1744 in music

Events

• March 27 Johann Sebastian Bach revives his St Mark Passion with some textual changes and two new arias inserted at St. Thomas Church, Leipzig.
• Castrato Giovanni Carestini goes to work for Maria Theresa of Austria.

Classical music

• Thomas Arne
  • The Death of Abel (oratorio)
  • Judith (first performed, published 1761)
• Johann Sebastian Bach – Das wohltemperierte Klavier, part 2
• Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
  • Keyboard Sonata in E major, H.39
  • Harpsichord Concerto in F major, H.415
  • Harpsichord Concerto in E major, H.417
• Michele Blavet – Premier recueil de pieces
• Michael Christian Festing – 6 Violin Sonatas, Op.7
• Christoph Graupner
  • Trio Sonata in C minor, GWV 203
  • Trio Sonata in D major, GWV 204
  • Sonata in G major, GWV 212
  • Trio Sonata in B minor, GWV 219
  • Concerto for 2 Flutes in E minor, GWV 322
  • Concerto for 2 Horns in G major, GWV 332
  • Bassoon Concerto in B-flat major, GWV 340
• Johann Adolph Hasse – 6 Flute Sonatas, Op. 5
• Johann Ludwig Krebs
  • Clavier-Übung I, Krebs-WV 500-512
  • Clavier-Übung II, Krebs-WV 800
  • Clavier-Übung III, Krebs-WV 801-806
• Etienne Mangean – 6 Sonatas for 2 Violins, Op. 3
• Niccolò Pasquali – 6 Sonatas for Violin, Op. 1
• John Frederick Ranish – 12 Flute Sonatas, Op. 2
• Johan Helmich Roman – Drottningholm Music (Music for a Royal Wedding)
• Francesco Maria Veracini
  • L'errore di Salomone (oratorio)
  • 12 Sonate accademiche, Op. 2 (for violin)
• Jan Dismas Zelenka
  • Litaniae Lauretanae, ZWV 151
  • Litaniae Lauretanae, ZWV 152

Opera

• Daniele Dal Barba – Il Tigrane
• Christoph Willibald Gluck
  • La Sofonisba, Wq.5
  • Ipermestra, Wq. 7
• George Frideric Handel – Semele
• Johann Adolph Hasse
  • Antigono
  • Semiramide riconosciuta
• John Frederick Lampe – The Kiss Accepted and Returned

Publications

• Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach – 6 Harpsichord Sonatas, Wq.49 (Nuremberg: Johann Ulrich Haffner) (composed 1742-44)
• Delphin Strungk (some copies were made in this year, though the composer died in 1694)
  • Lass mich dein sein und bleiben
  • Meine Seele erhebt den Herren

Methods and theory writings

• Johan Daniel Berlin – Musicaliske Elementer (Trondheim: Jens Christ)

Births

• May 3 – Friedrich Wilhelm Weis, composer
• May 4 – Marianna Martines, singer, pianist and composer (d. 1812)
• May 18 – Joseph Beer, composer and clarinetist (died 1812)
• May 19 – Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, regular patron of Mozart's (died 1818)
• August 4 – Julije Bajamonti (died 1800)
• August 25 – Johann Gottfried Herder, librettist and philosopher (died 1803)
• November 26 – Karl Siegmund von Seckendorff (died 1785)
• December 8 – Pierre-Joseph Candeille, French composer (died 1827)
• date unknown
  • Marie Barch, first native Danish ballerina (d. 1827)
  • Gaetano Brunetti, Italian composer (died 1798)
  • Francesco Petrini, composer and musician (died 1819)
  • Charles le Picq, French dancer and choreographer (d. 1806)

Deaths

• January 14 – Charles-Hubert Gervais, composer (born 1671)
• January 20 – Richard Jones, violinist and composer
• February 15 – František Václav Míča, conductor and composer (born 1694)
• March 22 – Georg Lenck, German musician (born 1685)
• April 26 – Domenico Sarro, Italian composer (born 1679)
• May 9 – Johann Samuel Beyer (born 1669)
• May 30 – Alexander Pope, English poet (born 1688)
• June 29 – André Campra, composer (born 1660)
• August 19 – Carlo Arrigoni (born 1697)
• October 17 – Giuseppe Guarneri, violin-maker (born 1698)
• October 23 – Pierre-Charles Roy, librettist and poet (born 1683)
• October 31 – Leonardo Leo, composer (born 1694)
• December 29 – Pompeo Cannicciari (born 1670)
• date unknown
  • Claude Balon, dancer and choreographer
  • Gennaro Antonio Federico, Italian librettist
  • James Miller, librettist and playwright (born 1704)
  • Francesca Vanini-Boschi, operatic contralto