Hall, London.

    Roy Harris’ (43) symphonic overture Cimarron for band is performed for the first time, in Mandel Hall at the University of Chicago.

    23 February 1944 Le Voyageur sans bagage, a film with music by Francis Poulenc (45), is shown for the first time, in Paris.

    To Russia for baritone, chorus, and orchestra by Arnold Bax (60) to words of Masefield, is performed for the first time, in Royal Albert Hall, London.

    23 February 1945 Kurt Weill’s (44) operetta The Firebrand of Florence to words of Mayer and Ira Gershwin is performed for the first time, in the Colonial Theatre, Boston, under the title Much Ado About Love.  The lead role is played by Lotte Lenya.  See 22 March 1945.

    23 February 1947 Two chamber works by Alberto Ginastera (30) are performed for the first time, in New York:  Dúo for flute and oboe op.13 by and Pampeana no.1 op.16 for violin and piano.

    23 February 1949 The Duenna, an opera by Roberto Gerhard (52) to words of Hassall and the composer after Sheridan, is performed for the first time, in a concert setting in London.  See 21 January 1992.

    23 February 1954 Olivier Messiaen’s (45) piano work Cantéyodjayâ is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    Variations for piano and orchestra by Wallingford Riegger (68) is performed for the first time, in Louisville.

    23 February 1955 Variazioni for chamber orchestra by Luciano Berio (29) is performed for the first time, in Hamburg.

    23 February 1956 Concerto for piano and orchestra no.1 by Leon Kirchner (37) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York, the composer at the keyboard.

    23 February 1958 Música para un jardin for orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (56) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Ruzafa, Valencia.

    23 February 1961 Ittrospezione I for piano, four hands by Louis Andriessen (21) is performed for the first time, by the composer and Caecilia Andriessen.

    23 February 1962 Igor Stravinsky’s (79) cantata A Sermon, a Narrative, and a Prayer to words of Dekker and the Bible, is performed for the first time, in Basel.  It is very successful and the audience requires the entire work to be encored.

    The Juggler of Our Lady, an opera by Ulysses Kay (45) to words of King is performed for the first time, at Xavier University, New Orleans.

    23 February 1964 Rabbi Akiba, a vocalise for flute, english horn, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion, celesta, cello, and double bass by Morton Feldman (38), is performed for the first time, in Kaufmann Hall of the 92nd Street Y, New York.

    23 February 1966 Introversion II for chamber ensemble by Helmut Lachenmann (30) is performed for the first time, in Munich.  The composer plays harmonium.

    23 February 1969 Die Witwe des Schmetterlings, an opera by Isang Yun (51) to words of Kunz after Ma Chi Yuan, is performed for the first time, in Nuremberg.

    Three new works by Pauline Oliveros (36) are performed for the first time, at the University of California, San Diego:  A-OK for accordion, violins, chorus, conductor, audience, and tape-delay system; SY*dF=1 for mixed media; and The Dying Alchemist Preview for trumpet, violin, percussion, narrator, and slides.

    23 February 1971 We, a radio play with music by Vladimir Ussachevsky (59), is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

    23 February 1972 Septet for woodwind quintet, cello, and bass by Ben Johnston (45) is performed for the first time, at the University of Illinois.

    23 February 1973 The first movement of the Trio for violin, cello, and piano by Isang Yun (55) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.  See 13 May 1976.

    23 February 1974 Arabia felix for flute, bassoon, piano, electric guitar, vibraphone, and violin by Charles Wuorinen (35) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Recital Hall, New York.

    23 February 1975 Several works by Maurice Ravel (†37) are performed for the first time, in Colden Auditorium, Flushing, New York during the centennial year of the composer’s birth:  Ballade de la Reine morte d’aimer for voice and piano to words of de Marès (1893), Sérénade grotesque for piano (1893), Sonata for violin and piano (1897), Chanson du rouet for voice and piano to words of de Lisle (1898), Si morne! for voice and piano to words of Verhaeren (1898), and Chanson hébraïque for voice and orchestra, a 1924 transcription of one of the Chansons populaires of 1910.  See 19 December 1910.

    Lyric Fantasies for string orchestra by Norman Dello Joio (62) is performed for the first time.

    23 February 1979 Less Than Two for two pianos, percussion, and tape by Roger Reynolds (44) is performed for the first time, at the Library of Congress, Washington.

    23 February 1980 In Memory of a Summer Day, part one of Child Alice for amplified soprano and orchestra by David Del Tredici (42), is performed for the first time, in Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis.  See 14 April 1980, 16 September 1980, 19 November 1981, and 27 April 1986.

    23 February 1981 A way a lone for string quartet by Toru Takemitsu (50) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    23 February 1983 The Passion of the Sadducees, a cantata for actor, solo voices, chorus, and orchestra by Mikis Theodorakis (57) to words of Katsaros, is performed for the first time, in East Berlin.

    23 February 1984 A revised version of Improvisation sur Mallarmé III for soprano and orchestra by Pierre Boulez (58) is performed for the first time in London, directed by the composer.  See 10 June 1959.

    23 February 1985 Sonata for viola and piano by Samuel Adler (56) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    23 February 1989 La Maison du docteur, an opéra-comique by Georges Bizet (†113) to words of Boisseaux, is performed for the first time, at the University of Texas, Austin, 134 years after it was composed.

    23 February 1990 Unbenannt III for orchestra by Wolfgang Rihm (37) is performed for the first time, in Cologne.

    23 February 1991 Do you Hear us Luigi? for six percussionists by Sofia Gubaidulina (59) is performed for the first time, in Moscow.  It is in honor of Luigi Nono (†0).

    23 February 1992 Missa brevis for chorus and organ by Charles Wuorinen (53) is performed for the first time, at St. Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church, New York.

    23 February 1996 Three Fragments to Words by Stanislaw Wyspianski for voice and piano by Henryk Górecki (62) is performed for the first time, in Zakopane the composer at the keyboard.

    23 February 1998 Elementa for computerized sounds by Jean-Claude Risset (59) is performed for the first time, at Radio-France, Paris.

    23 February 2002 In Memory for string quartet by Joan Tower (63) is performed for the first time, at the 92nd Street Y, New York.

    23 February 2003 Fanfare:  Sizzle for orchestra by Libby Larsen (52) is performed for the first time, in Buffalo.

    23 February 2006 Morning’s Embrace for orchestra by Joseph Schwantner (62) is performed for the first time, in the Kennedy Center, Washington.

    23 February 2008 Points of View for chamber orchestra by Thea Musgrave (79) is performed for the first time, at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester.

    23 February 2012 Two works by Michael Daugherty (57) are performed for the first time, in Segerstrom Concert hall, Santa Ana, California:  The Gospel According to Sister Aimee for organ, brass, and percussion, and Viva for solo violin.

    23 February 2013 The Magdalene for soprano and piano by Libby Larsen (62), to words of the Pistis Sophia (tr.Mead & Sellew) is performed for the first time, at Baylor University, Waco, Texas.

    24 February

    24 February 1666 The earthly remains of Nicholas Lanier are buried in Greenwich, 77 years, five months and 14 days after his baptism.

    24 February 1674 Matthias Weckmann dies in Hamburg, aged approximately 62 years.

    24 February 1704 Marc-Antoine Charpentier dies in Paris at the age of 61.

    24 February 1763 Applausus musicus, a cantata by Johann Georg Albrechtsberger (27), is performed for the first time, in Melk.

    At a performance of Thomas Arne’s (52) Artaxerxes at Covent Garden, working class thugs begin a riot, breaking all the benches, boxes, and chandeliers.  They are angry that the usual admittance to the fourth act at half-price has been abandoned.  The theatre will be closed until 2 March.

    24 February 1766 Samuel Wesley is born in Bristol, the son of Charles Wesley, Methodist minister, poet and composer, and Sarah Gwynne, daughter of a wealthy landowner.  He is one of eight children, but the youngest of only three to survive infancy.

    24 February 1788 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (32) dates the score to his Piano Concerto no.26 K.537 in Vienna.

    24 February 1792 Joseph Haydn’s (59) madrigal The Storm XXIVa:  8 for solo voices and orchestra to words of Pindar is performed for the first time, in London.  It is the composer’s first setting of an English text.

    24 February 1794 La ritrovata figlia di Ottone II, a ballo eroico by Leopold Kozeluch (46) to a story by Muzzarelli, is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    24 February 1801 Das Pfauenfest, a singspiel by Johann Rudolph Zumsteeg (41) to words of Werthes, is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.

    24 February 1806 During Luigi Cherubini’s (45) visit to Vienna, Franz Joseph Haydn (73) dedicates his Symphony no.103 to him, noting this on the autograph manuscript and handing it to him.

    24 February 1814 The Wandering Boys, or The Castle of Olival, a romantic drama by Henry R. Bishop (27) to words of Pocock, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    24 February 1818 Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin (7) makes his first appearance in public playing a piano concerto in e minor by Czech composer Adalbert Gyrowetz at a concert organized by Countess Zofia Zamoyska to benefit her Warsaw Charitable Society.  The performance takes place in the French Theatre of the Radziwill Palace, Warsaw.

    24 February 1821 Matilde Shabran ossia Bellezza, e cuor di ferro, a melodramma giocoso by Gioachino Rossini (28) to words of Ferretti after Hoffmann and Boutet de Monvel, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Apollo, Rome, conducted by Nicolò Paganini (38).  The work encounters a mixed reception.

    24 February 1823 Franz Schubert’s (26) Wandererfantasie is published as op.15.

    24 February 1825 Dr. Berlioz, after hearing of the fiasco of last 27 December, severs the allowance of his son Hector.  This is the beginning of Hector Berlioz’ (21) financial troubles which will continue through the 1830s.

    24 February 1835 The first article written by Hector Berlioz (31) as the regular critic for the Journal des Débats appears today, signed H***.

    24 February 1837 Clara Wieck (17) gives her first full-length recital in Berlin.  This and the five to follow are given a fairly positive critical response.  She is compared to Mendelssohn (28).  The public love her.  Her father reports, “Triumph, triumph, Clara created a furore last night.  Her masterly playing was rewarded by an hour and a half of thunder and formidable bravissimos...Even Paganini (54) did not have such accolades here.”

    24 February 1840 Carline, an opéra comique by Ambroise Thomas (28) to words of de Leuven and Brunswick, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre des Nouveautés, Paris.

    24 February 1842 Enrico Giuseppe Giovanni (Arrigo) Boito is born in Padua in the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, the son of Silvestro Boito, a painter of miniatures, and Józefina Radolińska, a Polish countess.

    24 February 1848 Giacomo Meyerbeer (56) spends most of the day on the streets of Paris watching the revolution.  He is at the Palais Royal when most of the furniture comes flying out the windows.

    As revolution erupts outside his Paris window, Jules Massenet (5) receives his first music lesson, from his mother.

    24 February 1849 A setting of Domine salvum fac by Daniel-François-Esprit Auber (67) is performed for the first time, in the Madeleine before President Louis Napoleon Bonaparte and the National Assembly.

    24 February 1856 Mily Balakirev (19) makes his St. Petersburg debut as soloist in the premiere of the first movement of his own Piano Concerto in f# minor in a performance at the university.

    Hector Berlioz (52) manages to make it all the way through a performance of Lohengrin conducted by Franz Liszt (44) in Weimar.  At his first try, a few days ago, Berlioz left in the middle of Act II.  The two friends do not talk about it very much, although Berlioz is free in expressing his disdain to others.  Although Liszt and Berlioz remain friends, it will never be the same.

    24 February 1862 Studenten-Polka op.263 and the waltz Patronessen op.264 by Johann Strauss (36) are performed for the first time, in the Redoutensaal, Vienna.

    24 February 1863 Feramors, a lyric opera by Anton Rubinstein (33) to words of Rodenberg after Moore, is performed for the first time, in the Dresden Hoftheater.

    “Il brigidino”, a stornello for voice and piano by Giuseppe Verdi (49) to words of Dall’Ongaro, is performed for the first time, in Parma.

    24 February 1864 Haakon Jarl, a symphonic poem by Bedrich Smetana (39) is performed for the first time, in Prague, directed by the composer.

    24 February 1866 Pompéia, a suite symphonique by Jules Massenet (23) is performed for the first time, in the Casino de la Rue Cadet.

    24 February 1869 Gioachino Rossini’s (†0) Petite messe solennelle is performed for the first time with orchestral accompaniment, in the Théâtre-Italien, Paris.  See 14 March 1864.

    24 February 1872 Incidental music to Beaumarchais’ play (tr. Sadovski) The Barber of Seville by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (31) is performed for the first time, in Moscow.

    24 February 1875 Der Abend op.64/2, a vocal quartet by Johannes Brahms (41) to words of Schiller, is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    24 February 1876 Incidental music to Ibsen’s play Peer Gynt by Edvard Grieg (32) is performed for the first time, for a performance of the play in Christiania (Oslo).  Although neither author nor composer is present, it is an unqualified success.  Says the composer of this music, “It reeks of cow turds.”

    24 February 1881 Modest Musorgsky (41) suffers three fits of alcoholic epilepsy at the house of contralto Darya Leonova, St. Petersburg.

    24 February 1888 Justorum animae op.38/1 for chorus and organ by Charles Villiers Stanford (36) to words of the Bible is performed for the first time, in Trinity Chapel, Cambridge.

    24 February 1892 Incidental music to Aristophanes’ play The Frogs by Hubert Parry (43) is performed for the first time, in Oxford.

    24 February 1894 The first performance of the American Symphony Orchestra takes place in Chickering Hall, New York.  Made up of native-born musicians, it is a reaction to the domination of the New York musical scene by foreigners.  Victor Herbert (35) is the soloist in the premiere of his Légende for cello, harp, and strings.

    24 February 1898 Incidental music to Paul’s play Kung Kristian II by Jean Sibelius (32) is performed for the first time, in the Swedish Theatre, Helsinki.

    24 February 1901 After conducting a Vienna Philharmonic concert in the afternoon and Die Zauberflöte in the evening, Gustav Mahler (40) suffers severe bleeding due to hemorrhoids.  Dr. Julius Hochenegg, a prominent surgeon, is called in and he manages to stop the bleeding.  The doctor tells Mahler “half an hour later would have been too late.” (Leberecht 2010, 103)

    24 February 1903 After a funeral at the Votivkirche, the body of Hugo Wolf is laid to rest in the Vienna Central Cemetery near the graves of Schubert (†74) and Beethoven (†73).  Among those attending are Anton Webern (19) and Alban Berg (18).

    24 February 1904 Sonata no.4 for violin alone op.42/4 by Max Reger (30) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

    24 February 1906 The drame lyrique L’ancêtre by Camille Saint-Saëns (70) to words of Augé de Lassus, is performed for the first time, in Monaco.

    Festgesang for soprano, tenor, chorus, and orchestra by Engelbert Humperdinck (51) is performed for the first time, in the Berlin Musikhochschule.

    24 February 1907 Fantaisie op.28 for piano by Alyeksandr Skryabin (35), is performed for the first time, in Moscow.

    24 February 1908 In the case of White-Smith Publishing Company v. Apollo Company, the Supreme Court of the United States holds that a piano roll manufacturer may record any music it wishes, regardless of the wishes of the copyright holder.  Victor Herbert (49) filed a brief in support of White-Smith.  Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, in a separate, concurring opinion, writes, “A musical composition is a rational collocation of sounds apart from concepts, reduced to a tangible expression from which the collocation can be reproduced either with or without continuous human intervention.”  (Waters, 342)

    24 February 1914 Artur Sergeyevich Lurye (22) participates with Benedict Livshits and Georgy Yakulov in publishing the manifesto of St. Petersburg Futurists:  We and the West:  answer to Marinetti.

    24 February 1915 The Violin Sonata no.1 of Frederick Delius (53) is performed for the first time, in Houldsworth Hall, Manchester.

    24 February 1921 A Quintet for harp and strings by Arnold Bax (37) is performed for the first time, in Hampstead Centre.

    Intermezzo for piano by Charles T. Griffes (†0) is performed for the first time, in Elmira, New York.

    24 February 1922 Despite successful performances, Anton Webern (38) announces his resignation as director of the Schubertbund, after only five months.

    The East Riding for voice and piano by John Ireland (42) to words of Chilman, is performed for the first time, in Aeolian Hall, London.

    Les Pâques à New York for soprano and string quartet by Arthur Honegger (31) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    24 February 1929 Piano Sonata by Roy Harris (31) is performed for the first time, in the Little Theatre, New York.

    24 February 1936 Works for piano are performed for the first time, at a concert of educational music by contemporary composers at the City College of New York:  Two Children’s Pieces by Aaron Copland (35) and The Harper Minstrel Sings and The Irishman Dances, both by Henry Cowell (38).

    24 February 1937 Lucrezia, an opera by Ottorino Respighi (†0) to words of Guastalla after Shakespeare, and completed by his wife, Elsa Olivieri Respighi, is performed for the first time, in Teatro alla Scala, Milan.

    24 February 1939 Symphony no.3 by Roy Harris (41) is performed for the first time, in Symphony Hall, Boston.

    Several songs by Charles Ives (64) are performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York:  Autumn, to words of his wife, Harmony Twichell, and Berceuse, The Side Show and Down East to his own words, and Two Little Flowers to words of both Ives and his wife.  John Kirkpatrick also reprises the Concord Sonata.  Due to the recent notoriety of Ives’ music given by the critic Lawrence Gilman, the hall is filled.

    24 February 1940 Poems for Piano, Volume 1 op.4 by Vincent Persichetti (24) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of CBS radio in New York, by the composer.

    24 February 1944 Work in Progress for orchestra by Arnold Bax (60) is performed for the first time, in a “new hall at a big factory in the London Suburbs.”

    24 February 1948 Virgil Thomson’s (51) orchestral work The Seine at Night is performed for the first time, in the Music Hall, Kansas City, Missouri.

    24 February 1950 Quatre monocantes op.115 for voice and piano by Florent Schmitt (79) are performed for the first time, in Paris.

    24 February 1952 String Quartet no.2 by Peter Mennin (28) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    Cycle of Holy Songs for voice and piano by Ned Rorem (28) to words of the Bible is performed for the first time, in Washington.

    Igor Stravinsky (69) witnesses a performance of Suite for seven instruments op.29 of Arnold Schoenberg (†0) and the Quartet for clarinet, tenor saxophone, violin and piano op.22 of Anton Webern (†6).  This is seen as a point of transition into serial technique.

    24 February 1953 Concerto Grosso no.2 by Ernest Bloch (72) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of RAI.

    24 February 1956 Symphony no.5 by Walter Piston (62), commissioned by the Juilliard School in honor of its 50th anniversary, is performed for the first time, in New York.

    24 February 1957 Symphony no.10 by Henry Cowell (59) is performed for the first time, in the Museum of Natural History, New York.

    24 February 1959 Four songs for voice and piano by Ned Rorem (35) are performed for the first time, in Carnegie Recital Hall, the composer at the piano:  What Sparks and Wiry Cries to words of Goodman, Visits to St. Elizabeths to words of Bishop, Love to words of Lodge, and Lullaby of the Woman of the Mountain to words of Pearse (tr. MacDonagh).

    24 February 1960 An episode of the network game show I’ve Got a Secret is taped today, featuring a performance by John Cage (47).

    24 February 1961 The first ONCE Festival opens in the First Unitarian Church of Ann Arbor, Michigan, directed by Robert Ashley (30) and Roger Reynolds (26).  Luciano Berio (35) is the most illustrious composer present.

    24 February 1967 Dancing Ground, a ballet by Ned Rorem (43) is performed for the first time, in New York.  The work is based on Rorem’s Eleven Studies for Eleven Players.  See 17 May 1960.

    24 February 1968 Points d’aube for viola and 13 winds by Betsy Jolas (41) is performed for the first time, in the Maison de la Culture du Havre.

    Part of Symphony no.12 “Pere Marquette Symphony” by Roy Harris (70) is performed for the first time, in Uihlein Auditorium, Milwaukee.  See 8 November 1969.

    24 February 1969 Violin Sonata no.2 by Alfred Schnittke (34) is performed for the first time, in Kazan.

    24 February 1970 Duke Ellington (70) is elected to the National Institute of Arts and Letters.

    24 February 1976 A Mirror on Which to Dwell, a cycle for soprano and chamber group by Elliott Carter (67) to words of Bishop, is performed for the first time, in Hunter College Playhouse, New York.

    1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, a musical by Leonard Bernstein (57) to words of Lerner, is performed for the first time, in the Forrest Theatre, Philadelphia.  See 8 May 1976.

    24 February 1978 Wind Quintet no.1 by Charles Wuorinen (39) is performed for the first time, in Great Hall, Cooper Union, New York.

    24 February 1979 Lulu, an opera by Alban Berg (†43) to his own words after Wedekin, is performed completely for the first time, at the Paris Opéra, under the baton of Pierre Boulez (53).  It was completed by Friedrich Cerha.

    24 February 1982 Fantasia for violin, cello, and piano by Otto Luening (81) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    Arc of Life for chamber orchestra by Ernst Krenek (81) is performed for the first time, at the College of the Desert, Palm Springs, California.

    24 February 1983 La Passion selon Guignol for amplified vocal quartet and orchestra by Henri Pousseur (53) is performed for the first time, in Liège.

    24 February 1985 Three canons for two flutes by Otto Luening (84) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    Gazebo Dances for piano four-hands by John Corigliano (47) is performed for the first time, in Alice Tully Hall, New York.

    24 February 1989 Nuclear Submarine Yonagazame’s song of Erotic Voyage and Suicide for chorus by Toshi Ichiyanagi (56), to words of Ooka, is performed for the first time, in Tokyo.

    Missa brevis for chorus by Jonathan Lloyd (40) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of the BBC.

    The Wound Dresser for baritone and chamber orchestra by John Adams (42) to words of Whitman is performed for the first time, in St. Paul conducted by the composer.

    24 February 1990 Electric Counterpoint for 13 electric guitars by Steve Reich (52) is performed for the first time, at the University of Southern California.

    24 February 1991 Chamber Symphony for 15 players by Thomas Adès (19), is performed for the first time, in West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge, directed by the composer.

    24 February 1992 Ten for flute, oboe, clarinet, trombone, percussion, string quartet, and piano by John Cage (79) is performed for the first time, in Amsterdam.

    24 February 1993 Requiem, nine sacred concertos for piano, trumpet, and chamber orchestra by Hans Werner Henze (66), is performed completely for the first time, in Berlin.  See 6 May 1990, 14 January, 11 December 1991, and 26 November 1992.

    24 February 1994 Dancer on a Tightrope for violin and piano by Sofia Gubaidulina (62) is performed for the first time, at the Library of Congress, Washington.  Since 20 January, the composer has been present at four premieres of her work, in New York, the Canary Islands, Stockholm, and Washington.

    24 February 1995 Music for violin, sho, and piano by Toshi Ichiyanagi (62) is performed for the first time, at the Asia Society, New York.

    24 February 1999 Xi for chamber ensemble and electronics by Unsuk Chin (37) is performed for the first time, in Cité de la musique, Paris.

    24 February 2000 The Last Dance for orchestra by Joan Tower (61) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    24 February 2002 …as like a raging fire… for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano by Chen Yi (48) is performed for the first time, in Philadelphia.

    24 February 2006 Our Town, a chamber opera by Ned Rorem (82) to words of McClatchy after Wilder, is performed for the first time, at Indiana University, Bloomington.

    25 February

    25 February 1643 Marco da Gagliano dies in Florence, aged 60 years, nine months, and 24 days.

    25 February 1682 Alessandro Stradella dies in Genoa, aged 42 years, ten months, and 22 days.

    25 February 1757 The oratorio Esther by George Frideric Handel (72) is performed as part of the Lenten concert series in London.  It includes the addition of Sion now her head shall rise, possibly the last chorus composed by Handel.

    25 February 1768 Lionel and Clarissa, a pasticcio comic opera with some music by Thomas Augustine Arne (57) and words by Bickerstaff, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    25 February 1781 La fedeltà premiata, a dramma pastorale giocoso by Joseph Haydn (48) to words after Lorenzi, is performed for the first time, to open the new Esterháza opera house.  It is an enormous success.

    25 February 1806 Faniska, an opéra comique by Luigi Cherubini (45) to words of Sonnleithner after Pixérécourt, is performed for the first time, in the Kärntnertortheater, Vienna directed by the composer.  The audience includes Emperor Franz and the royal family, Franz Joseph Haydn (72) and Ludwig van Beethoven (35).  It is a great success and will receive 28 performances.

    25 February 1825 Franz Schubert’s (28) song Der zürnenden Diana D.707 to words of Mayrhofer is performed for the first time, in the Vienna Musikverein.

    25 February 1826 On the way to London, Carl Maria von Weber (39) arrives in Paris.  During his stay in the city he will meet Luigi Cherubini (65), Daniel-François-Esprit Auber (44), Gioacchino Rossini (33), Ferdinando Paer and Charles-Simon Catel.  Hector Berlioz (22), who idolizes Weber, seeks out the German but is unable to find him.  Rossini, observing Weber’s terrible health, tries to talk him out of going on to London.

    25 February 1828 Muzio Clementi (76) gives his last public performance, playing the piano at a concert of the Philharmonic Society, London.

    25 February 1829 After a benefit performance in which both of them take part at the Théâtre Favart, Harriet Smithson informs Hector Berlioz (25), through her landlord M. Tartes, that she wants nothing to do with him and that he should stop pestering her.  “Then it’s quite impossible?” Berlioz asks.  “Oh, monsieur, nothing is more impossible,” comes the reply.

    25 February 1842 After a concert by Clara Schumann (22) in Oldenburg, she is honored by a gathering at court, to which her husband Robert (31) is excluded.  She decides to attend anyway.

    25 February 1846 Le Moine bourru ou les Deux Poltrons, a duo bouffe by Jacques Offenbach (26) to words of Plouvier, is performed for the first time, privately, at Chez les de Forges.  See 24 April 1846

    25 February 1850 Robert Schumann’s (39) Conzertstück op.86 for four horns and orchestra is performed for the first time, on a program with the Overture to Genoveva at an orchestra pension fund concert in Leipzig.

    25 February 1863 Johann Strauss, Jr. (37) is named Hofball-Musik-Direktor on his third try.

    25 February 1871 The Société National de Musique is founded in the Paris home of Henri Duparc by César Franck (48), Camille Saint-Saëns (35), Georges Bizet (32), Jules Massenet (28), Gabriel Fauré (25), Henri Duparc (23), Vincent d’Indy (19), and others.  The concerts of the Society are to be limited to living French composers.

    25 February 1875 Menus-Plaisirs by Jacques Offenbach (55) to words of Crémieux is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre de la Gaîté.

    25 February 1878 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (37) writes to his brother Anatoly from Florence, “Only now, especially after the tale of my marriage, have I finally begun to understand that there is nothing more fruitless than not wanting to be that which I am by nature.”

    25 February 1881 Modest Musorgsky (41) is taken by friends to Nikolayevsky Military Hospital.

    The Maid of Orleans, an opera by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (40) to his own words after Schiller, is performed for the first time, at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg.  The work is well received by the audience but critics are scathing.  Playing Dunois is a famous bass named Fyodor Stravinsky.

    The first two of the Trois romances sans paroles op.17 for piano by Gabriel Fauré (35) are performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris.  See 19 January 1889.

    25 February 1892 Nächtens op.112/2, a vocal quartet by Johannes Brahms (58) to words of Kugler, is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    25 February 1897 Two songs for voice and piano by Edward Elgar (39) are performed for the first time, in St. James’ Hall, London:  Through the Long Days to words of Hay, and Like to the Damask Rose to words of Wastell.

    25 February 1903 Near the village of San Macario, near Lucca, Giacomo Puccini (44) is seriously injured in an automobile accident.  The composer is trapped under the overturned car and saved only because he lies in a ditch while the car rests on a fallen tree.  He suffers several contusions and a fracture of the right shin.  Later, after tests prompted by the lack of healing in the leg, he will be diagnosed to have diabetes.

    25 February 1905 The Concerto for double bass in f# minor by Sergey Koussevitzky is performed for the first time, in Moscow.  The composer is soloist.

    25 February 1906 Sergey Rakhmaninov (32) resigns as conductor at the Bolshoy Theatre, Moscow.  He claims it is because of because of an upcoming North American tour.

    25 February 1907 Fifteen Songs op.26 by Sergey Rakhmaninov (33) are performed for the first time, in Moscow.

    25 February 1911 Natoma, an opera by Victor Herbert (52) to words of Redding, is performed for the first time, at the Philadelphia Opera House.

    25 February 1912 The cantata Amarus, words by Vrchlicky and music by Leos Janácek (57) is performed for completely the first time, in Brünn (Brno).  See 20 March 1898 and 2 December 1900.

    25 February 1919 Sergey Prokofiev (27) signs a contract with the Aeolian Company to produce five piano rolls per year.

    25 February 1922 Incidental music to Christiansen’s play Cosmus by Carl Nielsen (56) is performed for the first time, at the Royal Theatre, Copenhagen.

    Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns (†0) is performed for the first time, in Paris.  The composer banned its performance during his lifetime, except for Le Cygne, fearing that it would damage his reputation as a serious composer.  He allowed for its performance in his will.

    25 February 1924 Suite for Piano op.25 by Arnold Schoenberg (49) is performed for the first time, in the Mozartsaal, Vienna.

    25 February 1927 Vetrate di Chiesa for orchestra by Ottorino Respighi (47) is performed for the first time, in Symphony Hall, Boston.

    25 February 1932 Sun-Treader, a symphonic poem by Carl Ruggles (55), is performed for the first time, in Salle Pleyel, Paris.  The critics are mixed.  During rehearsals, many musicians rebelled, claiming the work is unplayable and unmusical.  They were finally quieted through the considerable effort of Edgard Varèse (48).  Extra rehearsals became necessary.  After a plea from the conductor, Nicholas Slonimsky, funds were cabled by Charles Ives (57).

    25 February 1934 Four Minutes-20 Seconds for flute and string quartet by Roy Harris (36) is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.

    Henry Cowell’s (36) dance music Six Casual Developments to a scenario by Graham is performed for the first time, in New York.  See 30 September 1933.

    25 February 1935 Settings of Austrian Folksongs for chorus by Ernst Krenek (34) are performed for the first time, in the Vienna Ehrbar-Saal.

    25 February 1936 Three Divertimenti for string quartet by Benjamin Britten (22), a reworking of his  Alla Quartetto Serioso “Go Play, Boy, Play” is performed for the first time, in Wigmore Hall, London.

    Kurt Weill (35) goes to the German consulate in New York to replace his expired passport.  In spite of the recently enacted Nuremberg Laws depriving Jews of their citizenship, he is issued a new passport without comment.

    25 February 1938 Sonata for bassoon and piano op.71 by Charles Koechlin (70) is performed for the first time, in Salle Cortot of the École Normale de Musique, Paris.

    The second program in the radio feature Lines on the Map entitled “Communication by Sea” with music by Benjamin Britten (24) is broadcast for the first time, over the airwaves of the BBC.

    25 February 1939 One Thing is Certain, a ballet by Hugo Weisgall (26) to a scenario by Hart, is performed for the first time, in Baltimore.

    25 February 1945 Another Music for female chorus and small orchestra by Elliott Carter (36) to words of Van Doren is performed for the first time, in Temple Emanu-El, New York.  It will later be known as The Harmony of Morning.

    25 February 1952 Piano Trio no.3 by Bohuslav Martinu (61) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    25 February 1953 Wonderful Town, a musical by Leonard Bernstein (34) to words of Comden and Green after Fields and Chodurov, is performed for the first time in New York, in the Winter Garden.  The critics are unanimously positive.  See 19 January 1953.

    25 February 1960 Music for Amplified Toy Pianos by John Cage (47) is performed for the first time, at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut.

    Incidental music to Hellman’s play Toys in the Attic by Marc Blitzstein (54) is performed for the first time, in the Hudson Theatre, New York.

    25 February 1966 The Rockefeller Foundation grants $200,000 to Mills College to move the San Francisco Tape Music Center to Mills College and merge it with the Mills Performing Group.

    Dans la chaleur vacante, a “cantate radiophonique” by Betsy Jolas (39) to words of Du Bouchet, is performed for the first time.

    Music for Boston for flute, clarinet, bassoon, and strings op.414 by Darius Milhaud (73) is performed for the first time, in Boston.

    Squares, an Essay for orchestra by TJ Anderson (37) is performed for the first time, in Chickasha, Oklahoma.

    25 February 1967 Sofia Gubaidulina’s (35) Five Etudes for harp, double bass and percussion is given its “official” premiere in Malyi Hall of the Moscow Conservatory.

    25 February 1970 FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover orders his New York office to write fictitious letters emphasizing the anti-Semitic nature of the Black Panther Party and send them to those who attended the fundraiser at the home of Leonard Bernstein (51) on 14 January.  They should be signed “A Concerned and Loyal Jew” or the like.

    Adapting to the Times for cello and piano by Charles Wuorinen (31) is performed for the first time, in Bowker Auditorium of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the composer at the keyboard.

    Agape:  a celebration for priests, musicians, actors, and poets by Larry Austin (39) is performed for the first time, in Buffalo.

    25 February 1971 Dritte Region der Hymnen mit Orchester no.22 1/3 for orchestra and tape by Karlheinz Stockhausen (42) is performed for the first time, in New York the composer conducting.  See 30 November 1967.

    Music for the Morning of the World for soprano and tape by R. Murray Schafer (37) is performed for the first time, in Montreal.

    25 February 1974 String Quartet I/II by Mauricio Kagel (42) is performed for the first time, in the Funkhaus, Hamburg.

    25 February 1976 Ragtime Dance no.3 for small orchestra by Charles Ives (†21) is performed for the first time, in Sprague Hall, Yale University, over 70 years after it was composed.

    25 February 1977 Claude Debussy’s (†58) incomplete opera La chute de la maison Usher to his own words after Poe is performed for the first time, in New Haven.

    Binary Variations on “O Sinner Man” for Renaissance instruments by Lou Harrison (59) is performed for the first time, at the University of California at Santa Cruz.

    25 February 1978 The Flower-Fed Buffaloes for baritone, chorus, and seven players by John Harbison (39) is performed for the first time, in Sanders Theatre, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

    25 February 1986 Embross for three woodwinds, three brass, percussion, strings, and electronic instruments by Lukas Foss (63) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    Concerto da Camera for woodwind quintet by Shulamit Ran (36) is performed for the first time, in Cooper Union Hall, New York.

    25 February 1989 Abgewandt I for chamber orchestra by Wolfgang Rihm (36) is performed for the first time, in Karlsruhe.

    25 February 1993 Symphony no.3 by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (53) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    25 February 1996 Henry Brant’s (82) orchestration of the Concord Sonata of Charles Ives (†41) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    25 February 1999 Quintet for trumpet and strings by Peter Maxwell Davies (64) is performed for the first time, in Mitchell Hall of the University of Aberdeen.

    25 February 2001 Tan Dun (43) wins the Anthony Asquith Award for Achievement in Film Music for his score to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

    25 February 2002 American Berserk for piano by John Adams (55) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    25 February 2005 O Verbum Patris for chorus and organ by Peter Maxwell Davies (70) to words of Hildegard von Bingen is performed for the first time, in Guilford Cathedral.

    Brooklyn Bridge for clarinet and band by Michael Daugherty (50) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    25 February 2006 Salute for chorus (with kazoos), brass, and percussion by John Corigliano (68) is performed for the first time, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York.

    25 February 2007 Umbrian Landscape with Saint for chamber orchestra and optional chorus by John Harbison (68) is performed for the first time, in Chicago.

    25 February 2015 of Love Of You for voice and piano by William Bolcom (76) to words of Weinstein, is performed for the first time, in New York.  Also premiered is Bolcom’s Sentimental Waltz for piano-four hands.

    26 February

    26 February 1587 Stefano Landi is baptized in Rome.

    26 February 1630 William Brade dies in Hamburg, aged 70 years.

    26 February 1756 Baldassare Galuppi’s (49) farsetta a4 La cantarina, to words of Goldoni, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Capranica, Rome.

    26 February 1762 Thomas Arne (51) takes over the operation of the Lenten oratorios in the Drury Lane Theatre, London.  His first offering is his own Beauty and Virtue, a serenata to his own words after Metastasio.

    26 February 1770 Giuseppe Tartini dies in Padua of gangrene from an ulcerated foot, aged 77 years, ten months and 18 days.  His mortal remains will be interred at the Church of St. Catherine, Padua.

    26 February 1773 At a performance of the oratorio Judith by Thomas Augustine Arne (62) at Covent Garden, women are used in a London choir for the first time.

    26 February 1774 An advertisement in the Wiener Diarium announces the first Vienna publication of Joseph Haydn’s (41) music:  six piano sonatas XVI:  21-26.

    26 February 1777 At the Concert des Amateurs in the Hôtel de Soubise in Paris, Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint Georges (31) conducts the third symphony of Simon Leduc who has recently died at the age of 33. In the middle of the adagio, Saint Georges, a close friend of Leduc, dissolves into tears.  The performance has to be abandoned.

    26 February 1779 Carmen saeculare, an oratorio by François-André Danican-Philidor (52) to words of Horace, is performed for the first time, at Freemason’s Hall, London.  It is extremely successful.

    26 February 1784 Armida, a dramma eroico by Joseph Haydn (51), is performed for the first time, at Esterháza.

    26 February 1793 Indtoget, a singspiel by Johann Peter Schulz (45) to words of Heiberg, is performed for the first time, in Copenhagen.

    26 February 1794 Le congrès des rois, a pasticcio with music by Luigi Cherubini (33), André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry (53), Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (30) and nine others to words of Desmaillots (pseud. of Eve), is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre Favart, Paris.  It will be banned after two performances.

    26 February 1810 Carl Maria von Weber (23) and his father are awakened in the morning by a police officer and escorted to the border at Fürfeld.  They are banished from Württemberg forever for their enormous debts.  From this day, Weber keeps a diary.  On the first page he writes, “Born again for the second time.”

    26 February 1816 The Holy Governing Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church decrees that no new compositions be used in churches without the approval of the Director of the Imperial Kapella, Dmitry Stepanovich Bortnyansky (65).  This makes him one of the most powerful musical figures in Russia.

    26 February 1829 Il giovedi grasso o Il nuovo Pourceaugnac, a farsa by Gaetano Donizetti (31) to words of Gilardoni, is performed for the first time, in Teatro del Fondo, Naples.

    26 February 1832 Frédéric Chopin (21) gives his first concert in Paris, in the Salle Pleyel.  The performance is organized by Frédéric Kalkbrenner (46) and Camille Pleyel (20) and praised by Franz Liszt (20) and Felix Mendelssohn (23).  The program includes Beethoven’s (†4) Quintet op.29, Chopin’s e minor piano concerto and Introduction March and Grand Polonaise for six pianos by Kalkbrenner (Chopin and Kalkbrenner take part).  Antoni Orlawski will write, “All Paris was stupefied!”  Chopin “mopped up the floor with every one of the pianists here.”  In fact, the hall is only one-third full, and many of the patrons are Polish emigrés.

    26 February 1851 Rhadamantus-Klänge op.94, a waltz by Johann Strauss (25), is performed for the first time, in the Sophiensaal, Vienna.

    26 February 1855 Bedrich Smetana (30) conducts his Triumphal Symphony in its premiere at Konvikt Hall.  It is Smetana’s first appearance in Prague as conductor and pianist.

    26 February 1860 Taubenpost op.237, a polka française by Johann Strauss (34), is performed for the first time, in the Volksgarten, Vienna.

    26 February 1862 Lucifer-Polka op.266 by Johann Strauss (36) is performed for the first time, in the Dianabadsaal, Vienna.

    26 February 1869 William Ratcliffe, an opera by Cesar Cui (34) to his own words after Heine (tr.Pleshcheyev), is performed for the first time, in the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg.  It is the first complete opera by one of the Balakirev (32) circle to be produced.

    26 February 1871 At the home of Sir Julius Benedict in London, Charles Gounod (52) meets the violinist Mrs. Georgina Weldon for the first time.

    26 February 1879 Frank Bridge is born at 7 North Bridge Road in Brighton, the tenth of twelve children born to William Henry Bridge, violinist and conductor, and the first of three born to Elizabeth Warbrick.

    Caprice Russe op.120 for piano and orchestra by Anton Rubinstein (49) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.

    26 February 1880 A String Quartet in G by Hubert Parry is performed for the first time, in London on the eve of the composer’s 32nd birthday.

    26 February 1882 Nord und Süd op.405, a polka mazurka by Johann Strauss (56), is performed for the first time, in the Musikverein, Vienna.

    26 February 1885 Arthur Sullivan (42) appears for the first time as conductor of the Philharmonic Society.

    26 February 1888 Lagerlust op.431, a polka mazur by Johann Strauss (62), is performed for the first time, in the Cursalon, Vienna.  Strauss’ schnellpolka Muthig voran! op.432 is premiered at the Musikverein, Vienna.

    26 February 1893 Symphonic Rhapsody by Carl Nielsen (27) is performed for the first time.

    Diplomaten-Polka op.448 by Johann Strauss (67) is performed for the first time, in the Musikverein, Vienna.

    26 February 1899 Symphony no.6 by Anton Bruckner (†2) is performed completely for the first time, in Vienna conducted by Gustav Mahler (38).  Mahler makes some cuts and changes some of the orchestration.  Nevertheless, it is very well received.  See 11 February 1883 and 14 March 1901.

    26 February 1902 Incidental music to Hugo’s play Les burgraves by Camille Saint-Saëns (66) is performed for the first time, at the Comédie-Française, Paris.

    26 February 1903 One day after Giacomo Puccini (44) is seriously injured in an automobile accident, Narciso Gemignani, husband of his lover of seventeen years, dies in Lucca.  The couple are now free to marry.  See 4 January 1904.

    Olga Janácková, 20-year-old daughter of Leos Janácek (48), dies after a long illness in the Janácek’s home in Brünn (Brno).  A servant recalls Janácek was “tearing his hair out, shouting ‘My soul, my soul!’...then depression overcame him; he just sat there taking no notice of anything.”

    26 February 1906 Two Songs op.20 for voice and piano by Frederick S. Converse (35) to words of DG Rossetti are performed publicly for the first time, in Boston.

    26 February 1910 String Quartet op.54/1 by Max Reger (36) is performed for the first time, in Trieste.

    26 February 1911 Aux étoiles for orchestra by Henri Duparc (63) is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    Ferruccio Busoni (44) dines at the New York home of Arturo Toscanini.  The conductor attended the New York Philharmonic concert of 21 February.  The two are instant soul mates.  Busoni plays on Toscanini’s Steinway, which pleases him greatly.

    26 February 1913 Two Pictures for orchestra op.10 by Béla Bartók (31) is performed for the first time, in Budapest.

    26 February 1918 A Piano Sonata by Charles T. Griffes (33) is performed for the first time, by the composer, in the first all-Griffes concert, sponsored by the McDowell Club of New York.

    26 February 1920 Three Hymns of Walt Whitman op.14 for voice and piano by Paul Hindemith (24) is performed for the first time, in Frankfurt-am-Main.

    The Song of the High Hills for textless chorus and orchestra by Frederick Delius (58) is performed for the first time, in Queen’s Hall, London.  Delius receives the best reviews he will ever enjoy.

    26 February 1924 A Cello Sonata by Arnold Bax (40) is performed for the first time, in Wigmore Hall, London.  It is very successful.

    26 February 1926 Symphonic Piece for orchestra by Henry F. Gilbert (57) is performed for the first time, in Symphony Hall, Boston.  Reviews are mixed.

    26 February 1927 Sonata for violin and piano by Ruth Crawford (25) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    26 February 1934 After a Low Requiem Mass in St. George’s Church, Worcester where he used to play the organ, the earthly remains of Edward William Elgar are laid to rest beside those of his wife at St. Wulstan’s Church, Little Malvern.

    26 February 1935 At a meeting of the leadership council of the Reichsmusikkammer, a solution to the “Hindemith problem” is devised.  Richard Strauss (70) will ask Joseph Goebbels to reinstate Paul Hindemith (39) to his position at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik and withdraw a ban on his works, as long as the number of performances is kept low so as not to seem like an endorsement.

    Symphony in C by Georges Bizet (†59) is performed for the first time, in Basel 80 years after its composition.

    26 February 1936 Divertimento for piano and small orchestra by David Diamond (20) is performed for the first time, in Philadelphia.

    26 February 1937 Incidental music to a play by Auden and Isherwood, The Ascent of F6 by Benjamin Britten (23) is performed for the first time, in the Mercury Theatre, London.

    26 February 1939 Sextet for clarinet, piano, and string quartet by Aaron Copland (38) is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.

    Fancy Fannie’s Judgement Day, a dance by Wallingford Riegger (53) to a scenario by Gerrard, is performed for the first time, in New York.

    26 February 1943 Symphony no.5 by Roy Harris (45) is performed for the first time, in Symphony Hall, Boston.

    Prayer, 1943 for orchestra by William Schuman (32) is performed for the first time, in Pittsburgh.  The name will be changed to Prayer in Time of War.

    The 14th of 18 patriotic fanfares for brass and percussion commissioned by Eugene Goossens and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Fanfare for the Medical Corps by Anis Fuleihan, is performed for the first time, in Cincinnati.

    Vladimir Ussachevsky (32), currently a member of the US Army, marries Elizabeth Denison Kray, a poet, in Seattle.

    26 February 1946 Oboe Concerto by Richard Strauss (81) is performed for the first time, in Zürich.

    Ciaccona, Intermezzo e Adagio for cello by Luigi Dallapiccola (42) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Nuovo, Milan.

    Clavecin obtempérant op.107, a suite by Florent Schmitt (75), is performed for the first time, in Paris.

    26 February 1947 Divertimento for piano left hand and orchestra by Bohuslav Martinu (56) is performed for the first time, in Prague.

    Irving Fine (32) conducts the first performance of the Kyrie and Gloria from Igor Stravinsky’s (64) Mass for chorus and double wind quintet.  The instrumental parts are played on two pianos.  Also premiered is Tell This Blood for chorus by Lukas Foss (24).  See 27 October 1948.

    26 February 1950 The anti-communist periodical Counterattack names Leonard Bernstein (31) as a subversive.

    26 February 1952 The fourth suite from the score to the film Descobrimento do Brasil by Heitor Villa-Lobos (64) is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris.

    26 February 1953 String Quartet no.1 by Elliott Carter (44) is performed for the first time, in the McMillin Theatre, Columbia University, New York.

    26 February 1954 Chorale and Alleluia for concert band by Howard Hanson (57) is performed for the first time, in West Point, New York.

    26 February 1955 Four of the 15 pièces pour cor et piano op.180/1, 9, 10, 13 by Charles Koechlin (†4) are performed for the first time, in Brussels.

    26 February 1959 George Rochberg’s (40) Symphony no.2 is performed for the first time, in Severance Hall, Cleveland.

    To Saint Cecilia, a cantata by Norman Dello Joio (46) to words of Dryden, is performed for the first time, in Kansas City, Kansas.

    26 February 1961 Peter Maxwell Davies (26) appears in the BBC television program “Two Composers, Two Worlds” with Dudley Moore.

    The Widow, an opera by Kenneth Gaburo (34) to his own words after Melville, is performed for the first time, at the University of Illinois.

    26 February 1965 Cantata della Fiaba Estrema for soprano, small choir, and instrumental ensemble by Hans Werner Henze (38) to words of Morante, is performed for the first time, in Zürich.

    26 February 1966 Sonata pimpante for violin and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (64) is performed for the first time, in Cercle Gaulois, Brussels.

    26 February 1968 Two works by Peter Maxwell Davies (33) are performed for the first time, in Conway Hall, London both conducted by the composer:  the stage work Revelation and Fall after Trakl for soprano and 16 instruments, and L’homme armé to words from the Latin Mass and the Bible, for piccolo, flute, clarinet, keyboards, percussion, violin, cello, and tape.  See 28 September 1971.

    26 February 1969 Costa-Gavras’ film Z is released in France.  Its soundtrack is collected music of Mikis Theodorakis (43), presently in prison in Greece.

    Between Categories for chimes, two pianos, two violins, and two cellos by Morton Feldman (43) is performed for the first time, in Kaufmann Concert Hall at the 92nd Street Y, New York.

    26 February 1970 Acustica for 2-5 players and tape by Mauricio Kagel (38) is performed for the first time, in Apostel-Gymnasium, Cologne.

    26 February 1971 Meridian for mezzo-soprano, six sopranos, horn, cello, and eleven players by Harrison Birtwistle (36) is performed for the first time, in Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.

    26 February 1972 Hexachords for flute by Joan Tower (33) is performed for the first time, at New York University, New York City.

    All of George Crumb’s (42) works to the words of Federico Garcia Lorca are performed together for the first time, at Oberlin Conservatory.  The works are Madrigals Books I-IV, Night Music I, Songs, Drones and Refrains of Death, Night of the Four Moons, and Ancient Voices of Children.

    26 February 1975 Triplum II for orchestra by Gunther Schuller (49) is performed for the first time, in Lyric Theatre, Baltimore.

    26 February 1976 Lecture on the Weather for instruments, voices, tape, and film by John Cage (63) to words of Thoreau is performed for the first time, in Toronto.

    26 February 1977 Rondeau for actor and tape by György Ligeti (53) is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.

    26 February 1980 Improvisation III for four or more musicians with cassette recordings by John Cage (67) is performed for the first time, in the City Center, New York.

    26 February 1981 Howard Harold Hanson dies after a short illness at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York, aged 84 years, three months, and 29 days.

    Incidental music to the play Klim Samgin after Gorky by Alfred Schnittke (46) is performed for the first time, in Mayakovsky Theatre, Moscow.

    Symphony no.2 by Peter Maxwell Davies (46) is performed for the first time, in Symphony Hall, Boston.

    26 February 1982 Grand Pianola Music for orchestra by John Adams (35) is performed for the first time, in San Francisco, the composer conducting.

    26 February 1986 Excuse Me for mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and percussion by Peter Maxwell Davies (51) is performed for the first time, in Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.

    26 February 1990 Transmission Two:  The Great Excursion for chorus, computers, and recorded dialogue by Larry Austin (59) is performed for the first time, in Hertz Hall of the University of California at Berkeley.  It is simultaneously broadcast over the airwaves of radio station KPFA.

    26 February 1996 Clouds of Forgetting, Clouds of Unknowing for chamber ensemble by John Luther Adams (43) is performed for the first time, in Norfolk, Virginia.

    26 February 1998 Sixth Symphony by William Bolcom (59) is performed for the first time.

    26 February 2002 Dreaming Blue, an opera by Libby Larsen (51) to words from various sources, is performed for the first time, at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, Salt Lake City.

    26 February 2013 Canzonetta for piano-four hands by Luciano Berio (†9) is performed for the first time, in Rome, 22 years after it was composed.

    Graffiti for chamber ensemble by Unsuk Chin (51) is performed for the first time, in Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles.

    27 February

    27 February 1649 Johann Philipp Krieger is baptized in Nuremberg.

    27 February 1755 Cephalus and Prokris, an opera seria by Francesco Araja to words of Sumarokov, is performed for the first time, at the Court Theatre, St. Petersburg.  It is the first opera in Russian to be performed by Russian artists.

    27 February 1761 Judith, an oratorio by Thomas Augustine Arne (50) to words of Bickerstaffe, is performed for the first time, at the Drury Lane Theatre, London.  It is a great success with critics and public.

    27 February 1765 Tom Jones, an opéra comique by François-André Danican-Philidor (38) to words of Poinsinet after Fielding, is performed for the first time, at the Comédie-Italienne, Paris.  It is the first staging of the famous novel.  Eventually, Tom Jones will be a financial success but the audience is at first bored and, in the third act, some are moved to hoots and laughter.  The management closes it tonight.

    27 February 1775 A second version of L’arbre enchanté by Christoph Willibald Gluck (60) to words of Moline after Vadé, is performed for the first time, at the Versailles opera house.  See 3 October 1759.

    27 February 1784 Ice on the Rhine begins breaking up and floods the town of Bonn.  The Beethoven family carry their belongings from their third floor apartment in the Rheingasse to the attic.  It is the worst flood in Bonn since the 14th century and the family, including Ludwig (13), are forced to exit the house by ladder to get to higher ground.

    27 February 1792 Symphonie Concertante B.113 by Ignaz Pleyel (34) is performed for probably the first time, in London.  Among the listeners is Pleyel’s teacher, Franz Joseph Haydn  (59).

    27 February 1796 Believing it to be a center of reactionary opposition, the Directory orders the closing of the Théâtre Feydeau.

    27 February 1814 Symphony no.8 by Ludwig van Beethoven (43) is performed for the first time, in the Redoutensaal, Vienna.  The response is warm but not uproarious.  One member of the violin section is Louis Spohr (29).

    27 February 1817 The Heir of Vironi, or Honesty the Best Policy, an operatic piece with music by Henry R. Bishop (30) and J. Whitaker to words of Pocock, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.

    27 February 1824 Gioachino Rossini (31) signs a contract with the French government at the French embassy in London.  He agrees to stay in France for one year, write new operas for the Théâtre-Italien and the Opéra as well as produce his older operas.

    27 February 1827 Ludwig van Beethoven (56) undergoes a fourth operation to remove abdominal fluids.

    27 February 1832 John Field (49) makes his first appearance in England since leaving 30 years ago.

    27 February 1833 Gustave III, ou Le bal masqué, an opéra historique by Daniel-François-Esprit Auber (51) to words of Scribe, is performed for the first time, in the Paris Opéra.

    27 February 1834 Rosmonda d’Inghilterra, a melodramma serio by Gaetano Donizetti (36) to words of Romani, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Pergola, Florence.

    27 February 1838 Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel (32) performs as piano soloist in public for the first and only time, at a charity concert in Berlin.  She plays her brother’s Piano Concerto in g minor.

    27 February 1843 Hector Berlioz (39) visits Robert (32) and Clara (23) Schumann at their Leipzig home where he hears some of Robert’s chamber music.  Robert is impressed by Berlioz and his music, but Clara finds him unfriendly and insincere.

    27 February 1848 Charles Hubert Hastings Parry is born at Bournemouth, the sixth child born to Thomas Gambier Parry, a painter and art collector, and Anna Maria Isabella Fynes Clinton, of aristocratic lineage and daughter of a former member of Parliament.  Mrs. Parry gives birth in the last stages of tuberculosis and will die in twelve days.  They are in Bournemouth in an attempt to recover her health.

    27 February 1854 While making a copy of some variations on a theme in E flat, Robert Schumann (43) runs out of his Düsseldorf home to the Rhine bridge and throws himself headfirst into the river.  He is pulled from the water by fishermen who manage to bring him home, despite his attempts to jump out of the boat.  Doctors do not allow Clara (34) to see him.  Unable to live in the same house under those conditions, she moves to a friend’s house.

    Ballg’schichten op.150, a waltz by Johann Strauss (28), is performed for the first time, in the Sperl Ballroom, Vienna.

    27 February 1858 Neapolitan censors return Giuseppe Verdi’s (44) new opera with a slashed and rearranged libretto and a new title:  Adelia degli Adimari.  The composer refuses to produce the work in Naples.

    27 February 1859 Schwungräder op.223, a waltz by Johann Strauss (33), is performed for the first time, in the Redoutensaal, Vienna.

    27 February 1869 Fatum (Fate), a symphonic poem by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (28) is performed for the first time, in Moscow.

    27 February 1875 Cagliostro in Wien, an operetta by Johann Strauss (49) to words of Zell and Genée, is performed for the first time, in Theater-an-der-Wien, Vienna.  The work proves a succès d’estime.

    27 February 1882 Mily Balakirev (45) conducts for the first time since 15 April 1872.  He recently reappeared from his self-imposed exile from society to accept, for the second time, the directorship of the Free School of Music, St. Petersburg.

    27 February 1885 Two songs by Johannes Brahms (51) are performed for the first time, in Vienna:  Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht op. 96/1 to words of Heine, and Wir wandelten, wir zwei zusammen op.96/2 to traditional words.

    27 February 1887 Alyeksandr Porfiryevich Borodin attends a costume party with his two adopted daughters in the Sushchinsky lecture room of the Academy of Science, St. Petersburg.  While conversing innocently he begins to slur his words and suddenly collapses to the floor.  Every doctor and professor in the Academy try for an hour to revive him but to no avail.  An autopsy will show a burst artery of the heart.  The funeral will be attended by a large crowd and Borodin’s mortal remains will be laid to rest in the cemetery of the Alyeksandr Nevsky Monastery, St. Petersburg next to those of Modest Musorgsky (†5) and near those of Alyeksandr Dargomizhsky (†18).  At the time of his death, Borodin is aged 53 years, three months and 15 days.

    27 February 1888 Ständchen op.106/1, a song for voice and piano by Johannes Brahms (54) to words of Kugler, is performed for the first time, in Vienna.

    27 February 1891 Ballad op.6 for piano by Amy Cheney Beach (23) is performed for the first time, at the Tremont Temple in Boston.  Mrs. Beach performs the premiere of the second of George Whitefield Chadwick’s (36) Two Caprices for pianoforte.

    27 February 1893 String Sextet by Charles Martin Loeffler (32) is performed for the first time, in Chickering Hall, Boston.

    27 February 1896 Hochzeits-Präludium op.469 by Johann Strauss (70) is performed for the first time, in the Kirche des Deutschen Ordens.

    27 February 1899 Claude Debussy’s (36) piano work Reverie is performed for the first time.

    27 February 1901 According to the composer’s wishes, the bodies of Giuseppe Verdi (†0) and his wife, Giuseppina, are moved from the Cimitero Monumentale and buried together at the Casa di Riposa, Milan.  This second funeral is attended by 300,000 people, including many eminent representatives of the Italian state and foreign governments.  Also in attendance are Ruggero Leoncavallo (43), Giacomo Puccini (42) and Pietro Mascagni (37).  Before the procession begins, a massed choir of 820 voices, directed by Arturo Toscanini, sings Va pensiero from Nabucco.

    27 February 1902 A board of arbitration in Paris hears Maeterlinck’s complaints about Debussy’s (39) changes to the text of Pelléas et Mélisande.  In fact, the poet had approved the changes and had given the composer complete control over the production.  The tribunal finds in favor of Debussy.

    27 February 1904 Richard Strauss (39) gives his first concert in the United States, conducting Ein Heldenleben in Carnegie Hall, New York.  He will also visit Boston and Philadelphia.

    27 February 1908 Incidental music to Aristophanes’ play Lysistrata by Engelbert Humperdinck (53) is performed for the first time, in the Berlin Kammerspiele.

    Piano Quintet op.67 by Amy Cheney Beach (40) is performed for the first time, in Potter Hall, Boston, the composer at the piano.

    27 February 1909 After a concert in Queen’s Hall, London wherein he conducts two of his works, Claude Debussy (45) meets Jean Sibelius (43) for the first time.  The two are complimentary towards each other.

    27 February 1911 The Captain’s Daughter, an opera by Cesar Cui (76) after Pushkin, is performed for the first time, in the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg.

    Maurice Ravel’s (35) orchestration of his Pavane pour une Infante défunte is performed for the first time, in Manchester.  See 5 April 1902.

    Walter Browne’s play Everywoman, with music by George Whitefield Chadwick (56), opens at the Herald Square Theatre on Broadway.  See 9 February 1911.

    27 February 1919 The Planets (without Venus and Neptune) by Gustav Holst (44) is given its first public performance, in Queen’s Hall, London while the composer is suffering from a fractured foot in Thessaloniki.  On the same program is the premiere of the revised version of the Festival Overture for orchestra by Arnold Bax (35).  See 29 September 1918.

    String Quartet no.7 by Charles Villiers Stanford (66) is performed for the first time, at a student chamber music concert at the Royal College of Music, London.  Also premiered is Isobel for voice and piano by Frank Bridge (40) to words of Goddard-Fenwick.

    27 February 1920 George Gershwin (21) signs a contract with George White to compose music for his yearly Scandals.  His salary is $75 per week.

    27 February 1921 The seventh of Béla Bartók’s (39) Eight Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs op.20 for piano is performed for the first time, in Budapest by the composer.  See 18 January 1922.

    27 February 1930 Men and Machines, dance music by Henry Cowell (32) to a story by Findlay, is performed for the first time, in Brooklyn.

    27 February 1936 La Nativité du Seigneur for organ by Olivier Messiaen (27) is performed completely for the first time, in Église de la Sainte-Trinité, Paris.  The nine movements are shared by three organists.  The composer will later consider this a turning point in his career.  “I produced the proof...that it was possible to write music for the organ other than in a post-Franckist aesthetic.”

    The Duke Ellington (36) band records Clarinet Lament (Barney’s Concerto) and Echoes of Harlem (Cootie’s Concerto) in New York.

    27 February 1939 Incidental music to a composite of scenes from Shakespeare’s plays entitled The Five Kings by Aaron Copland (38) is performed for the first time, in the Colonial Theatre, Boston along with Copland’s incidental music to Irwin Shaw’s play Quiet City for clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, and piano.

    27 February 1940 String Quartet no.3 by William Schuman (29) is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.  Reviews are mixed.

    27 February 1945 Cabildo, an opera by Amy Cheney Beach (†0) to words of Stephens, is performed for the first time, in Athens, Georgia.

    27 February 1947 Paul Hindemith’s (51) Piano Concerto is performed for the first time, in Cleveland.

    Cave of the Heart, a revised version of Samuel Barber’s (36) ballet Serpent Heart to a scenario by Graham, is performed for the first time, in Ziegfeld Theatre, New York.  See 10 May 1946.

    Symphony no.3 by Peter Mennin (23) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    27 February 1949 Woodwind Quintet by Elliott Carter (40) is performed in concert for the first time, in Times Hall, New York.

    Symphony no.6 by William Schuman (38) is performed for the first time, in Dallas.

    27 February 1950 Sonata for cello and piano by Elliott Carter (41) is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.

    27 February 1952 Four Cummings Choruses op.46 by Vincent Persichetti (36) is performed for the first time, in Dallas.

    27 February 1958 Several works by Henryk Górecki (24) are performed for the first time, in Katowice:  Songs of Joy and Rhythm op.7 for two pianos and chamber orchestra, Concerto for five instruments and string quartet op.11, Toccata op.2 for two pianos, Variations for violin and piano op.4, Sonata for two violins op.10 and the Quartettino op.5 for two flutes, oboe, and violin.  This is the first concert devoted entirely to the works of Górecki and will bring him a commission from conductor Andrezej Markowski.

    Lear:  A Study for orchestra by Marc Blitzstein (52) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.  The critics are mixed.  The work is based on his music for two different productions of King Lear.  See 25 December 1950 and 12 January 1956.

    Concerto for piano and orchestra by Peter Mennin (34) is performed for the first time, in Cleveland.

    St. Joan for piano by Ben Johnston (31) is performed for the first time.

    27 February 1959 Symphony no.2 by Charles Wuorinen (20) is performed for the first time, in Great Hall, Cooper Union, New York.

    27 February 1964 Machine Music for piano, percussion, and tape by Lejaren Hiller (40) is performed for the first time, in Smith Music Hall of the University of Illinois.

    27 February 1967 Terminus 2 for electronic sound generators by Gottfried Michael Koenig (40) is performed for the first time, in Utrecht.

    Calder Piece for four percussionists and mobile by Earle Brown (40) is performed for the first time, in Théâtre L’Atelier, Paris.

    Suite for flute solo no.4 by Otto Luening (66) is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.

    27 February 1968 Symphonie concertante for orchestra by Ross Lee Finney (61) is performed for the first time, in Kansas City, Missouri.

    27 February 1971 Morceau de concours for one trumpeter and tape by Mauricio Kagel (39) is performed for the first time, in Turin.

    Pilgrims and Pioneers for orchestra by Virgil Thomson (74) is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.

    27 February 1976 Music When Soft Voices Die for chorus by John Harbison (37) to words of Shelley is performed for the first time, in Sanders Theatre of Harvard University.

    Synapse for viola and tape by Barry Vercoe (38) is performed for the first time, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge.

    Echoes from an Invisible World for orchestra by Leslie Bassett (53) is performed for the first time, in Philadelphia.

    27 February 1981 Night Journey, a choreographic poem for 15 instruments by William Schuman (70), is performed for the first time, in Albany, New York.

    27 February 1982 The D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, guardians of the Gilbert and Sullivan (†81) operettas, folds 106 years after its establishment.  The crisis occurred when the right-wing British government removed subsidies.

    Pantomime, Interlude, and Fugue for piano by George Perle (66) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    27 February 1983 Ritratto for chamber orchestra by Magnus Lindberg (24) is performed for the first time, in Milan.

    27 February 1984 Auroras for orchestra by Robert Erickson (66) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    27 February 1986 Piano Trio no.2 by George Rochberg (67) is performed for the first time, in the Library of Congress, Washington.

    Tango Variations on a Tango Cantus for piano by Ralph Shapey (64) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    Le Tombeau d’Edgar Poe, an orchestral suite from Dominick Argento’s (58) opera The Voyage of Edgar Allan Poe, is performed for the first time, in Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, Baltimore.

    Improvisation A+B for voice, cello, trombone, percussion, and clarinet by John Cage (73) is performed for the first time, in the Dallas Museum of Art, the composer performing the vocal part.

    27 February 1988 One for piano by John Cage (75) is performed for the first time, in Middletown, Connecticut.

    27 February 1989 Chamber music for voice and piano by Ross Lee Finney (82) to words of Joyce is performed for the first time, at Rice University, Houston.

    27 February 1992 Focus a beam, emptied of thinking, outward... for cello by Roger Reynolds (57) is performed for the first time, in Merkin Concert Hall, New York.

    27 February 1993 Earth and the Great Weather for four strings, four vocalists, four speakers, four percussionists, and electronics by John Luther Adams (40) is performed for the first time, at the University of Fairbanks, Alaska.

    27 February 1996 Variations on a Theme by Mozart op.42 for two pianos by Lowell Liebermann (35) is performed for the first time, in Weill Recital Hall, New York.

    27 February 1997 Thoughts That Sing, Breathe, and Burn for orchestra by Leslie Bassett (74) is performed for the first time, in Orchestra Hall, Detroit.

    Olympic Dances, a ballet by John Harbison, is performed for the first time, in Atlanta.  See 20 February 1997.

    27 February 1998 Soliloquy for violin, cello, and piano by Shulamit Ran (48) is performed for the first time, at Buckley Recital Hall, Amherst, Massachusetts.

    27 February 2002 Saraband:  The King’s Farewell for piano by Harrison Birtwistle (67) is performed for the first time, at King’s College, London.

    String Quartet no.10 “Quartet d’amore” by Ralph Shapey (80) is performed for the first time, in Perelman Theatre at the Kimmel Center, Philadelphia.

    27 February 2004 Clarinet Trio by Jonathan Harvey (64) is performed for the first time, at Michigan State University.

    27 February 2009 Sei gelobt, du Baum for baritone, violin, quinterne, and double bass by Arvo Pärt (73) to words of Luik is performed for the first time, in Willisau, Czech Republic.

    27 February 2010 The Banquet Concerto for piano and orchestra by Tan Dun (52) is performed for the first time, in Rome, the composer conducting.

    For Marianne for flute by Joan Tower (71) is performed for the first time, at the Brooklyn Museum, New York.

    28 February

    28 February 1763 As part of the celebration of the birthday of the Archbishop of Salzburg, Leopold Mozart (43) is promoted to the rank of Vice-Kapellmeister.  Wolfgang (7) and Nannerl (10) perform this evening.

    Le bûcheron, ou Les trois souhaits, an opéra comique by François-André Danican-Philidor (36) to words of Guichard and Castet, is performed for the first time, at the Comédie-Italienne.  It receives considerable success.

    28 February 1765 François-André Danican-Philidor (38) succeeds in persuading the First Gentleman of the Bedchamber to demand a second performance of Tom Jones.  It takes place tonight.  Free passes are distributed throughout the day.  The evening is so successful that both poet and composer are called before the curtain.

    28 February 1783 Renaud, a tragédie lyrique by Antonio Sacchini (52) to words of Leboeuf and Pellegrin after Tasso, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.  Sacchini finds himself in the middle of the war between the Piccinnists and Gluckists.  As a result, it is not well received.

    28 February 1819 Die Huldigung, a cantata by Johann Baptist Schenk (65) to words of Hölty, is performed for the first time, in the Vienna Redoutensaal.

    Schäfers Klagelied D.121 by Franz Schubert (22) to words of Goethe, is performed for the first time, in the Gasthof ‘zum römischen Kaiser’, the first of Schubert’s lieder to be presented in public.

    28 February 1823 Franz Schubert (26) writes to court secretary Ignaz Franz von Mosel, mentioning that his health “still does not permit me to leave the house.”  This is the first mention of what may be the illness which will eventually take his life.

    28 February 1825 Two songs by Franz Schubert (28) to words of Schiller are published by Cappi, Vienna as his op.37:  Der Pilgrim and Der Alpenjäger.

    28 February 1831 The Paris Opéra is privatized through a leasehold agreement with the entrepreneur Louis-Désiré Véron, who has no previous theatre experience.  But the director is watched over by a government-appointed Commission de Surveillance.

    28 February 1835 La marquise, an opera by Adolphe Adam (31) to words of Saint-Georges and Leuven, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra-Comique, Paris.

    28 February 1836 Hymne an den Unendlichen D.232 for vocal quartet and piano by Franz Schubert (†7) to words of Schiller is performed for the first time, in the Vienna Redoutensaal.

    28 February 1840 In Leipzig, Robert Schumann (29) receives a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Jena.  It was awarded four days ago.  He sought the degree to strengthen his court case against Friedrich Wieck.

    28 February 1843 Das Hoffest von Ferrara, a masque by Giacomo Meyerbeer (51) to words of Raupach after Tasso, is performed for the first time, in Berlin.  The production features tableaux vivants by members of the court.  In appreciation, King Friedrich Wilhelm IV awards the composer the Prussian Gold Medal for Art and Science.

    28 February 1850 Anton Bruckner (25) is appointed provisional organist at St. Florian.

    Today is the Vienna premiere of Giacomo Meyerbeer’s (58) opera Le prophète.  By noon, so large a crowd has gathered at the box office that troops are called out to keep order.  See 16 April 1849.

    28 February 1851 Incidental music to Maquet and Lacroix’ drame en vers Valéria by Jacques Offenbach (31) is performed for the first time, at the Comédie-Française, Paris.

    28 February 1856 La Gaselle:  Andante élégant for piano solo by Louis Moreau Gottschalk (26) is performed for the first time, in New York, the composer at the keyboard.

    28 February 1862 La reine de Saba, an opéra by Charles Gounod (43) to words of Barbier and Carré after Nerval, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra before the Emperor and Empress.  Initially successful with the audience, the work is attacked by the critics.

    28 February 1864 Deutscher Krieger-Marsch op.284 by Johann Strauss (38) is performed for the first time, in the Volksgarten, Vienna.

    28 February 1869 Johannes Brahms’ (35) cantata Rinaldo to words of Goethe is performed for the first time, in the Großer Redoutensaal, Vienna, conducted by the composer.

    Three movements of Georges Bizet’s (30) Roma symphony are performed together for the first time, at the Cirque Napoléon, Paris.  It is moderately, though not universally, successful.  See 12 October 1861 and 31 October 1880.

    28 February 1872 Kamenniy gost (The Stone Guest), an opera by Alyeksandr Dargomizhsky (†3) to words of Pushkin, completed by Cesar Cui (37) and orchestrated by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov (27), is performed for the first time, in the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg.

    28 February 1876 John Alden Carpenter is born in Park Ridge, Illinois, last of four children born to George B. Carpenter, a wealthy owner of George B. Carpenter and Co., wholesaler and retailer of dry goods, and Elizabeth Curtis Greene, amateur pianist and organist who studied voice in Europe.

    28 February 1882 A meeting takes place in St. James’ Palace with the Prince of Wales, prominent aristocratic and political leaders, and leaders in the field of music, including Charles Villiers Stanford (29), to discuss a Royal College of Music to replace the National Training School of Music.

    28 February 1888 Three works by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (47) are performed for the first time, in Paris:  Pezzo capriccioso for bass, cello, and orchestra, Andante cantabile for cello and violins, and Humoreske op.10/2 for piano.

    28 February 1893 Impromptu op.1/2 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (52) is performed for the first time, 30 years after it was composed.

    28 February 1899 Incidental music to Craigie’s play A Repentance by Hubert Parry (51) is performed for the first time, in St. James’ Theatre, London.

    28 February 1902 Psalm 137 for women’s chorus, organ, harp, two flutes, and cello by Charles Martin Loeffler (41) is performed for the first time, in the Church of the Messiah, Boston.

    28 February 1911 Natoma, an opera by Victor Herbert (52) to words of Redding, is performed for the first time in New York, at the Metropolitan Opera House.

    28 February 1912 Two works by Carl Nielsen (46) are premiered in Copenhagen, the Symphony no.3 “Sinfonia espansiva” and the Violin Concerto op.33, both conducted by the composer.

    28 February 1914 Max Reger (40) suffers a nervous breakdown after a concert in Hagen.  He cancels all performing engagements and goes to a sanitorium in Meran.

    The first of the Trois poèmes juifs for orchestra by Ernest Bloch (33) is performed for the first time, in Geneva, conducted by the composer.  See 23 March 1917.

    28 February 1920 In einer Nacht.../Träume und Erlibnisse op.15, a suite for piano by Paul Hindemith (24) is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.

    Le Tombeau de Couperin by Maurice Ravel (44) is performed for the first time, in a setting for orchestra, in Paris.  See 8 November 1920.

    Violin Sonata no.2 by Arthur Honegger (27) is performed publicly for the first time, Salle du Conservatoire, Paris by the composer and his future wife, Andrée Vaurabourg.  See 8 January 1920.

    Carl Ruggles (43) conducts the first performance of the Rand School Symphony Orchestra in the auditorium of the school in New York.

    28 February 1921 Septet for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, french horn, double bass, and piano by Willem Pijper (26) is performed for the first time, in Amsterdam.

    28 February 1924 The Greatest Man, a song by Charles Ives (49) to words of Collins, is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.

    28 February 1928 The newly renovated Teatro Costanzi in Rome is opened as a national opera house with the first Rome performance of Nerone by Arrigo Boito (†9).

    Lev Sergeyevich Termen (Leon Theremin) (31) receives a US patent for his electronic musical invention, the Thereminovox, in Washington.

    28 February 1936 Italian musicologist Massimo Mila is sentenced in Rome to seven years imprisonment for anti-Fascist activities.

    Incidental music to Supervielle’s play Bolivar by Darius Milhaud (43) is performed for the first time, in the Comédie Française, Paris.

    Two new works by Roy Harris (38) are performed for the first time, in separate concerts:  Symphony no.2 in Symphony Hall, Boston and Prelude and Fugue for strings at the Philadelphia Academy of Music.

    Henry Cowell’s (38) dance music Salutation, to a scenario by Holm, is performed for the first time, in Millbrook, New York.

    28 February 1937 Incidental music to Slater’s play Pageant of Empire by Benjamin Britten (23) is performed for the first time, in Collins’ Music Hall, London.

    Case History No... op.27, a dance by Wallingford Riegger (51) to a scenario by Sokolow, is performed for the first time, in New York.

    28 February 1939 Paul Hindemith (43) visits several film studios in Los Angeles in search of a contract.  He stops at the Disney studio and talks with Walt Disney as they are creating Fantasia.  “I spoke with the great music god Stokowski and had the feeling that in spite of his friendliness he was very insecure and did not particularly like my being there.  When I saw what kind of trash he was making and that he was wearing an ultramarine blue silk shirt and a lemon-yellow cravat with albino-like face I really could not muster up the proper feeling of awe.”

    28 February 1940 Old American Country Set for orchestra by Henry Cowell (42) is performed for the first time, in Indianapolis.

    28 February 1942 Incidental music to Anderson’s radio play Your Navy by Kurt Weill (41) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of all four American radio networks, originating in New York.

    28 February 1943 Fish in the unruffled lakes for voice and piano by Benjamin Britten (29) to words of Auden is performed for the first time, in London by Peter Pears and the composer.

    28 February 1945 Five Fantasies on Polish Christmas Carols for children’s chorus and orchestra by Arnold Bax (61) to words translated by Sliwinski is performed professionally for the first time, in Royal Albert Hall, London.  There has already been an amateur performance of this, but few details are known.

    Trio for flute, cello, and piano by Bohuslav Martinu (54) is performed for the first time, in New York.

    28 February 1946 Field Mass, a cantata for baritone, male chorus, and orchestra by Bohuslav Martinu (55) to liturgical texts, is performed for the first time, in Prague.

    28 February 1947 Errand Into the Maze, a modern dance by Gian Carlo Menotti (35) to a choreography by Martha Graham, is performed for the first time, in the Ziegfeld Theatre, New York.

    28 February 1948 John Cage (35) gives a lecture at Vassar College entitled “A Composer’s Confessions” wherein he mentions his idea of writing a silent composition of anywhere from three to four-and-a-half minutes.  He will sell it to the Muzak Company.

    A farewell concert in honor of Hanns Eisler (49) is presented in Town Hall, New York.  Among those sponsoring the event are Walter Piston (54), Roger Sessions (51), Roy Harris (50), Aaron Copland (47), David Diamond (32), Leonard Bernstein (29), and Randall Thompson.  Eisler will be deported next month.

    Suite no.2 for orchestra by Walter Piston (54) is performed for the first time, in Dallas.

    28 February 1951 Suite archaïque for orchestra by Arthur Honegger (58) is performed for the first time, in Louisville.

    28 February 1963 Canciones a Guiomar for soprano, six female voices and instruments by Luigi Nono (39) to words of Machado is performed for the first time, in London conducted by the composer.

    Suite for Percussion by Lou Harrison (45) is performed for the first time, in the Museum of Modern Art, New York, 21 years after it was composed.

    28 February 1964 The first two of Antiphonies I, II and III for two choruses by Jacob Druckman (35) to words of Gerard Manley Hopkins are performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.  See 30 July 1971.

    28 February 1965 Salute to Youth for orchestra by Roy Harris (67) is performed for the first time, in Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara, California.

    28 February 1969 Serenade no.2 for eleven players by George Perle (53) is performed for the first time, in Washington.

    28 February 1971 Three of the five Night Pieces for piano by Peter Sculthorpe (41) are performed for the first time, in the Octagon Theatre of the University of Western Australia, Perth.  Also premiered is Sculthorpe’s Landscape I for amplified piano and tape.

    28 February 1973 Five Songs of Experience on Poems of William Blake for chorus, percussion, and string quartet by John Harbison (34) is performed for the first time, in Sanders Theatre of Harvard University.

    String Quartet no.4 op.122 by Vincent Persichetti (57) is performed for the first time, at Pennsylvania State University.

    28 February 1976 Praise, an oratorio for bass-baritone, two choruses, and chamber ensemble by Ralph Shapey (54) to words of the Bible, is performed for the first time, in Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago.  It ends a seven-year self-imposed moratorium on the performance of his music.  Shapey began the moratorium in 1969 in a feeling of disgust over the Vietnam War and the state of the world and the musical world.

    28 February 1979 L’Autunno for five wind players by Hans Werner Henze (52) is performed for the first time, in Wigmore Hall, London.

    28 February 1981 The Palace for bass-baritone and electronic sound generators by Roger Reynolds (46) to words of Borges is performed publicly for the first time, in Los Angeles.  See 19 December 1980.

    28 February 1982 Short Symphony by Otto Luening (81) is performed for the first time, in Milwaukee, Lukas Foss (59) directing.

    28 February 1983 Two piano pieces by Aaron Copland (82) are performed for the first time, in New York:  Midday Thoughts and Proclamation for Piano.

    Noon Dance for six players by Joan Tower (44) is performed for the first time, in Sanders Theatre of Harvard University.

    28 February 1984 Suite for violin and orchestra by Frederick Delius (†49) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of the BBC, 96 years after it was composed.

    28 February 1986 Symphonic Fantasia no.6 by Otto Luening (85) is performed for the first time, in McMillin Theatre, Columbia University.

    28 February 1987 Airs and Graces for violin by Jonathan Lloyd (38) is performed for the first time, in the Purcell Room, London.

    Sonata a cinque for bass trombone, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano by George Perle (71) is performed for the first time, at the 92nd Street Y, New York.

    Varied Trio for violin, piano, percussion, harp, and bells by Lou Harrison (69) is performed for the first time, in Hertz Hall, Berkeley, California.

    28 February 1988 Sound Line, a sound work by Max Neuhaus (48), is inaugurated in CNAC Magasin, Grenoble.  It will exist until 10 April.

    A Summerfield Set for piano by Lou Harrison (70) is performed for the first time, at Mills College in Oakland.

    28 February 1991 Songs of Life, a cycle for soprano, cello, and piano by Ralph Shapey (69) to words of various authors, is performed for the first time, in Washington.

    Symphony no.3 by John Harbison (52) is performed for the first time, in Baltimore.

    28 February 1993 Stacks for solo trombone by Alvin Lucier (61) is performed for the first time, in the Yale University Art Gallery.

    28 February 2003 On the Edge of Abyss for seven cellos and two waterphones by Sofia Gubaidulina (71) is performed for the first time, in Moscow.

    Elizabeth Full of Grace for chorus, Tibetan temple bowl, organ, and strings by John Tavener (59) to words of Mother Thekla is performed for the first time, in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor.

    28 February 2005 Man Lebt Nur Einmal (Darum Tanzen Wir), a dance suite for orchestra by Samuel Adler (76) is performed for the first time, in Mannheim.

    28 February 2008 Symphony no.8 by William Bolcom (69) is performed for the first time, in Symphony Hall, Boston.

    28 February 2009 Sonata for violin and piano by Philip Glass (72) is performed for the first time, at Whitaker Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

    Letters from Lincoln for baritone voice and orchestra by Michael Daugherty (54) is performed for the first time, in The Fox, Spokane, Washington.

    29 February

    29 February 1592 Alessandro Striggio dies in Mantua, aged approximately 55 years.

    29 February 1764 Johann Christian Bach (28) and Carl Friedrich Abel (40) give a joint concert for the first time at the Great Room in Spring Gardens, London.  The many Bach-Abel concerts will have a significant impact on the musical life of London.  Bach’s serenata La Galatea for three voices and orchestra to words after Metastasio is performed for the first time.

    29 February 1792 Gioachino Antonio Rossini is born in Pesaro in the Papal States, first and only child of Giuseppe Antonio Rossini, town trumpeter and horn player and Anna Guidarini, a seamstress, daughter of a baker.  This blessing visits the Rossinis five months after their wedding.

    29 February 1828 La muette de Portici, an opéra by Daniel-François-Esprit Auber (46) to words of Scribe and Delavigne, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.  It is a great success with the public.

    29 February 1836 Les Huguenots, a grand opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer (44) to words of Scribe and Deschamps, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.  It will be one of the most successful productions ever staged at the Opéra with 1,126 performances in Paris over the next hundred years, and breaking all box office records.  In the audience are Hector Berlioz (32) and Harriet Smithson.  It will become Meyerbeer’s most performed work, with thousands of performances throughout the world.

    29 February 1840 String Quartet no.5 op.44/3 by Felix Mendelssohn (31) is performed for the first time, in Leipzig.

    29 February 1844 Franz Liszt (32) hears a performance of Rienzi in Dresden.  It is his first encounter with the music of Richard Wagner (30) and he is greatly impressed.  He decides to put on a Wagner opera at Weimar as soon as he can.

    29 February 1904 The scherzo movement to Béla Bartók’s (22) Symphony in Eb is performed for the first time, in Budapest.

    29 February 1908 The first public performance of Igor Stravinsky’s (25) Faun and Shepherdess op.2 for mezzo-soprano and orchestra to words of Rushkin takes place in St. Petersburg.  See 29 April 1907.

    29 February 1912 Deux morceaux op.59 for piano by Alyeksandr Skryabin (40) are performed for the first time, in Moscow by the composer.

    29 February 1948 Violin Concerto no.2 by David Diamond (32) is performed for the first time, in Vancouver.

    29 February 1952 Violin Concerto by Carlos Chávez (52) is performed for the first time, in the Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City, conducted by the composer.

    29 February 1956 Fourth Quintet for strings op.350 by Darius Milhaud (63) is performed for the first time, in Brussels.

    ...if He please for chorus, children’s chorus, and orchestra by Henry Cowell (58) to words of Taylor, is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.

    29 February 1960 Irkanda II (String Quartet no.5) by Peter Sculthorpe (30), is performed for the first time, at Lincoln College, Oxford.  It is the winner of the £100 Royal Concert Fund Prize.

    29 February 1968 Symphony no.6 by Howard Hanson (71) is performed for the first time, in New York, under the baton of the composer.

    29 February 1976 Book of Hours for flute and harp by Ned Rorem (52) is performed for the first time, in Alice Tully Hall, New York.

    29 February 1980 Shulamite’s Love for Solomon, the first of the Trilogy:  Song of Songs for soprano, chamber ensemble, and tape by Ralph Shapey (58), is performed for the first time, at the University of Chicago the composer conducting.  See 24 April 1981.

    29 February 1988 The complete version of György Ligeti’s (64) Piano Concerto (including the fourth and fifth movements) is performed for the first time, in the Mozart Room of the Konzerthaus Society, Vienna.  See 23 October 1986.

    29 February 1996 A funeral in memory of Toru Takemitsu takes place in Tokyo.  His In the Woods for guitar is performed for the first time.

    29 February 2008 What Can It Be? for six voices by Robin Holloway (64) is performed for the first time, in St. Catherine’s College Chapel, Cambridge.

    29 February 2012 Nähe fern 3 for orchestra by Wolfgang Rihm (59) is performed for the first time, in Lucerne.

    Cities and Thrones and Powers, a choral song with keyboard by Alexander Goehr (79), is performed for the first time, at Kings College, Cambridge.

    ©2004-2016 Paul Scharfenberger

    2 March 2016

    Last Updated (Wednesday, 02 March 2016 06:35)

     

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