1742 in music
Events March 23 – Johann Sebastian Bach revives his St Matthew Passion BWV 244 (BC D 3b) with some further revisions of instrumentation and voicing at St. Thomas Church, Leipzig: the work is now scored with a ripieno soprano choir and viola da gamba and harpsichord in the second orchestra (the organ for this orchestra is under repair). April 13 – First performance of Handel's oratorio Messiah staged at the Music Hall in Fishamble Street, Dublin in aid of local charities. Matthew Dubourg leads the orchestra. Handel leaves Ireland on 13 August. December 7 – The Berlin Court Opera is inaugurated with a performance of Carl Heinrich Graun's Cleopatra e Cesare. Joseph Benda joins the Prussian royal orchestra. Publications Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach – 6 Harpsichord Sonatas, Wq.48 (Nuremberg: Balthasar Schmid) (composed 1740–1742) Francesco Barsanti – A Collection of Old Scots Tunes(Edinburgh: Alexander Baillie) Jean-Joseph Mouret – Motets à une et deux voix avec symphonie (Paris: la Veuve Mouret, Mme Boivin, Le Sr Le Clerc) Jacques-Christophe Naudot – 6 Concertos en quatre parties, for hurdy-gurdy, musette, flute, recorder, or oboe, with two violins and continuo, Op. 17 (Paris) John Parry – Antient British music, or A collection of tunes, never