istoryworld
Events relating to music
The symphony begins to develop as a musical form, deriving from the overtures of operas
Like the symphony, the string quartet develops during the eighteenth century, moving from simple beginnings to great complexity
Johann Sebastian Bach compiles the Little Keyboard Book a set of pieces to teach his eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach writes the six Brandenburg Concertos for his employer at the court of Köthen
J.S. Bach publishes The Well-Tempered Clavier, a collection of 24 Preludes and Fugues
Vivaldi publishes the set of violin concertos known as The Four Seasons
J.S. Bach conducts the first performance of his St Matthew Passion in the St Thomas's church in Leipzig
Handel composes Zadok the Priest for the crowning of George II, and it has been sung at every subsequent British coronation
The Italian poet Metastasio produces, in Vienna, opera libretti which are used by almost every composer of the day
With the performance of Esther Handel taps a rich new vein, the English oratorio
Frederick II, inheriting the throne in Prussia, establishes a cultured and musical court
J.S. Bach publishes his set of Goldberg Variations, supposedly written for performance by the young harpsichordist Johann Gottlieb Goldberg
J.S. Bach publishes another set of 24 Preludes and Fugues, as an addition to his previous Well-Tempered Clavier
Shortly before his death (in 1750) J.S. Bach completes his Mass in B Minor, worked on over many years
By the time of his death the prolific output of Domenico Scarlatti includes 555 sonatas, all but a few for his own instrument, the harpsichord
Joseph Haydn enters the service of the Esterházy family, and stays with them for twenty-nine years
Johann Sebastian Bach's youngest son, Johann Christian, moves to London and becomes known as the English Bach
The intensely dramatic music of Gluck's Orfeo ed Eurydice introduces a much needed reform in the conventions of opera
6-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart plays for the Habsburg empress Maria Theresa
7-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart begins a three-year concert tour of Europe
Joseph Haydn's first published work is six string quartets, a form which he subsequently makes very much his own
Haydn's Farewell Symphony gives a subtle hint to his employer at Esterházy that it is time for the musicians to return home
Yankee Doodle is the most popular song with the patriot troops in the American Revolution
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, now 25, leaves Salzburg to settle in Vienna
12-year-old Ludwig van Beethoven publishes his first composition, Piano Variations on a March by Dressler
