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1940 in music

Summary

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1940.

List of years in music (table)
In radio
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
In television
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
In film
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
+...

Specific locations edit

Specific genres edit

Events edit

Albums released edit

Top popular recordings edit

The following songs appeared in The Billboard's 'Best Selling Retail Records' chart during 1940. Each week fifteen points were awarded to the number one record, then nine points for number two, eight points for number three, and so on. The total points a record earned determined its year-end rank. Regional charts determined the 11-25 rankings each week, and records that failed to score on the main chart were ranked by highest position. Additional information was obtained from the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954[3] and other sources as specified.

Rank Artist Title Label Recorded Released Chart positions
1 Artie Shaw and His Orchestra "Frenesi"[4] Victor 26542 March 3, 1940 (1940-03-03) March 29, 1940 (1940-03-29) US BB 1940 #1, US #1 for 13 weeks, 29 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2000, 1,000,000 sold[5]
2 Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (Vocal Frank Sinatra "I'll Never Smile Again"[6] Victor 26628 April 23, 1940 (1940-04-23) June 7, 1940 (1940-06-07) US BB 1940 #2, US #1 for 12 weeks, 20 total weeks, 1,000,000 sold[5]
3 Bing Crosby "Only Forever"[7] Decca 3300 July 3, 1940 (1940-07-03) August 1940 (1940-08) US BB 1940 #3, US #1 for 9 weeks, 22 total weeks
4 Glenn Miller and his Orchestra "Tuxedo Junction"[8] Bluebird 10612 February 5, 1940 (1940-02-05) February 23, 1940 (1940-02-23) US BB 1940 #4, US #1 for 9 weeks, 19 total weeks, 1,000,000 sold[5]
5 Glenn Miller and his Orchestra "The Woodpecker Song"[9] Bluebird 10598 January 29, 1940 (1940-01-29) February 9, 1940 (1940-02-09) US BB 1940 #5, US #1 for 7 weeks, 16 total weeks
6 Glenn Miller and his Orchestra "When You Wish Upon a Star"[10] Bluebird 10570 January 6, 1940 (1940-01-06) January 19, 1940 (1940-01-19) US BB 1940 #6, US #1 for 5 weeks, 16 total weeks
7 Glenn Miller and his Orchestra "Careless" Bluebird 10520 November 18, 1939 (1939-11-18) December 8, 1939 (1939-12-08) US BB 1940 #7, US #1 for 5 weeks, 13 total weeks
8 Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (Vocal Jack Leonard) "All the Things You Are"[11] Victor 26401 October 20, 1939 (1939-10-20) November 3, 1939 (1939-11-03) US BB 1940 #8, US #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks
9 Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (Vocal Jack Leonard) "Indian Summer"[12] Victor 26390 September 27, 1939 (1939-09-27) October 20, 1939 (1939-10-20) US BB 1940 #9, US #1 for 1 week, 16 total weeks
10 Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (Vocal Ray Eberle) "Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)"[13] Bluebird 10728 March 31, 1940 (1940-03-31) May 24, 1940 (1940-05-24) US BB 1940 #10, US #1 for 3 weeks, 15 total weeks
11 Benny Goodman and His Orchestra (Vocal Mildred Bailey) "Darn That Dream" Columbia 35331 December 3, 1939 (1939-12-03) January 4, 1940 (1940-01-04) US BB 1940 #11, US #1 for 1 week, 11 total weeks
12 Ink Spots "Maybe"[14] Decca 3258 June 11, 1940 (1940-06-11) July 1940 (1940-07) US BB 1940 #12, US #2 for 6 weeks, 17 total weeks
13 Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (Vocal Ray Eberle) "Blueberry Hill"[15] Bluebird 10768 June 13, 1940 (1940-06-13) July 1940 (1940-07) US BB 1940 #13, US #2 for 4 weeks, 19 total weeks
14 Will Bradley and His Orchestra Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar Columbia 35530 May 21, 1940 (1940-05-21) June 28, 1940 (1940-06-28) US BB 1940 #14, US #2 for 1 week, 21 total weeks
15 Bing Crosby "Trade Winds" Decca 3299 March 19, 1940 (1940-03-19) April 1940 (1940-04) US BB 1940 #15, US #2 for 2 weeks, 18 total weeks
16 Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra The Breeze and I[16] Decca 3150 April 18, 1940 (1940-04-18) May 1940 (1940-05) US BB 1940 #16, US #2 for 6 weeks, 11 total weeks, 1,000,000 sold[5]
17 Ink Spots "We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me)"[17] Decca 3379 July 16, 1940 (1940-07-16) September 1940 (1940-09) US BB 1940 #17, US #3 for 1 week, 15 total weeks
18 Bing Crosby "Sierra Sue" Decca 3133 March 22, 1940 (1940-03-22) April 1940 (1940-04) US BB 1940 #18, US #3 for 1 week, 14 total weeks
19 Bob Crosby and His Orchestra "With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair"[18] Decca 3018 February 13, 1940 (1940-02-13) March 1940 (1940-03) US BB 1940 #19, US #2 for 3 weeks, 14 total weeks
20 Tony Martin "It's a Blue World"[19] Decca 2932 December 19, 1939 (1939-12-19) January 1940 (1940-01) US BB 1940 #20, US #2 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks
21 Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (Vocal Ray Eberle) "Say It"[20] Bluebird 10631 February 24, 1940 (1940-02-24) March 8, 1940 (1940-03-08) US BB 1940 #21, US #2 for 2 weeks, 11 total weeks

Published popular music edit

Classical music edit

Premieres edit

Composer Composition Date Location Performers
Britten, Benjamin Les Illuminations 1940-01-30 London Wyss / Neel String Orchestra – Neel[21]
Britten, Benjamin Violin Concerto 1940-03-29 New York City Brosa / New York Philharmonic – Barbirolli[22]
Carpenter, John Alden Symphony No. 1 (2nd version) 1940-10-24 Chicago Chicago Symphony – Stock[23]
Chávez, Carlos Xochipilli-Macuilxóchitl 1940-05-16 Museum of Modern Art, New York City Ensemble – Chávez
Creston, Paul Symphony No. 1 1940-02-22 New York City NYA Symphony – Mahler[24]
Ginastera, Alberto Malambo for piano 1940-09-11 Montevideo, Uruguay Balzo[25]
Ginastera, Alberto Three Pieces for Piano 1940-10-16 Montevideo, Uruguay Balzo[26]
Hartmann, Karl Amadeus Concerto funebre 1940-02-29 St. Gallen, Switzerland Neracher / St. Gallen Chamber Orchestra – Klug[27]
Hindemith, Paul Violin Concerto (1939) 1940-03-14 Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra
Khachaturian, Aram Violin Concerto 1940-11-16 Moscow Oistrakh / USSR State Symphony – Gauk[28]
Krenek, Ernst Little Concerto for Piano, Organ and Chamber Orchestra 1940-05-23 Poughkeepsie, New York Williams, Geer / Vassar Orchestra – Krenek [29]
Krenek, Ernst Symphonisches Stück 1940-06-11 Basel Basel Chamber Orchestra – Sacher[30]
Larsson, Lars-Erik God in Disguise 1940-04-01 Stockholm Torlind, Hasslo, Molander / Swedish Radio Symphony – Larsson [31]
Lilburn, Douglas Aotearoa, overture 1940-04-15 London Sadler's Welles Orchestra – Braithwaite[32]
Milhaud, Darius Symphony No. 1 1940-10-17 Chicago Chicago Symphony – Milhaud [33]
Myaskovsky, Nikolai Symphony No. 20 1940-11-28 Moscow USSR Radio Symphony – Golovanov[34]
Piston, Walter Violin Concerto No. 1 1940-03-18 New York City Posselt / National Orchestral Association – Barzin[35]
Price, Florence Symphony No. 3 (Price) 1940-11-06 Little Rock, US Detroit Civic Orchestra – Valter Poole[36]
Prokofiev, Sergei Piano Sonata No. 6 1940-04-08 Moscow Prokofiev[37]
Rodrigo, Joaquín Concierto de Aranjuez 1940-11-09 Barcelona Saenz de la Maza / Barcelona Philharmonic – Mendoza-Lasalle[38]
Schoenberg, Arnold Chamber Symphony No. 2 1940-12-15 New York City Friends of New Music Orchestra – Stiedry[39]
Schoenberg, Arnold Violin Concerto (finished 1936) 1940-12-06 Philadelphia Krasner / Philadelphia Orchestra – Stokowski[40]
Shostakovich, Dmitri Piano Quintet 1940-11-23 Moscow Shostakovich, Beethoven Quartet[41]
Shostakovich, Dmitri Four Romances on Verses by Pushkin 1940-12-08 Moscow Baturin, Shostakovich [42]
Strauss, Richard Japanese Festival Music 1940-12-14 Tokyo Tokyo Broadcast Orchestra – Fellmer[43]
Stravinsky, Igor Symphony in C 1940-11-07 Chicago Chicago Symphony – Stravinsky [44]
Tippett, Michael Concerto for Double String Orchestra 1940-04-21 London South London Orchestra – Tippett [45]
Webern, Anton Fünf Lieder, Op. 4 (1909) 1940-02-10 Basel, Switzerland Gradmann-Lüscher, Schmid[46]

Compositions edit

Opera edit

Film edit

Jazz edit

Musical theatre edit

Musical films edit

Births edit

Deaths edit

References edit

  1. ^ Mitchell, Donald (ed) (1991). Letters From A Life: Selected Letters of Benjamin Britten, Vol. 2 1939–45. London: Faber and Faber. ISBN 0-571-160581. pp. 628, 657
  2. ^ Mitchell (1991): p. 629
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research.
  4. ^ "Victor matrix PBS-042546. Frenesi / Artie Shaw Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d Murrells, Joseph (1978). The book of golden discs. Internet Archive. London : Barrie & Jenkins. ISBN 978-0-214-20512-5.
  6. ^ "Victor matrix BS-048942. I'll never smile again / The Pied Pipers; Frank Sinatra; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  7. ^ "Decca matrix DLA 2033. Only forever / Bing Crosby – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  8. ^ "Victor matrix BS-046786. Tuxedo junction / Glenn Miller Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  9. ^ "Victor matrix BS-046739. The woodpecker's song / Glenn Miller Orchestra; Marion Hutton – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  10. ^ "Victor matrix BS-046084. When you wish upon a star / Ray Eberle; Glenn Miller Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  11. ^ "Victor matrix BS-040983. All the things you are / Jack Leonard; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  12. ^ "Victor matrix BS-042738. Indian summer / Jack Leonard; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  13. ^ "Victor matrix BS-048489. Fools rush in (where angels fear to tread) / Ray Eberle; Glenn Miller Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  14. ^ "Decca matrix 67863. Maybe / Ink Spots – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  15. ^ "Victor matrix BS-053132. Blueberry Hill / Ray Eberle; Glenn Miller Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  16. ^ "Decca matrix 67584. The breeze and I / Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  17. ^ "Decca matrix 67928. We three (My echo, my shadow and me) / Ink Spots – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  18. ^ "Decca matrix 67189. With the wind and the rain in your hair / Bob Crosby Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  19. ^ "Decca matrix 66989. It's a blue world / Tony Martin – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  20. ^ "Victor matrix BS-047095. Say it / Ray Eberle; Glenn Miller Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  21. ^ "Les Illuminations, Benjamin Britten" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  22. ^ "Violin Concerto, Benjamin Britten" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  23. ^ "Carpenter: Adventures in a Perambulator / Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2". www.naxos.com.
  24. ^ Paul Creston: A Bio-bibliography. Greenwood Publishing Group. February 9, 1994. ISBN 9780313253362 – via Google Books.
  25. ^ "Malambo, Alberto Evaristo Ginastera" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  26. ^ "Tres Piezas, Alberto Evaristo Ginastera" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  27. ^ "Hartmann: Concerto funebre". Hyperion Records.
  28. ^ "Los Angeles Philharmonic". Archived from the original on July 22, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
  29. ^ "Little Concerto, Ernst Krenek" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  30. ^ "Symphonisches Stück, Ernst Krenek" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  31. ^ "Norlands Operan". Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  32. ^ SouNZ
  33. ^ "Chicago Symphony Orchestra" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 17, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  34. ^ "N. Myaskovsky » Works". www.myaskovsky.ru.
  35. ^ "PISTON, W.: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / Fantasia for Violin and Orchestra (Buswell, Ukraine National Symphony, T. Kuchar)". www.naxos.com.
  36. ^ Price, Florence (January 1, 2008) [1932]. Brown, Rae Linda; Shirley, Wayne D. (eds.). Symphonies nos. 1 and 3. A-R Editions. pp. xlvi–lii. ISBN 978-0895796387.
  37. ^ Espinosa, Olivia. "An Evening with Yefim Bronfman – La Jolla Music Society". Archived from the original on July 25, 2015.
  38. ^ Joaquín Rodrigo official website
  39. ^ "Zweite Kammersymphonie op. 38, Arnold Schoenberg" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  40. ^ "Concerto pour violon et orchestre op. 36, Arnold Schoenberg" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  41. ^ "Quintette avec piano, Dimitri Chostakovitch" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  42. ^ "Quatre romances sur des vers de Pouchkine, Dimitri Chostakovitch" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  43. ^ Jones, Barrie (June 3, 2014). The Hutchinson Concise Dictionary of Music. Routledge. ISBN 9781135950187 – via Google Books.
  44. ^ "Chicago Symphony Orchestra" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 12, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  45. ^ "Concerto pour double orchestre à cordes, Sir Michael Tippett" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  46. ^ "Fünf Lieder, Op. 4, Anton Webern" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  47. ^ "London performances – White Horse Inn (1st Revival)" (PDF). overthefootlights.co.uk. 1940. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 11, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  48. ^ Martin, Douglas (January 17, 2012). "Jimmy Castor, Musician Who Mastered Many Genres, Dies at 71". The New York Times.

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