1939, from day to day
1939. With other artists, Richard Strauss, Arnold Schoenberg and Sergei Rachmaninoff influenced their time (modern & contemporary era). That year would see the birth of future classical or lyrical artists, such as Elena Obraztsova, while others would disappear. That year, new works would be composed, published or performed for the first time in public, such as “The Moon” de Carl Orff, for example. That year, halls or orchestras would be founded or ceased to operate.
All these moments, more or less notable, make the year 1939 a page in the history of classical and lyrical music to be discovered or rediscovered. soclassiq currently lists more than 390 of these moments for 1939.
The year 1939 in classical music and in lyrical art
January
01
Death of John Petersen That year: 1939, Classical music, German composer (born in 1860)
03
Birth of Delores Ivory Davis That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer
04
Birth of Jon Appleton That year: 1939, Classical music, American composer (dead in 2022)
08
Birth of Roderick Brydon That year: 1939, Classical music, conductor (dead in 2010)
09
Death of Johann Strauss III That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian composer (born in 1866)
Death of Julius Bittner That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian composer (born in 1874)
11
Birth of Mircea Moisa That year: 1939, Classical music, Romanian opera singer
12
Death of Hariclea Darclée That year: 1939, Classical music, Romanian singer (born in 1860)
Death of Eugenio Pirani That year: 1939, Classical music, Italian pianist and composer (born in 1852)
16
Death of Abe Holzmann That year: 1939, Classical music, American composer (born in 1874)
19
Death of Ferdinand Pour That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer, presenter (born in 1894)
20
Inauguration: Bashkir State Philharmonic That year: 1939, Classical music (Ufa, Russia)
Birth of Valeriy Uspenskiy That year: 1939, Classical music, Soviet Russian choir conductor and teacher (1939-2019) (dead in 2019)
21
Birth of Gian Paolo Chiti That year: 1939, Classical music, Italian musician
23
Birth of Enrico Fissore That year: 1939, Classical music, musician, opera singer
24
Death of Manuel Penella That year: 1939, Classical music, Spanish composer and organist (born in 1880)
Birth of Svetlana Colosaryan That year: 1939, Classical music, Armenian opera singer
27
Birth of Tigran Mansurian That year: 1939, Classical music, Armenian composer
29
Birth of Ermanno Mauro That year: 1939, Classical music, Italian/Canadian Operatic Tenor
31
Birth of Chikashi Tanaka That year: 1939, Classical music, Japanese violinist and concertmaster (1939-2009) (dead in 2009)
February
01
Birth of Aleksandr Lomonosov That year: 1939, Classical music, Soviet Russian singer
03
Death of Gizella Blätterbauer That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (born in 1870)
04
Birth of Blazenka Milic That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 2021)
05
Premiere of The Moon That year: 1939, Classical music (Opera), Carl Orff
Birth of Evžen Zámečník That year: 1939, Classical music, Czech conductor, violinist, music educator and composer (1939-2018) (dead in 2018)
Death of Jan Václav Novák That year: 1939, Classical music, Czech composer and clarinettist (born in 1876)
06
Birth of Jan Sødal That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer
07
Birth of Lois McDonall That year: 1939, Classical music, singer
Death of Gennaro De Tura That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (born in 1875)
08
Birth of Rayisa Kolesnyk That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer
10
Death of Regine Klein That year: 1939, Classical music, stage actor, opera singer (born in 1856)
Death of Gustav Frederik Lange That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1861)
11
Death of Franz Schmidt That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian composer, cellist and pianist (1874-1939) (born in 1874)
12
Death of Per Maximilian Strandberg That year: 1939, Classical music, Swedish opera singer (born in 1854)
Death of François-Xavier Mathias That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1871)
13
Birth of Anatoly Kapustin That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 2020)
14
Birth of Ángeles Gulín That year: 1939, Classical music, Spanish operatic soprano (dead in 2002)
16
Birth of Marita Napier That year: 1939, Classical music, South African singer (dead in 2004)
Death of Ferdinand Vach That year: 1939, Classical music, Czech conductor, composer, choirmaster and organist (born in 1860)
Birth of Reinhard Leisenheimer That year: 1939, Classical music, German singer and opera singer (dead in 2014)
Birth of Christer Solén That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 2012)
18
Birth of Marek Janowski That year: 1939, Classical music, German conductor
Birth of Marlos Nobre That year: 1939, Classical music, composer
19
Birth of Vladimir Atlantov That year: 1939, Classical music, Russian singer
20
Birth of Adele Haas That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian singer and opera singer
21
Birth of Nijolė Ambrazaitytė That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer and politician (1939-2016) (dead in 2016)
22
Birth of Ingo Goritzki That year: 1939, Classical music, German musician
23
Birth of Jonas Aleksa That year: 1939, Classical music, Lithuanian conductor and university teacher (1939-2005) (dead in 2005)
25
Birth of Hartmut Bauer That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 2018)
28
Death of Andrea Avelina Carrera That year: 1939, Classical music, Spanish opera singer (1871-1939) (born in 1871)
March
01
Birth of Leo Brouwer That year: 1939, Classical music, Cuban composer, conductor, and guitarist (dead in 2003)
02
Birth of Irina Bogacheva That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 2019)
05
Birth of Kenneth Sillito That year: 1939, Classical music, English violinist and conductor
06
Death of Stanislao Gastaldon That year: 1939, Classical music, Italian composer (born in 1861)
Death of Emma Juch That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian soprano singer (born in 1861)
07
Death of Amadeo Roldán That year: 1939, Classical music, Cuban musician (1900-1939) (born in 1900)
08
Birth of Robert Tear That year: 1939, Classical music, Welsh tenor singer and conductor (dead in 2011)
Birth of Liu Shikun That year: 1939, Classical music, Pianist, composer
Birth of Horst Laubenthal That year: 1939, Classical music, German singer
09
Birth of Benjamin Zander That year: 1939, Classical music, English orchestral conductor
Death of Russell King Miller That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1871)
11
Death of Olena Muravyova That year: 1939, Classical music, Ukrainian opera singer and music educator (1867-1939) (born in 1867)
12
Birth of Veriano Luchetti That year: 1939, Classical music, Italian opera singer (dead in 2012)
Birth of Lyndsie Holland That year: 1939, Classical music, singer and actress (dead in 2014)
14
Death of Varvara Mikhailovna Zarudnaya That year: 1939, Classical music, Russian soprano (born in 1857)
15
Birth of Arkady Luxemburg That year: 1939, Classical music, American composer
16
Death of Duška Vronská That year: 1939, Classical music, Czech vocalist (1885-1939) (born in 1885)
17
Birth of Klaus Ofczarek That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian actor and opera singer (dead in 2020)
18
Birth of Jean-Pierre Wallez That year: 1939, Classical music, French musician
19
Birth of Hermann Becht That year: 1939, Classical music, German opera singer (dead in 2009)
Birth of Beatriz Parra That year: 1939, Classical music, Ecuadorian classical soprano
21
Death of Evald Aav That year: 1939, Classical music, Estonian composer and choirmaster (born in 1900)
Birth of Delfina Ambroziak That year: 1939, Classical music, Polish opera singer (dead in 2024)
22
Birth of Frank Little That year: 1939, Classical music, Operatic tenor (1939-2006) (dead in 2006)
Birth of Kurt Westi That year: 1939, Classical music, Danish opera singer (dead in 1996)
23
Birth of Boris Tishchenko That year: 1939, Classical music, Soviet composer (dead in 2010)
Death of Isidre Roselló i Vilella That year: 1939, Classical music, Spanish composer (1880-1939) (born in 1880)
24
Death of Anton Dianov That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1882)
26
Birth of Peter Schneider That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian conductor (1939- )
27
Death of Franz Joseph Moser That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1880)
29
Death of Frank D. B. Byng That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1866)
April
04
Birth of Guillermina Higareda That year: 1939, Classical music, Mexican opera singer (dead in 2005)
08
Death of Emilio Serrano y Ruiz That year: 1939, Classical music, Spanish composer (born in 1850)
09
Death of Adolfina Zimajer That year: 1939, Classical music, Polish actress (born in 1852)
10
Birth of Ángeles López A López That year: 1939, Classical music, Spanish singer and composer
12
Birth of Sylvio Gualda That year: 1939, Classical music, French musician and percussionist
14
Birth of Theodor Guschlbauer That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian conductor
Birth of Antxon Ayestarán That year: 1939, Classical music (dead in 1986)
20
Birth of Hans Kennel That year: 1939, Classical music, composer, music arranger, instrumentalist, singer, producer
21
Death of Herman Finck That year: 1939, Classical music, British composer (born in 1872)
22
Birth of Jaroslav Krček That year: 1939, Classical music, Czech conductor, composer and musician
23
Premiere of Violin Concerto No. 2 That year: 1939, Classical music (Work for orchestra with soloist), Béla Bartók
25
Death of John Foulds That year: 1939, Classical music, British composer (born in 1880)
Birth of Gjergj Kaçinari That year: 1939, Classical music, Kosovo composer (dead in 2019)
26
Death of Viktor Zack That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian teacher (born in 1854)
27
Birth of Leonid Skirko That year: 1939, Classical music, Canadian opera singer (dead in 2012)
Birth of Mező László That year: 1939, Classical music, performer
29
Birth of František Xaver Thuri That year: 1939, Classical music, Czech oboist, music educator and composer (dead in 2019)
May
01
Birth of Victor Davies That year: 1939, Classical music, Canadian composer
Birth of Natalya Gayda That year: 1939, Classical music, Soviet actor
03
Birth of Jonathan Harvey That year: 1939, Classical music, British composer (1939-2012) (dead in 2012)
Death of Jørgen Ditleff Bondesen That year: 1939, Classical music, Danish composer, music theorist (1855-1939) (born in 1855)
06
Death of Franco Escher That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1859)
07
Birth of José Antonio de Abreu That year: 1939, Classical music, Venezuelan musician (1939-2018) (dead in 2018)
09
Birth of Bruce Mather That year: 1939, Classical music, Canadian composer
Birth of Giorgio Zancanaro That year: 1939, Classical music, Italian opera singer
11
Death of George Alfred Grant-Schaefer That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1872)
13
Birth of Kari Løvaas That year: 1939, Classical music, Norwegian operatic soprano
Birth of Ona Glinskaitė That year: 1939, Classical music, Lithuanian opera singer
15
Birth of Ulrik Cold That year: 1939, Classical music, Danish operatic baritone (1939-2010) (dead in 2010)
Birth of Dugarzhap Dashiev That year: 1939, Classical music, Soviet singer and opera singer (1939-2003) (dead in 2003)
16
Birth of Urs Schneider That year: 1939, Classical music, Swiss conductor
19
Birth of Tomasz Sikorski That year: 1939, Classical music, Polish composer (dead in 1988)
20
Death of Alexandra Čvanová That year: 1939, Classical music, singer (1897-1939) (born in 1897)
Birth of Raisa Vasilevna Kotova That year: 1939, Classical music, Russian opera singer (dead in 2019)
21
Birth of Heinz Holliger That year: 1939, Classical music, Swiss oboist, composer and conductor
22
Birth of Edith Ágoston That year: 1939, Classical music, (1939 - 2021) opera singer; voice teacher (dead in 2021)
23
Birth of Darina Mauréry That year: 1939, Classical music, Slovak opera singer
Death of Reinhard Frederik Bokelmann That year: 1939, Classical music, Dutch politician (1851-1939) (born in 1851)
25
Birth of Valery Sagaidatschny That year: 1939, Classical music, Soviet pianist (1939-2009) (dead in 2009)
28
Birth of Edna Garabedian That year: 1939, Classical music, singer and opera director
June
02
Death of Enrique Fernández Arbós That year: 1939, Classical music, Spanish composer, violinist and conductor (born in 1863)
Death of Josef Reiter That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian composer and conductor (born in 1862)
03
Death of Emile Lévêque That year: 1939, Classical music, composer
05
Birth of Ludovic Konya That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 2014)
06
Birth of Louis Andriessen That year: 1939, Classical music, Dutch composer, pianist and university lecturer (dead in 2021)
Birth of Giacomo Aragall That year: 1939, Classical music, Spanish opera singer
Birth of Grayr Hanedanyan That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer
07
Birth of Eri Klas That year: 1939, Classical music, Estonian conductor (dead in 2016)
Birth of Yuli Turovsky That year: 1939, Classical music, cellist and conductor (dead in 2013)
Death of José Mauri Esteve That year: 1939, Classical music, violinist (born in 1855)
08
Death of Varvara Malama That year: 1939, Classical music, Estonian opera singer (1870-1939) (born in 1870)
Death of Walter Bulkeley Coventry That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1850)
09
Birth of Ileana Cotrubaș That year: 1939, Classical music, Romanian operatic soprano singer
16
Death of Viktor Roman Moser That year: 1939, Classical music, Czech violinist, music educator and composer (born in 1864)
18
Birth of Oleg Yanchenko That year: 1939, Classical music, Russian composer (dead in 2002)
19
Death of Ferruccio Corradetti That year: 1939, Classical music, Italian baritone (born in 1867)
20
Death of Ernest Halsey That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1867)
21
Premiere of Concerto for organ and orchestra in G minor, Op. 93 That year: 1939, Classical music (Work for orchestra with soloist), Francis Poulenc
Birth of Evan Alva Tonsing That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (dead in 2017)
23
Death of Aleksandr Alekseyev That year: 1939, Classical music, Soviet Russian singer (born in 1895)
25
Death of Pierre Donk That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1871)
26
Birth of Margit Ercse That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer, voice teacher (dead in 2019)
28
Death of Ossip Schnirlin That year: 1939, Classical music, violinist (born in 1874)
29
Birth of Lilian Sukis That year: 1939, Classical music, singer
Also in June
Death of Percy Sherwood That year: 1939, Classical music, Composer and pianist (born in 1866) .
July
02
Birth of Giancarlo Luccardi That year: 1939, Classical music, operatic bass (1939-)
03
Birth of Brigitte Fassbaender That year: 1939, Classical music, German mezzo-soprano singer
04
Birth of Yury Malinin That year: 1939, Classical music, singer, opera singer (dead in 2000)
06
Death of Sława Orłowska-Czerwińska That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (born in 1897)
07
Birth of Elena Obraztsova That year: 1939, Classical music, Soviet and Russian opera singer (dead in 2015)
Birth of Vladimir Shcherbakov That year: 1939, Classical music, Soviet Russian singer and pedagogue
09
Death of Henry Tolhurst That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1854)
13
Death of Věra Pivoňková That year: 1939, Classical music, czech opera singer (born in 1866)
14
Birth of Eduard Brunner That year: 1939, Classical music, Swiss musician (1939-2017) (dead in 2017)
17
Birth of Milva That year: 1939, Classical music, Italian singer and actress (1939-2021) (dead in 2021)
Death of Pierre Vellones That year: 1939, Classical music, French composer (born in 1889)
18
Death of Witold Maliszewski That year: 1939, Classical music, Polish composer (born in 1873)
20
Birth of Jaromír Vavruška That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer, music teacher (dead in 2010)
24
Birth of Anoushiravan Rohani That year: 1939, Classical music, Iranian Accordion, pianist and songwriter
25
Birth of Richard Aaker Trythall That year: 1939, Classical music, American Italian composer
26
Death of Francesco Paolo Frontini That year: 1939, Classical music, Italian composer (1860-1939) (born in 1860)
Death of William Arthur Aikin That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1857)
29
Death of Waldo Selden Pratt That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1857)
31
Birth of Steuart Bedford That year: 1939, Classical music, conductor, classical pianist (dead in 2021)
August
02
Death of Otakar Mařák That year: 1939, Classical music, Czech opera singer (born in 1872)
03
Death of August Enna That year: 1939, Classical music, Danish composer (born in 1859)
06
Birth of Paul Trépanier That year: 1939, Classical music, Canadian singer
07
Death of Eino Rautavaara That year: 1939, Classical music, Finnish opera singer (1876–1939) (born in 1876)
08
Death of Jac. van Kempen That year: 1939, Classical music, singer (born in 1875)
Death of Josef Egem That year: 1939, Classical music, Czech music educator, composer and singer (born in 1874)
Death of Gustav Beckmann That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1865)
11
Birth of Attila Bozay That year: 1939, Classical music, Hungarian composer and university professor (1939-1999) (dead in 1999)
12
Death of G. Rudolf Preiss That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1881)
13
Birth of Hélène Garetti That year: 1939, Classical music, French opera singer
14
Birth of Reijo Lahtinen That year: 1939, Classical music, Finnish actor
16
Birth of Janis Martin That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 2014)
17
Birth of Valery Gavrilin That year: 1939, Classical music, Russian composer (dead in 1999)
18
Birth of Norbert Orth That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 2023)
Birth of Gennadiy Piskunov That year: 1939, Classical music, Soviet Russian singer (dead in 2020)
Death of Friedrich Max Anton That year: 1939, Classical music, conductor, composer, music teacher (born in 1877)
20
Death of Sybil Grey That year: 1939, Classical music, British singer and actress (born in 1860)
25
Death of Geneviève Vix That year: 1939, Classical music, French opera singer (1879-1939) (born in 1879)
26
Birth of Gwendolyn Killebrew That year: 1939, Classical music, American contralto (dead in 2021)
Birth of Nicholas Braithwaite That year: 1939, Classical music, English conductor
27
Premiere of Young Apollo, Op. 16 That year: 1939, Classical music (Work for orchestra with soloist), Benjamin Britten
29
Birth of Walton Grönroos That year: 1939, Classical music, Finnish opera singer (1939-1999) (dead in 1999)
30
Death of Fritz Birrenkoven That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (born in 1878)
September
01
Birth of Roger Soyer That year: 1939, Classical music, French opera singer
Birth of Carl-Axel Dominique That year: 1939, Classical music, Swedish pianist
Death of Jozef Bellens That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1876)
03
Birth of Yoko Kawahara That year: 1939, Classical music, Japanese opera singer
Death of Rosa Ethofer That year: 1939, Classical music, German opera singer (1877-1939) (born in 1877)
06
Death of Karl Hammes That year: 1939, Classical music, German singer and opera singer (born in 1896)
08
Death of Lawrence Gilman That year: 1939, Classical music, American music critic (born in 1878)
10
Death of Hugo Riesenfeld That year: 1939, Classical music, American conductor (1879-1939) (born in 1879)
Birth of Hans Sotin That year: 1939, Classical music, German operatic bass
Birth of Elisabeth Chojnacka That year: 1939, Classical music, Polish harpsichordist (dead in 2017)
Birth of Judith Nelson That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (1939-2012) (dead in 2012)
13
Birth of Arleen Auger That year: 1939, Classical music, American soprano (dead in 1993)
Death of Walerian Bayerlein That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (born in 1867)
14
Birth of Milan Turković That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian musician
Death of Armenak Shahmuradyan That year: 1939, Classical music, Armenian opera singer (born in 1878)
Death of Giuseppina Gargano That year: 1939, Classical music, Italian opera singer (born in 1853)
16
Death of John Augustine O'Shea That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1864)
18
Birth of Julian Raoul Besset That year: 1939, Classical music, composer
19
Death of Cornelis Dopper That year: 1939, Classical music, Dutch composer and conductor (1870-1939) (born in 1870)
21
Birth of Andrzej Bujakiewicz That year: 1939, Classical music, Polish conductor (dead in 2022)
25
Death of Alfred Wotquenne That year: 1939, Classical music, Belgian music librarian (born in 1867)
Birth of Robert Gazizov That year: 1939, Classical music, Soviet composer and music educator
Birth of Svyatlana Danilyuk That year: 1939, Classical music, Soviet singer and opera singer (1939-2003) (dead in 2003)
26
Death of Camille Decreus That year: 1939, Classical music, French composer and pianist (born in 1876)
28
Death of Felicjan Szopski That year: 1939, Classical music, Polish composer and music educator (born in 1865)
Also in September
Closing: Grand Theatre That year: 1939, Classical music (Warsaw, Poland) .
October
02
Birth of Mirjana Bohanec That year: 1939, Classical music, Croatian opera singer and actor
04
Birth of Angelo Michajlov That year: 1939, Classical music, Czech composer (dead in 1998)
Birth of Frank Lendor That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer
07
Premiere of Die Kathrin, Op. 28 That year: 1939, Classical music (Opera), Erich Wolfgang Korngold
08
Birth of Andrew Thomas That year: 1939, Classical music, American composer
Inauguration: Wisconsin Union Theater That year: 1939, Classical music (Madison, United States of America)
09
Death of Evelyn Parnell That year: 1939, Classical music, American opera singer (1888-1939) (born in 1888)
Birth of Márta Szirmay That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer, jazz singer (dead in 2015)
13
Birth of Eike Wilm Schulte That year: 1939, Classical music, German operatic baritone
14
Death of Adolf Jellouschegg That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian opera singer (born in 1874)
15
Death of Marie Wollnerová That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer, singer (born in 1858)
16
Death of Ludolf Nielsen That year: 1939, Classical music, Danish composer (1876-1939) (born in 1876)
17
Birth of Reiner Goldberg That year: 1939, Classical music, German opera singer (1939-2023) (dead in 2023)
18
Birth of Jean-Claude Amiot That year: 1939, Classical music, French musician
19
Death of Marie Renard That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian mezzo-soprano (born in 1864)
20
Death of Josef Omáčka That year: 1939, Classical music, Czech composer, choirmaster and organist (born in 1869)
Birth of Fausto Cepeda That year: 1939, Classical music, Dominican Republic opera singer (dead in 2022)
24
Death of Prince Joachim Albert of Prussia That year: 1939, Classical music, member of the House of Hohenzollern (1876-1939) (born in 1876)
Birth of Mirjana Irosch That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian singer and opera singer
Birth of Keiichi Asai That year: 1939, Classical music, choir director, conductor
25
Birth of Minna Nyhus That year: 1939, Classical music, Danish opera singer (dead in 1989)
27
Death of Nelly Bromley That year: 1939, Classical music, singer and actress (born in 1850)
29
Death of Giulio Crimi That year: 1939, Classical music, Italian opera singer (1885-1939) (born in 1885)
Also in October
Composition of Sinfonia da Requiem, Op. 20 That year: 1939, Classical music (Work for orchestra), Benjamin Britten .
November
03
Birth of Ute Trekel-Burckhardt That year: 1939, Classical music, German singer and opera singer
04
Death of Charles Arnold Tournemire That year: 1939, Classical music, French composer and organist (1870–1939) (born in 1870)
Death of Alois Bartschmid That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1863)
05
Premiere of Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 54 That year: 1939, Classical music (Work for orchestra), Dmitri Shostakovich
06
Birth of Maurice Bourgue That year: 1939, Classical music, French conductor, composer and oboist (dead in 2023)
Birth of Eberhard Büchner That year: 1939, Classical music, German singer and opera singer
12
Birth of Lucia Popp That year: 1939, Classical music, Slovak operatic soprano (dead in 1993)
15
Birth of Yōji Kawahito That year: 1939, Classical music, flautist
18
Birth of Tom Johnson That year: 1939, Classical music, American composer
Death of Wilhelmine Holmboe-Schenström That year: 1939, Classical music, Norwegian singer (1842-1938) (born in 1842)
20
Death of Borghild Langaard That year: 1939, Classical music, Norwegian singer (1883-1939) (born in 1883)
Death of Désiré Pâque That year: 1939, Classical music, Belgian composer (1867-1939) (born in 1867)
22
Birth of Stefan Dimitrov That year: 1939, Classical music, Bulgarian singer (1939-2004) (dead in 2004)
24
Birth of Maria Chiara That year: 1939, Classical music, singer
27
Death of Karel Holík That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (born in 1876)
28
Birth of Sevda Ibrahimova That year: 1939, Classical music, Azerbaijani composer (dead in 2022)
29
Death of Johannes Pugh That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1851)
30
Birth of Walter Weller That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian conductor (dead in 2015)
December
01
Death of Max Fiedler That year: 1939, Classical music, German conductor and composer (1859-1939) (born in 1859)
02
Birth of Janusz M. Przybylski That year: 1939, Classical music, conductor
05
Death of William Lugg That year: 1939, Classical music, British actor and singer (1852-1939) (born in 1852)
06
Death of Charles Dalmorès That year: 1939, Classical music, French opera singer (born in 1871)
08
Birth of James Galway That year: 1939, Classical music, Flutist from Northern Ireland
Death of Ernest Schelling That year: 1939, Classical music, American conductor (1876-1939) (born in 1876)
10
Death of Wilhelm Grosz That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian composer, pianist and conductor (1894–1939) (born in 1894)
Death of Alexander von Dusch That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1877)
11
Birth of Inger Wikström That year: 1939, Classical music, composer
Birth of Jeffrey Lawton That year: 1939, Classical music, British opera singer (dead in 2018)
12
Birth of Ján Zemko That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer
13
Inauguration: Greek National Opera That year: 1939, Classical music (Kallithea Municipality, Greece)
Inception: Greek National Opera That year: 1939, Classical music (Greece)
14
Death of Marie Dietrich That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (1868-1939) (born in 1868)
15
Birth of Éva Andor That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer (1939-2014) (dead in 2014)
Birth of Hildegard Kronstein-Uhrmacher That year: 1939, Classical music, German singer and opera singer
16
Birth of Philip Langridge That year: 1939, Classical music, British opera singer (1939-2010) (dead in 2010)
18
Death of Jeanne Granier That year: 1939, Classical music, French singer (born in 1852)
20
Death of Åke Wallgren That year: 1939, Classical music, Swedish actor (born in 1873)
21
Birth of Giuliano Bernardi That year: 1939, Classical music, Italian opera singer (dead in 1977)
Birth of Vyacheslav Nagovitsin That year: 1939, Classical music, Russian composer (dead in 2023)
Premiere of Zdravitsa (Hail to Stalin), Op. 85 That year: 1939, Classical music (Work for choir), Sergei Prokofiev
22
Birth of Franz Kalchmair That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian singer (dead in 2020)
23
Birth of Nina Grigorieva That year: 1939, Classical music, operatic singer
24
Death of Walter B. Rogers That year: 1939, Classical music, American cornet player, conductor and composer (born in 1865)
25
Death of Emil Mattiesen That year: 1939, Classical music, German composer, philosopher and academic (born in 1875)
26
Birth of Yuriy Gorbunov That year: 1939, Classical music, Soviet Russian singer
31
Birth of Larry Combs That year: 1939, Classical music, American musician
This was also in 1939
Death of William Heller Nicholls That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1874) . Death of Alma Strettell That year: 1939, Classical music, British translator and poet (born in 1856) . Death of Frederick Bevan That year: 1939, Classical music, British singer and music pedagogue (born in 1856) . Inauguration: Quincena Musical de San Sebastián That year: 1939, Classical music (San Sebastián, Spain). Death of Mauricy Auber That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1862) . Inauguration: Philharmonic Hall That year: 1939, Classical music (Liverpool, United Kingdom). Inauguration: Robinson Center That year: 1939, Classical music (Little Rock, United States of America). Inauguration: Navoi Theater That year: 1939, Classical music (Tashkent, Uzbekistan). Death of Hilarión Leloup That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1876) . Inception: Philadelphia Youth Orchestra That year: 1939, Classical music (United States of America). Inception: Orchestre de chambre McGill That year: 1939, Classical music (Canada). Death of William Conrad Polla That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1876) . Death of Augusto Scampini That year: 1939, Classical music, Italian opera singer (born in 1880) . Birth of Berna Kousemaker That year: 1939, Classical music, Dutch opera singer . Birth of Jose Antonino Olivera That year: 1939, Classical music, composer . Birth of Edwin Penhorwood That year: 1939, Classical music, American composer . Birth of Emmy Lisken That year: 1939, Classical music, German opera singer (dead in 2020) . Inception: Hollywood String Quartet That year: 1939, Classical music (United States of America). Death of Franz Naval That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian singer and opera singer (born in 1865) . Inception: MVD Ensemble That year: 1939, Classical music (Russia). Birth of Jorma Falck That year: 1939, Classical music, Finnish actor (dead in 2017) . Inception: Australian Boys' Choir That year: 1939, Classical music. Inauguration: Kazan Opera and Ballet Theatre That year: 1939, Classical music (Kazan, Russia). Birth of Evelyn Dalberg That year: 1939, Classical music, opera singer . Death of Eric Fogg That year: 1939, Classical music, British composer and conductor (born in 1903) . Death of Francesco Mauro Guarini That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1883) . Birth of Marie Hayward That year: 1939, Classical music, singer (dead in 2011) . Birth of Ilse Gramatzki That year: 1939, Classical music, German singer and opera singer . Inception: West Virginia Symphony Orchestra That year: 1939, Classical music (United States of America). Inception: Danish National Chamber Orchestra That year: 1939, Classical music (Denmark). Death of Ludwig Bonvin That year: 1939, Classical music, Swiss church musician, composer and music teacher (born in 1850) . Birth of Helga Dernesch That year: 1939, Classical music, singer . Inception: Pittsburgh Opera That year: 1939, Classical music (United States of America). Death of Semyon Barmotin That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1877) . Birth of Jean Anderson That year: 1939, Classical music, Canadian composer . Birth of Peggy Ann Jones That year: 1939, Classical music, British opera singer and actress . Death of Georges Burgairolles That year: 1939, Classical music, composer . Inauguration: Pittsburgh Opera That year: 1939, Classical music (Pittsburgh, United States of America). Death of Ida Krzyzanowski-Doxat That year: 1939, Classical music, Austrian opera singer (born in 1867) . Birth of Norberto Macedo That year: 1939, Classical music, composer . Inception: Poznań Nightingales That year: 1939, Classical music (Poland). Death of Vitus Rathsach That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1883) . Death of Arthur Sydney Warrell That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1883) . Inception: San Antonio Symphony That year: 1939, Classical music (United States of America). Death of Charles Huguenin That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1870) . Death of Bénoni Lagye That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1858) . Death of Homer Tourjée That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1881) . Inauguration: Buryat Academic Opera and Ballet Theater That year: 1939, Classical music (Ulan-Ude, Russia). Inception: Juan de Dios Filiberto National Orchestra of Argentine Music That year: 1939, Classical music (Argentina). Death of Frederick A. Williams That year: 1939, Classical music, American composer (born in 1875) . Death of Gastone Bernheimer That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1880) . Birth of Charles Schlueter That year: 1939, Classical music, American musician . Death of Henryk Skirmuntt That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1868) . Birth of Giorgio Merighi That year: 1939, Classical music, Italian singer and opera singer (dead in 2020) . Death of Charles Goulding That year: 1939, Classical music, British singer and actor (born in 1887) . Dissolution: Viipurin Musiikin Ystäväin Orkesteri That year: 1939, Classical music. Death of Otto Viktor Maeckel That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1884) . Death of Charles Woodhouse That year: 1939, Classical music, composer (born in 1879) . Birth of Ada Svetlova That year: 1939, Classical music, Latvian opera singer . Inauguration: Teatr Muzyczny That year: 1939, Classical music (Poznań, Poland).
Works (composition or publishing)
- Richard Strauss (age 75)
- Durch Einsamkeiten (Work for choir)
- München, commemorative waltz (1) (Work for orchestra)
- Arnold Schoenberg (age 65)
- Chamber Symphony No. 2 in E-flat minor, Op. 38 (Work for chamber orchestra)
- Mr. Saunders I owe you thanks (Work for choir)
- Manuel de Falla (age 63)
- Homages (Work for orchestra)
- Béla Bartók (age 58)
- Divertimento That year: 1939, Classical music (Work for chamber orchestra), published in 1940
- String Quartet No. 6 (Work for chamber orchestra)
- Zoltán Kodály (age 57)
- Peacock Variations (Work for orchestra)
- Te Deum (Work for choir)
- Sergei Prokofiev (age 48)
- Semyon Kotko, Op. 81 That year: 1939, Classical music (Opera)
- Symphonic Suite from “Semyon Kotko”, Op. 81bis That year: 1939, Classical music (Work for orchestra)
- Alexander Nevsky, Op. 78 That year: 1939, Classical music (Work for choir)
- 3 Songs from “Alexander Nevsky”, Opp. 78b That year: 1939, Classical music (Song, lied)
- 7 Mass Songs for voice and piano, Opp. 79 (Song, lied)
- Darius Milhaud (age 47)
- Symphony No. 1, Op. 210 (Work for orchestra)
- La Cheminée du Roi René, Op. 205 (Work for chamber orchestra)
- Cortège funèbre, Op. 202 (Work for orchestra)
- Fanfare, Op. 209 (Work for orchestra)
- Concerto, Op. 197 (Work for orchestra with soloist)
- La reine de Saba, Op. 207 (Work for chamber orchestra)
- 3 Incantations, Opp. 201 (Work for choir)
- Quatrains valaisans, Op. 206 (Work for choir)
- 3 Elegy, Opp. 199 (Song, lied)
- Hamlet, Op. 200 (Incidental music)
- The Islanders, Op. 198 (Film score)
- Man's Hope, Op. 202 (Film score)
- Gulf Stream, Op. 208 (Film score)
- Voyage au pays du rêve, Op. 203 (Music for radio)
- Arthur Honegger (age 47)
- Cavalcade d'amour (Film score)
- Le Déserteur (Film score)
- Nicolas de Flue (Incidental music)
- Erich Wolfgang Korngold (age 42)
- Juarez (Film score)
- The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (Film score)
- Francis Poulenc (age 40)
- Fiançailles pour rire (6 mélodies), Op. 101 (Song, lied)
- 2 Préludes posthumes et une Gnossienne, Opp. 104 (Work for orchestra)
- Française d’après Claude Gervaise, Op. 103 (Work for soloist)
- Miroirs brûlants, Opp. 98 (Song, lied)
- Ce doux petit visage, Op. 99 (Song, lied)
- Bleuet, Op. 102 (Song, lied)
- Aaron Copland (age 39)
- Of Mice and Men (Film score)
- The City (Film score)
- Dmitri Shostakovich (age 33)
- Seven Finnish Folk Songs, Op. 56a (Song, lied)
- The Great Citizen (II), Op. 55 (Film score)
- Music to the animated film The Silly Little Mouse, Op. 56 (Film score)
- Samuel Barber (age 29)
- Violin Concerto, Op. 14 That year: 1939, Classical music (Work for orchestra with soloist)
- Benjamin Britten (age 26)
- Les Illuminations, Op. 18 That year: 1939, Classical music (Song, lied)
- Ballad of Heroes, Op. 14 (Work for choir)
- Canadian Carnival overture, Op. 19 (Work for orchestra)
- A.M.D.G. (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam) (Work for choir)