On This Day

Year 1908 in Music History

Events in Music


Music releaseMusic Premiere

Mar 15 1st performance of Maurice Ravel's "Rapsodie Espagnole"

Composer and Pianist Maurice Ravel
Composer and Pianist
Maurice Ravel
  • Sep 19 Gustav Mahler's 7th Symphony premieres in Prague
  • Nov 4 Brooklyn Academy of Music opens in NYC
  • Nov 14 Oscar Strauss' musical "Der tapfere Soldat" premieres in Vienna
  • Nov 16 Arturo Toscanini begins conducting NY's Metropolitan Opera

Music releaseMusic Premiere

Dec 3 Edward Elgar's 1st Symphony in A performed by the Hallé Orchestra conducted by Hans Richter, premieres in Manchester, England

Composer Edward Elgar
Composer
Edward Elgar

Birthdays in Music

  • Jan 2 Janis Kepitis, composer
  • Jan 6 Menachem Avidom, Israeli composer, born in Stanislaviv, Austria-Hungary (d. 1995)
  • Jan 7 [Henry] "Red" Allen, American jazz trumpeter, born in Algiers, Louisiana (d. 1967)
  • Jan 12 Jose Limon, Mexican-American dancer & choreographer (I, Odysseus), born in Culiacán, Mexico (d. 1972)
  • Jan 14 Russ Columbo [Ruggiero Eugenio di Rodolfo Colombo], American baritone, violinist and actor (You Call It Madness, But I Call It Love), born in Camden, New Jersey (d. 1934)
  • Jan 15 Roberta Bitgood, American organist & composer, born in New London, Connecticut (d. 2007)
  • Jan 20 Wilfred Conwell Bain, American music educator, born in Shawville, Canada (d. 1997)
  • Jan 22 Hammie Nixon [Nickerson], American blues harmonica player (Sleepy John Estes), born in Brownsville, Tennessee (d. 1984)
  • Jan 22 Melle Weersma, Dutch jazz arranger and composer ("Penny Serenade"), born in Harlingen, Netherlands (d. 1988)
  • Jan 26 Stéphane Grappelli, French jazz violinist who founded the Quintette du Hot Club de France, born in Paris, France (d. 1997)
  • Jan 27 Oran Page, American musician (d. 1954)
  • Jan 28 Paul Misraki [Misrachi], French jazz pianist, songwriter, and film score composer (Jean Renoir), born in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire (d. 1998)
  • Jan 31 Atahualpa Yupanqui, Argentine folk musician, born in Pergamino, Argentina (d. 1992)
  • Feb 1 Edward Staempfli, composer
  • Feb 2 Pavel Sivic, Slovenian composer, born in Radovljica, Slovenia (d. 1995)
  • Feb 2 Renzo Rossellini, Italian composer, born in Rome, Italy (d. 1982)
  • Feb 4 Emmanuel "Manny" Klein, American jazz trumpeter, born in NYC, New York (d. 1994)
  • Feb 8 Grigor Eghiazaryan, composer
  • Feb 10 Jean Coulthard, Canadian composer, and music educator, born in Vancouver, British Columbia (d. 2000)
  • Feb 13 Gerald Strang, American classical and electronic music composer, born in Claresholm, Alberta, Canada (d. 1983)
  • Feb 13 Lennie Hayton, American pianist, composer, conductor and arranger (Paul Whiteman; Bing Crosby; MGM), born in New York City (d. 1971)
  • Feb 20 Seymour Österwall, Swedish jazz tenor saxophonist, bandleader and composer, born in Stockholm, Sweden (d. 1981)
  • Feb 22 Claude "Fiddler" Williams, American jazz violinist and guitarist (Twelve Clouds of Joy; Count Basie), born in Muskogee, Oklahoma (d. 2004)
  • Mar 3 Riccardo Nielsen, composer
  • Mar 7 Tomas de Manzarraga, Spanish composer, born in Igorre, Spain (d. 1988)
  • Mar 9 Luiz Cosme, Brazilian composer, born in Porte Alegre (d. 1965)
  • Mar 13 Helen Sinclair Glatz, English composer, born in Border country in England (d. 1996)
  • Mar 14 Nikolay Petrovich Rakov, composer
  • Mar 17 Radie Britain, American composer, born near Silverton, Texas (d. 1994)
  • Mar 18 Louis Gaste, songwriter
  • Mar 26 Hank Sylvern, American orchestra leader (Jane Froman's USA Canteen), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • Mar 30 Camille Schmit, Belgian organist, composer, and educator, born in Aubange (d. 1976)
  • Mar 30 Kurt Bruggemann, German composer, born in Berlin, Germany (d. 2002)
  • Mar 31 Red Norvo, American jazz vibraphonist known as "Mr. Swing" (Congo Blues, Knockin' on Wood), born in Beardstown, Illinois (d. 1999)
  • Apr 5 George Schick, Czech conductor (Chicago Symphony), born in Prague, Czechoslovakia (d. 1985)
  • Apr 5 Herbert von Karajan, Austrian conductor (Berlin Philharmonic), born in Salzburg (d. 1989)
  • Apr 6 Vano Il'ich Muradeli, composer
  • Apr 7 Percy Faith, conductor (Summer Place)
  • Apr 9 Fred Lohse, German composer, born in Leipzig (d. 1987)
  • Apr 11 Karel Ančerl, Czechoslovak conductor (Prague/Toronto), born in Tučapy, Czech Republic (d. 1973)
  • Apr 15 Eden Ahbez, American songwriter (Nature Boy), born in Brooklyn, New York (d.1995)
  • Apr 18 Eric Spear, British film and TV composer (Coronation Street theme), born in Croydon, Surrey (d. 1966)
  • Apr 19 Joseph Keilberth, German conductor (Bayreuther Festspiele), born in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany (d. 1968)
  • Apr 20 Lionel Hampton, American jazz vibraphone player and actor, born in Louisville, Kentucky (d. 2002)
  • Apr 23 Frederick Hawkins, American dancer and choreographer, born in Trinidad, Colorado (d. 1994)
  • Apr 29 Philippe Brun, French jazz trumpeter, born in Paris (d. 1994)
  • May 6 Necil Kazım Akses, Turkish classical composer, born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 1999)
  • May 7 Wouter Paap, Dutch composer, born in Utrecht, Netherlands (d. 1981)
  • May 15 Lars-Eric Vilner Larsson, Akarp Sweden, composer (Linden)
  • May 17 Sigismund Toduţă, Romanian composer, born in Simeria, Romania (d. 1991)
  • May 24 Krešimir Fribec, Croatian composer, born in Daruvar, Croatia (d. 1996)
  • May 27 Harold Rome, American composer (Fanny, Pins & Needles), born in Hartford, Connecticut (d. 1993)
  • Jun 12 Marina Semyonova, Russian ballerina, born in Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire (d. 2010)
  • Jun 14 John Scott Trotter, American orchestra leader (George Gobel Show), born in Charlotte, North Carolina (d. 1975)
  • Jun 17 John Verrall, American composer, born in Britt, Iowa (d. 2001)
  • Jun 24 Hugo Distler, German organist, choral conductor and composer, born in Nuremberg (d. 1942)
  • Jun 24 Guru Gopinath, Indian classical dancer, born in Champakulam, Kuttanad (now Kerala), British India (d. 1987)
  • Jun 27 Hans de Jong, musician and conductor (De Damrakkertjes) (d. 1994)
  • Jun 29 Rene Gerber, Swiss composer, born in Travers (d. 2006)
  • Jun 29 Leroy Anderson, American composer (Syncopated Clock), born in Cambridge, Massachusetts (d. 1975)
  • Jun 30 Lucino Tinio Sacramento, Filipino composer, born in Licab, Nueva Ecija, Philippines (d. 1984)
  • Jul 1 Peter Anders, German opera singer, born in Essen, Germany (d. 1954)
  • Jul 6 Léonce Grass, Flemish singer and conductor, born in Borgerhout, Antwerp, Belgium (d. 1993)

Person of interestLouis Jordan

Jul 8 Louis Jordan, American musician, songwriter and bandleader (Caldonia), born in Brinkley, Arkansas (d. 1975)

Musician Louis Jordan
Musician
Louis Jordan
  • Jul 10 Cootie Williams, American jazz trumpeter, born in Mobile, Alabama (d. 1985)
  • Jul 12 Johan Franco, Dutch composer, born in Zaandam, Netherlands (d. 1988)
  • Jul 17 Rudolf Petzold, composer
  • Jul 20 Gunnar de Frumerie, Swedish pianist and composer (Circulus Quintus), born in Nacka, Sweden (d. 1987)
  • Jul 25 Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Indian Carnatic vocalist, born in Tirukkodikaval, Thanjavur District, India (d. 2003)
  • Aug 1 Miloslav Kabeláč, Czech composer, born in Prague (d. 1979)
  • Aug 4 Kurt Eichhorn, German conductor, born in Munich (d. 1994)
  • Aug 6 George Singer, composer
  • Aug 6 Svend Erik Tarp, Danish composer, born in Thisted, Denmark (d. 1994)
  • Aug 17 Kurt Hessenberg, German composer, born in Frankfurt, Germany (d.1994)
  • Aug 18 Milan Ristić, Serbian composer, born in Belgrade, Serbia (d. 1982)
  • Aug 30 Willie Bryant, American jazz singer, band leader, and disc jockey (Sugar Hill Times), born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 1964)
  • Aug 31 Peter Conrad Baden, composer
  • Sep 5 Joaquin Maria Nin-Culmell, Cuban-Spanish composer, born in Berlin, Germany (d. 2004)
  • Sep 5 Cecilia Seghizzi, Italian composer, born in Gotizia, Austria-Hungary (d. 2019)
  • Sep 6 Paul Lavalle, American bandleader (Cities Service Band of America), born in Beacon, New York (d. 1997)
  • Sep 7 Max Kaminsky, American jazz trumpeter and bandleader (Max Kaminsky Orchestra), born in Brockton, Massachusetts (d. 1994)
  • Sep 10 Raymond Harry Warnow Scott, American composer ('The Toy Trumpet'), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • Sep 13 Ray Green, American composer and publisher, born in Cavendish, Missouri (d. 1997)
  • Sep 14 Bernie Green, American orchestra leader (Arthur Godfrey Show, Garry Moore Show), born in NYC, New York (d. 1975)
  • Sep 17 Franz Grothe, German composer, born in Berlin (d. 1982)
  • Sep 25 Eugen Suchoň, Slovak composer, born in Pezinok, Slovakia (d. 1993)
  • Sep 28 Marin Goleminov, Bulgarian composer, born in Kyustendil (d. 2000)
  • Sep 30 David Oistrakh, Soviet violinist considered one of the preeminent violinists of the 20th century (Moscow Conservatory), born in Odessa, Ukraine, Russian Empire (d. 1974)
  • Oct 1 Herman David Koppel, Danish pianist and composer, born in Copenhagen (d. 1998)
  • Oct 3 Zenobia Powell Perry, American composer (Tawawa House), educator, and civil rights activist, born in Boley, Oklahoma (d. 2004)
  • Oct 8 Paul Van Buskirk Yoder, American composer, born in Tacoma, Washington (d. 1990)
  • Oct 9 Lee Wiley, American jazz singer (Night in Manhattan), born in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma (d. 1975)
  • Oct 10 Johnny Green, American singer (Body and Soul) and film score composer who won 5 Academy Awards, born in NYC, New York (d. 1989)
  • Oct 11 Armen Carapetyan, American musicologist and composer, born in Isfahan, Iran (d. 1992)
  • Oct 12 Harmonica Frank [Floyd], American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player, born in Toccopola, Mississippi (d. 1984)
  • Oct 19 [Nils] Geirr Tveitt, Norwegian classical pianist and composer, born in Bergen, Norway (d. 1981)
  • Oct 19 Patrick Cairns "Spike" Hughes, British jazz double bassist and composer (Elegy), born in London (d. 1987)
  • Oct 20 Stuart Hamblen, American singer and composer (This Ole House), born in Kellyville, Texas (d. 1989)
  • Oct 21 Alexander Schneider, Vilna Lith, violinist (Budapest String Quartet)
  • Oct 21 Howard Ferguson, composer

Deaths in Music

  • Jan 23 Edward Alexander MacDowell, American composer (Indian Suite), dies at 47
  • Feb 14 Georges Jean Pfeiffer, French composer, dies at 72
  • Feb 24 Anatol' Vakhnyanyn, Ukrainian composer, dies at 66
  • Feb 28 Pauline Lucca, Austrian operatic soprano, dies at 66
  • Mar 11 Peter Milne, Scottish composer, dies at 83
  • Apr 4 Josef Sucher, Hungarian composer and conductor (Aus alten Märchen), dies at 64
  • Apr 5 Gaetano Coronaro, composer, dies at 55
  • May 12 Melesio Morales, Mexican composer, dies at 69
  • Jun 5 Luca Fumagalli, Italian composer, dies at 71
  • Jun 8 Johan Lindegren, Swedish composer, musician and teacher, dies at 66
  • Jun 14 "Blind" Tom Wiggins, African-American pianist and composer, dies at 59
  • Jun 21 Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Russian composer (Sheherazade), dies at 64 (OS 8 Jun)
  • Jul 10 Phoebe Knapp, American hymn writer and organist, dies at 69
  • Jul 14 William Mason, composer, dies at 79
  • Jul 18 Jaime Nunó, Spanish composer (Mexican national anthem), dies at 83
  • Jul 20 Federico Chueca, Spanish composer, dies at 62
  • Aug 13 Ira D. Sankey, American evangelist, composer and singer (Gospel Hymns), dies at 67
  • Aug 20 Louis Varney, French composer, dies at 64
  • Sep 20 Pablo de Sarasate, Spanish violinist and composer (Spanish Dancer), dies at 64
  • Nov 8 Victorien Sardou, French opera author (Madame Sans-Gene), dies at 77
  • Nov 19 Albert Dietrich, German composer and conductor, dies at 79
  • Dec 23 Eduard Wachmann, Romanian composer, dies at 72
  • Dec 23 Francois A. Gevaert, Belgium Dutch composer (Diable au Moulin), dies at 68
  • Dec 24 François-Auguste Gevaert, Belgian composer (Le diable au moulin), dies at 80