This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1731.

• The Academy of Vocal Music changes its name to the Academy of Ancient Music.
• Jean-Philippe Rameau meets his patron, La Pouplinière.
• Antonio Stradivari makes a viola that will be owned a hundred years later by Niccolò Paganini.
• Antonio Vivaldi returns to Venice.
• March 23 Johann Sebastian Bach premieres his St Mark Passion BWV 247 (BC D 4) at St. Thomas Church, Leipzig.

• William Babell – Prelude in F major, IWB 10
• Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach
  • Keyboard Sonata in B-flat major, H. 2, Wq. 62/1
  • Trio Sonata in D minor, H. 569, Wq. 145 (formerly attributed to J.S. Bach as BWV 1036)
  • Trio Sonata in C major, H. 571, Wq. 147
• Johann Sebastian Bach
  • Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir, BWV 29
  • Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt, BWV 112 (premiered Apr. 8 in Leipzig)
  • Komm, Jesu, komm, BWV 229
  • Wachet auf, BWV 140 (premiered Nov. 25 in Leipzig)
  • Orchestral Suite No.3 in D major, BWV 1068
• Jean Barrière – Sonatas for Pardessus de viole, Livre 5
• Joseph Bodin de Boismortier
  • 6 Gentillesses en 3 parties, Op. 33
  • 6 Sonates à quatre parties, Op. 34
  • 6 Suites de pièces, Op.35
• Louis de Caix d'Hervelois
  • Collection of flute pieces
  • 4 Suites de pièces pour la viole, Op. 3
• Antonio Caldara – David umiliato
• Louis-Antoine Dornel – Pièces de clavecin
• Christoph Graupner
  • Trio Sonata in E minor, GWV 209
  • Flute Concerto in D major, GWV 312
  • Concerto for Flute d'amore, Oboe d'amore and Viola d'amore in G major, GWV 333
• George Frideric Handel – Minuet in G major, HWV 530
• Michele Mascitti – 12 Violin Sonatas, Op. 8
• Johann Joachim Quantz – 6 Flute Sonatas, RISM Q. 33
• Giuseppe Tartini
  • Pastorale in A major, B.A16
  • Violin Sonata in G major, B.G17
  • Violin Sonata in G minor, B.g10 "Didone abbandonata"
• Georg Philipp Telemann
  • Abscheuliche Tiefe des großen Verderbens, TWV 1:9
  • Der mit Sünden beleidigte Heiland, TWV 1:306
  • Nach Finsternis und Todesschatten, TWV 1:1150
  • Fortsetzung des Harmonischen Gottes-Dienstes
• Jan Dismas Zelenka – Missa Sancti Josephi, ZWV 14

• Tommaso Albinoni – Fano
• Francesco Corradini – Con amor non hay libertad
• Francesco Corselli – Venere placata
• Carl Heinrich Graun – Iphigenia in Aulis
• George Frideric Handel
  • Poro, re dell'Indie, HWV 28
  • Rinaldo, HWV 7b (revised 1711 version)
• Johann Adolf Hasse
  • Cajo Fabricio
  • Cleofide
• Giovanni Battista Pergolesi – La conversione e morte di San Guglielmo
• Nicola Porpora – Poro
• Antonio Vivaldi – Semiramide, RV 733

• Johann Mattheson – Grosse General-Baß-Schule

• November 27 – Gaetano Pugnani, composer (died 1798)
• December 8 – František Xaver Dušek, harpsichordist, pianist and composer (died 1799)
• December 28 – Christian Cannabich, composer (died 1798)

• January 27 – Bartolomeo Cristofori, inventor of an early form of piano (born 1655)
• May 1 (buried) – Johann Ludwig Bach, violinist and composer (born 1677)
• July 5 (buried) – Jakob Greber, composer and musician (date of birth unknown)^[1]
• November – Johann Caspar Wilcke, musician and father of Anna Magdalena Bach
• December 26 – Antoine Houdar de la Motte, librettist (born 1672)