1940 in music

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

1940 in music
By location
By genre
By topic
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
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Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

Albums released

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

Classical music

Premieres
ComposerCompositionDateLocationPerformers
Britten, BenjaminLes Illuminations1940-01-30LondonWyss / Neel String Orchestra – Neel[21]
Britten, BenjaminViolin Concerto1940-03-29New York CityBrosa / New York Philharmonic – Barbirolli[22]
Carpenter, John AldenSymphony No. 1 (2nd version)1940-10-24ChicagoChicago Symphony – Stock[23]
Chávez, CarlosXochipilli-Macuilxóchitl1940-05-16Museum of Modern Art, New York CityEnsemble – Chávez
Creston, PaulSymphony No. 11940-02-22New York CityNYA Symphony – Mahler[24]
Ginastera, AlbertoMalambo for piano1940-09-11Montevideo, UruguayBalzo[25]
Ginastera, AlbertoThree Pieces for Piano1940-10-16Montevideo, UruguayBalzo[26]
Hartmann, Karl AmadeusConcerto funebre1940-02-29St. Gallen, SwitzerlandNeracher / St. Gallen Chamber Orchestra – Klug[27]
Hindemith, Paul Violin Concerto (1939) 1940-03-14 Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra
Khachaturian, AramViolin Concerto1940-11-16MoscowOistrakh / USSR State Symphony – Gauk[28]
Krenek, ErnstLittle Concerto for Piano, Organ and Chamber Orchestra1940-05-23Poughkeepsie, New YorkWilliams, Geer / Vassar Orchestra – Krenek [29]
Krenek, ErnstSymphonisches Stück1940-06-11BaselBasel Chamber Orchestra – Sacher[30]
Larsson, Lars-ErikGod in Disguise1940-04-01StockholmTorlind, Hasslo, Molander / Swedish Radio Symphony – Larsson [31]
Lilburn, DouglasAotearoa, overture1940-04-15LondonSadler's Welles Orchestra – Braithwaite[32]
Milhaud, DariusSymphony No. 11940-10-17ChicagoChicago Symphony – Milhaud [33]
Myaskovsky, NikolaiSymphony No. 201940-11-28MoscowUSSR Radio Symphony – Golovanov[34]
Piston, WalterViolin Concerto No. 11940-03-18New York CityPosselt / National Orchestral Association – Barzin[35]
Price, FlorenceSymphony No. 3 (Price)1940-11-06Little Rock, USDetroit Civic Orchestra – Valter Poole[36]
Prokofiev, SergeiPiano Sonata No. 61940-04-08MoscowProkofiev[37]
Rodrigo, JoaquínConcierto de Aranjuez1940-11-09BarcelonaSaenz de la Maza / Barcelona Philharmonic – Mendoza-Lasalle[38]
Schoenberg, ArnoldChamber Symphony No. 21940-12-15New York CityFriends of New Music Orchestra – Stiedry[39]
Schoenberg, ArnoldViolin Concerto (finished 1936)1940-12-06PhiladelphiaKrasner / Philadelphia Orchestra – Stokowski[40]
Shostakovich, DmitriPiano Quintet1940-11-23MoscowShostakovich, Beethoven Quartet[41]
Shostakovich, DmitriFour Romances on Verses by Pushkin1940-12-08MoscowBaturin, Shostakovich [42]
Strauss, RichardJapanese Festival Music1940-12-14TokyoTokyo Broadcast Orchestra – Fellmer[43]
Stravinsky, IgorSymphony in C1940-11-07ChicagoChicago Symphony – Stravinsky [44]
Tippett, MichaelConcerto for Double String Orchestra1940-04-21LondonSouth London Orchestra – Tippett [45]
Webern, AntonFünf Lieder, Op. 4 (1909)1940-02-10Basel, SwitzerlandGradmann-Lüscher, Schmid[46]

Compositions

Opera

Film

Jazz
Main article: 1940 in jazz

Musical theatre

Musical films

Births

Deaths

References
  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. 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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