1940 in British music

This is a summary of 1940 in music in the United Kingdom.

Events

 * 30 January – Sophie Wyss gives the first complete performance of Benjamin Britten's Les Illuminations, with Boyd Neel conducting his Orchestra at the Wigmore Hall, London.
 * 28 March – Antonio Brosa gives the first performance of Britten's Violin Concerto with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by John Barbirolli in Carnegie Hall, New York.
 * 21 April – Michael Tippett's Concerto for Double String Orchestra is given its first performance in London.
 * May – Ilona Kabos and Louis Kentner record William Walton's Duets for Children for Columbia.
 * 22 June – John Ireland is evacuated from Guernsey just over a week before the island is invaded by Germany.
 * date unknown – D'Oyly Carte bass L. Radley Flynn marries contralto Ella Halman.

Popular music

 * "All Over The Place" w. Frank Eyton m. Noel Gay. Introduced by Tommy Trinder in the film Sailors Three.
 * "Let The People Sing" w.m. Noel Gay, Ian Grant & Frank Eyton

Classical music: new works

 * Granville Bantock – Celtic Symphony
 * Lennox Berkeley – Symphony No. 1
 * Benjamin Britten – Sinfonia da Requiem
 * William Walton – The Wise Virgins (ballet)

Film and Incidental music

 * Richard Addinsell – Gaslight, starring Anton Walbrook and Diana Wynyard.
 * Bretton Byrd – A Window in London, starring Michael Redgrave.
 * Ernest Irving – Sailors Three
 * Louis Levy – Night Train to Munich directed by Carol Reed, starring Margaret Lockwood and Rex Harrison.

Musical theatre

 * 5 March – The Beggar's Opera (Music and Lyrics: John Gay adapted by Frederic Austin). London revival, directed by John Gielgud, opened at the Haymarket Theatre.
 * 20 March – White Horse Inn (Music: Ralph Benatzky Lyrics and Book: Harry Graham). London revival opened at the London Coliseum and ran for 268 performances until ended by bombing raids.
 * 11 April – New Faces London revue opened at the Comedy Theatre, then moved to the Apollo Theatre on 14 March 1941.
 * 27 August – Apple Sauce (Music and Lyrics: Michael Carr & Jack Strachey). London production opened at the Holborn Empire, then moved to the London Palladium on 5 March 1941, after the Holborn Empire was destroyed in the Blitz. Total run 462 performances.

Musical films

 * Laugh It Off, starring Tommy Trinder, Jean Colin, Anthony Hulme and Marjorie Browne.

Births

 * 7 June – Tom Jones, singer
 * 23 June – Adam Faith, singer and actor (died 2003)
 * 4 July – Dave Rowberry, English pianist and songwriter (The Animals) (died 2003)
 * 7 July – Ringo Starr, drummer of The Beatles
 * 10 July – Brian Priestley, English pianist and composer (National Youth Jazz Orchestra)
 * 19 August – Roger Cook, songwriter
 * 9 October – John Lennon, singer and songwriter (died 1980)
 * 14 October – Cliff Richard, singer
 * 23 October –Tom McGrath, jazz pianist and playwright (died 2009)
 * 15 November – Hank Wangford, singer-songwriter, guitarist, and physician
 * 25 December – Pete Brown, performance poet and lyricist ( died 2023 )

Deaths

 * 31 March – Achille Rivarde, American-born violinist and teacher, 74
 * 10 July – Sir Donald Tovey, musicologist and composer, 64
 * 16 December – William Wallace, composer, 80