Year 1902 in Music History

Events in Music

Music Premiere

Feb 18 Jules Massenet's opera "Le jongleur de Notre-Dame" premieres in Monte Carlo

Composer Jules Massenet — Composer
Jules Massenet

Music Premiere

Mar 8 1st performance of Jean Sibelius' 2nd Symphony, his most popular, by the Helsinki Philharmonic Society

Composer Jean Sibelius — Composer
Jean Sibelius

Event of Interest

Mar 18 Italian operatic tenor Enrico Caruso becomes 1st well-known performer to make a record

Event of Interest

Mar 18 Arnold Schoenberg's "Verklärte Nacht" premieres in Vienna

Composer and Painter Arnold Schoenberg — Composer and Painter
Arnold Schoenberg

Event of Interest

Apr 5 Maurice Ravel's "Pavane pour une infante defunte" premieres in Paris

Composer and Pianist Maurice Ravel — Composer and Pianist
Maurice Ravel

Music Premiere

Apr 30 Claude Debussy's only completed opera "Pelléas et Mélisande" premieres in Paris

Composer Claude Debussy — Composer
Claude Debussy

Jun 16 "The Wizard of Oz" musical first opens in Chicago, Illinois

Event of Interest

Jun 23 Monument to composer Gioachino Rossini unveiled in Santa Croce, Florence

Nov 25 Franz Lehar's opera "Wiener Frauen" premieres in Vienna

Event of Interest

Dec 29 "The Entertainer" is one of several piano rag compositions copyrighted for Scott Joplin by the US Copyright Office

Ragtime Composer Scott Joplin — Ragtime Composer
Scott Joplin

Birthdays in Music

Jan 3 Preston Jackson [James Preston McDonald], American jazz trombonist (Preservation Hall Jazz Band), born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 1983)
Jan 5 Pierre Palla, Dutch pianist & organist, born in Venlo, Netherlands (d. 1968)
Jan 6 Mark Brunswick, American composer, born in NYC, New York (d. 1971)
Jan 8 Gret Palucca, German dancer/choreography (Silent Song)
Jan 9 Rudolph Bing, Austrian-born opera impresario (NY Metropolitan Opera), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1997)
Jan 11 Maurice Duruflé, French organist (St. Etienne-du-Mond, 1929-75), composer (Requiem, Op. 9), and teacher (Paris Conservatory, 1943-70), born in Louviers (d. 1986)
Jan 13 Louis "Putney" Dandridge American jazz pianist and singer (Heatin' Up Harlem), born in Richmond, Virginia (d. 1946)
Jan 16 Evelyn Danzig [Levine], American composer (Scarlet Ribbons), born in Waco, Texas (d. 1996)
Jan 23 Benny Waters, American jazz saxophonist & clarinetist, born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 1998)
Feb 1 Carlo Borbolla, Cuban pianist, organist, and composer, born in Manzanillo, Cuba (d. 1990)

Langston Hughes

Feb 1 Langston Hughes, American poet (Weary Blues), playwright (Mulatto), and librettist (Troubled Island), born in Joplin, Missouri (d. 1967)

Feb 5 Bronislaw Kaper, Polish film composer and Academy Award winner (Green Dolphin Street, Lili), born in Warsaw, Poland (d. 1983)
Feb 6 George Brunies, American musician, born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 1974)
Feb 9 Blanche Calloway, American jazz vocalist, band leader (Twelve Clouds of Joy), civil rights activist, and broadcaster, born in Rochester, New York (d. 1978)
Feb 12 William D. Revelli, American band leader, born in Spring Gulch, Colorado (d. 1994)
Feb 13 Valentin Ruiz Aznar, Spanish choirmaster, composer, and priest, born in Borja, Zaragoza, Spain (d. 1972)
Feb 14 Fred Scott, American vocalist & actor (Melody of the Plains, Vincent Lopez), born in Fresno, California (d. 1991)
Feb 18 Walter Herbert, German-born conductor and impresario (d. 1975)
Feb 19 John Bubbles, rhythm tap dancer (No Maps on My Taps), born in Louisville, Kentucky
Feb 21 Bob [Hijman] Scholte, Dutch vocalist [or 1909]
Feb 22 Hanns Neupert, German piano builder/author (Das Klavichord)
Feb 26 Rudolf Moralt, German conductor (Vienna Philharmonic)
Mar 21 Eddie James "Son" House, folk blues musician (Delta Blues)
Mar 25 Sten Broman, Swedish composer and actor, born in Uppsala, Uppsala län (d. 1983)
Mar 28 Paul Godwin, Polish-Dutch violinist, born in Sosnowitz, Russian Empire (d. 1982)
Mar 28 Jaromír Vejvoda, Czech composer (Beer Barrel Polka), born in Zbraslav, Czech Republic (d. 1988)
Mar 29 William Walton, English composer (Troilus & Cressida, Wise Virgins), born in Oldham, Lancashire (d. 1983)
Mar 30 Ted Heath, British musician and band leader (d. 1969)
Apr 2 Danilo Svara, Slovenian composer, born in San Giuseppe, Trieste, Italy (d. 1981)
Apr 3 Henri Garat, French actor and singer (Les dieux s'amusent, Congress Dances), born in Paris, France (d. 1959)
Apr 3 Siguringi Eirikur Hjorleifsson, Icelandic composer, born in Bergskot, Grindavík (d. 1975)
Apr 8 Josef Krips, conductor (London Symph 1954-63), born in Vienna, Austria
Apr 9 František Suchý, Czech oboist and composer (Moravian Wind Quintet), born in Libina, Bohemia, Austro-Hungarian Empire (d. 1977)
Apr 17 Anton Beuving, Dutch lyricist (Ketelbinkie), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands d. 1977)
Apr 20 Veselin Stoyanov, Bulgarian composer, born in Shumen, Bulgaria (d. 1969)
Apr 29 Theodore Chanler, American composer, born in Newport, Rhode Island (d. 1961)
Apr 30 André-François Marescotti, Swiss organist and composer, born in Carouge, Switzerland (d. 1995)
Apr 30 Rudolf Wittelsbach, Swiss pianist and composer, born in Constantinople, Turkey (d. 1972)
May 3 Hugo Friedhofer, American composer, born in San Francisco, California (d. 1981)
May 4 Cvjetko Rihtman, Bosnian composer, born in Rijeka, Croatia (d. 1989)
May 16 Jan Kiepura, Polish vocalist and actor (Her Wonderful Lie, Give Us this Night), born in Sosnowiec, Poland (d. 1966)
May 17 John Vincent, American composer, born in Birmingham, Alabama (d. 1977)
May 18 [Robert] Meredith Willson, American composer (Music Man), born in Mason City, Iowa (d. 1984)
May 23 Mark Lothar, German composer (The Story of the Lazy Bear), born in Berlin (d. 1985)
May 25 Helvi Leiviskä, Finnish composer, born in Helsinki, Finland (d. 1982)
May 27 Celius Dougherty, American pianist and composer, born in Glenwood, Minnesota (d. 1986)
May 31 Billy Mayerl, composer
May 31 Henk Schaer [Hendricus Schaareman], Dutch actor and conductor (Majoor Barbara, Lijmen), born in Delft, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands (d. 1982)
May 31 Ralph Walter Wood, composer
Jun 6 Avraham Daus, Israeli composer, born in Berlin (d. 1974)
Jun 6 Jimmie Lunceford, American saxophonist and bandleader, born in Fulton, Mississippi (d. 1947)
Jun 9 Nehemiah "Skip" James, American Delta blues singer, guitarist and piano player ("I'm So Glad"), born in Bentonia, Mississippi (d. 1969)
Jun 10 Gaston Brenta, Belgian composer, born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1969)
Jun 11 Vissarion Yakovlevich Shebalin, Soviet composer, born in Omsk, Russia (d. 1963)
Jun 17 Sammy Fain, American popular music composer, born in NYC, New York (d. 1989)
Jun 19 Guy Lombardo, Canadian-American orchestra leader (Auld Lang Syne), born in London, Ontario, Canada (d. 1977)
Jun 21 Wilhelm Maler, German composer, born in Heidelberg, Germany (d. 1976)
Jun 26 Antonia Brico, Dutch-American conductor and pianist, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1989)
Jun 26 Hugues Cuénod, Swiss tenor and musical educator, born in Corseaux-sur-Vevey, Switzerland (d. 2010)

Richard Rodgers

Jun 28 Richard Rodgers, American composer (Rodgers & Hammerstein), born in NYC, New York (d. 1979)

George Murphy

Jul 4 George Murphy, American politician (US Senator, California), actor and dancer (MGM Parade), born in New Haven, Connecticut (d. 1992)

Jul 7 James McCartney, father of Beatle Paul McCartney
Jul 18 Karel Mengelberg, Dutch composer and conductor, born in Utrecht (d. 1984)
Jul 18 Chill Wills, American singer and actor (Frontier Circus, Rounders), born in Seagoville, Texas (d. 1978)
Jul 20 Jimmy Kennedy, Irish singer-songwriter (Teddy Bears' Picnic, My Prayer), born in Omagh, Ireland (d. 1984)
Jul 22 Vladimir Nikolayevich Kryukov, Russian composer, born in Moscow (d. 1960)
Jul 23 Walter Burle Marx, Brazilian pianist and composer, born in São Paulo, Brazil (d. 1990)
Jul 24 Hans Chemin-Petit, German composer, born in Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany (d. 1981)
Aug 3 Judson Laire, American actor and singer (Papa-Mama, Adm Broadway Revue), born in NYC, New York (d. 1979)
Aug 3 Ray Block, French orchestra leader (Ed Sullivan, Jackie Gleason), born in Alsace-Lorraine (d. 1982)
Aug 6 Michal Vilec, composer
Aug 9 Zino Francescatti, French violinist (NY Phil-1939), born in Marseille, France (d. 1991)
Aug 16 Stefan Boleslaw Poradowski, Polish composer (Double Bass Concerto), born in Wloclawek (d. 1967)
Aug 18 Julius Kalaš, Czech composer (Nepokořenĺ -The Proud Ones), born in Prague, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary (d. 1967)
Aug 21 Renato Fasano, Italian composer, born in Naples, Italy (d. 1979)
Aug 25 Stefan Wolpe, German composer (Zeus & Elidco), born in Berlin, Germany (d. 1972)
Aug 27 Herbert Menges, English composer, born in Hove, East Sussex, England (d. 1972)
Aug 30 Arnold Maria Walter, Canadian composer, born in Hanušovice, Moravia, Austria-Hungary (d. 1973)
Sep 11 Alice Tully, American singer and patroness (Carnegie Hall), born in Corning, New York (d. 1993)
Sep 14 Giorgos Papasideris Greek country singer, composer and lyricist, born in Salamis Island, Greece (d. 1977)
Sep 25 Jeno Takacs, Austrian composer, born in Cinfalva, Hungary (d. 2005)
Oct 6 Mihovil Logar, Serbian composer (A Would-be Lady), born in Rijeka, Croatia (d. 1998)
Oct 7 Willemina J H "Mascha" ter Weene, dancer/ballerina
Oct 15 William Edmundson, American vocalist (Southernaires), born in Spokane, Washington
Oct 21 Hilarion Rubio, Filipino composer, born in Bacoor, Cavite (d. 1985)
Oct 23 Otmar Nussio, Swiss conductor and composer (Boccaccio Suite), born in Grossetto, Italy; (d. 1990)
Oct 23 Otto J. Gombosi, Hungarian-American musicologist, born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 1955)
Oct 25 Eddie Lang [Salvatore Massaro], American jazz guitarist known as the "father of jazz guitar", born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1933)
Oct 30 Armin Kaufmann, Austrian composer, born in Bukowina (d. 1980)
Nov 1 Eugen Jochum, German conductor (Hamburg Orchestra), born in Babenhausen, Augsburg, Germany (d. 1987)
Nov 10 Antonio Maria Valencia, Colombian composer, born in Cali, Colombia (d. 1952)
Nov 16 Marcel Boereboom, Belgian musicologist, born in Stalhille, Jabbeke, Belgium (d. 1985)
Nov 18 Barbara Giuranna, Italian pianist and composer, born in Palermo, Italy (d. 1998)
Nov 22 Emanuel Feuermann, cellist (Chicago Symph Orchestra), born in Kolomyja, Galicia, Austro-Hungarian Empire (d. 1942)
Nov 27 Giuseppe Savagnone, Italian composer, born in Palermo, Italy (d. 1984)
Dec 2 Miroslav Ponc, Czech composer, born in Vysoké Mýto (d. 1976)
Dec 6 Virgilio Mortari, Italian composer, born in Passirana, Italy (d. 1993)
Dec 13 Paul Kurzbach, German composer, born in Hohndorf, Germany (d. 1997)
Dec 14 Viola Wells [Evans], American jazz, blues, and gospel singer, born in Newark, New Jersey (d. 1984)
Dec 19 Leonard Hirsch, Irish violinist/orchestra leader (RAF Symphony Orchestra), born in Dublin (d. 1995) [1]

Weddings in Music

Mar 9 Composer Gustav Mahler marries Alma Schindler in Vienna

Deaths in Music

Jan 18 Filippo Marchetti, composer, dies at 70
Feb 1 Salomon Jadassohn, German pianist & composer, dies at 70
Feb 2 Emanuil Manolov, composer, dies at 42
Feb 25 Carl Ignaz Franz Umlauf, Austrian zither player and composer, dies at 77
Mar 17 George William Warren, composer, dies at 73
Jul 6 Leopoldo Miguez, Brazilian composer, dies at 51
Jul 18 John White, American composer, dies at 47
Aug 3 August Klughardt, German composer, dies at 54
Sep 7 Franz Wullner, composer, dies at 70
Sep 14 Reinhold Finsterbusch, German singer, organist, composer, and choral director (Jesu Tod und Begräbnis), dies at 76
Sep 29 Iosif Ivanovici, composer, dies
Oct 24 Władysław Zaremba, Ukrainian composer, dies at 69
Oct 31 Jean-Baptist Colyns, Belgian violinist and composer, dies at 67
Nov 22 Septimus Winner, composer, dies at 75
Dec 5 Henry Stephen Cutler, American composer, dies at 78