Events in Music in 1939

Jan 20 Charles Ives' 1st Sonata "Concord" premieres
Feb 24 Roy Harris' 3rd Symphony premieres in Boston

Music Premiere

Mar 23 1st performance of Béla Bartók's 2nd Violin Concerto at the Concertgebow, Amsterdam with Zoltán Székely on violin and Willem Mengelberg conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra

Mar 25 Billboard Magazine introduces hillbilly (country) music chart
Apr 5 Alexander Gretchaninov's 5th Symphony premieres at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia with Leopold Stowkowski conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra

Music History

Apr 9 Marian Anderson sings before 75,000 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Appointment of Interest

May 23 Dmitri Shostakovich appointed professor at conservatory of Leningrad

Jun 3 "Beer Barrel Polka" by Will Glahe hits #1 on the pop singles chart

Music History

Jul 13 Frank Sinatra makes his recording debut, with The Harry James Orchestra, singing "From the Bottom of My Heart" and "Melancholy Mood"

Radio Premiere

Aug 6 1st broadcast of "Dinah Shore Show" on NBC-radio

The Wizard of Oz

Aug 15 "The Wizard of Oz", American musical fantasy film directed by Victor Fleming and King Vidor, premieres at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, starring Judy Garland (Dorothy), Ray Bolger (Scarecrow), Jack Haley (Tin Man), Bert Lahr (Cowardly Lion), Frank Morgan (Wizard), Billie Burke (Glinda), and Margaret Hamilton (Wicked Witch)