1741 in music

Events

August 22–September 14 – George Frideric Handel composes his oratorio Messiah in London to a libretto compiled by Charles Jennens,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> completing the "Hallelujah Chorus" on September 6.<ref>British Library (London) MS RM.20.f.2, f106.</ref>
October 2 – The Bull's Head Musical Society opens a Music Hall in Fishamble Street, Dublin, Ireland.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
November 18 – George Frideric Handel arrives in Dublin to give a series of concerts<ref>Template:Cite ODNB </ref> having tried out the Messiah privately en route in Chester.
November 25 – Marguerite-Antoinette Couperin, the first female court musician at the French court, sells her official post to Bernard de Bury.
Johann Friedrich Agricola arrives in Berlin to study musical composition under Johann Joachim Quantz.
Antonio Vivaldi leaves Venice for Vienna, but dies shortly after his arrival.
19-year-old Jiří Antonín Benda is given the post of second violinist at the Berlin court of King Frederick II of Prussia.
William Hogarth produces an engraving entitled The Enraged Musician.

Girolamo Abos – Magnificat à quarto concertato con strum.
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
- Harpsichord Concerto in A major, H.411
- Symphony in G major, H.648
Johann Sebastian Bach – Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
Joseph Bodin de Boismortier – 6 Flute Sonatas, Op. 91
Michel Corrette – Nouveau Livre de noëls
Jean-Baptiste Dupuits – 6 Sonatas for Vielle and Harpsichord, Op. 3
Willem de Fesch – 8 Concertos in 7 Parts, Op. 10
Baldassare Galuppi – Confitebor tibi Domine in C major, B.II.2
Christoph Graupner
- Trio Sonata in E major, GWV 208
- Flute Sonata in G major, GWV 708
George Frideric Handel
- Messiah composed.
- Quel fior che all'alba ride, HWV 192 (duet)
- Overture in D major, HWV 424
Johann Adolph Hasse – 12 Flute Concertos, Op. 3
Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg – Pièces de Clavecin
Jean-Philippe Rameau – Pieces de Clavecin en Concerts
Georg Philipp Telemann – 24 Odes, TWV 25:86-109

Johann Sebastian Bach – Clavier-Übung IV (Nuremberg: Balthasar Schmid), now known as the Goldberg Variations.
The Cocquiel Manuscript, B-Br Ms II 3326 Mus, containing sacred music by various composers (including Jacob La Fosse and Abraham van den Kerckhoven)

February 8 – André Grétry, composer (died 1813)
February 9
- Joseph Corfe (died 1820)
- Henri-Joseph Rigel, composer (died 1799)
April 17 – Johann Gottlieb Naumann (died 1801)
May 23 – Andrea Luchesi, composer (died 1801)
July 17 – Suzette Defoye, opera singer and ballerina
July 27 – François-Hippolyte Barthélémon, violinist and composer (died 1808)
August 31 – Jean-Paul-Égide Martini, composer (died 1816)
September 11 – Johann Jakob Engel (died 1802)
September 25 – Wenzel Pichl, singer, violinist and composer (died 1805)
November 27 – Jean-Pierre Duport (died 1818)
date unknown
- Franz Xaver Hammer, gambist, cellist and composer (died 1817)
- Giacomo Rust (died 1786)
- Anna Brita Wendelius, singer and member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Music (died 1804).