- Feb 8 Joseph Leopold von Eybler, Austrian composer, born in Schwechat, Habsburg Empire (now Austria) (d. 1846)
- Feb 22 Alexander Campbell, Scottish composer and writer (associate of Walter Scott), born in Tombea, Scotland (d. 1824)
- Mar 1 Jeremiah Ingalls, early North-American choir master and composer (Farewell Hymn), born in Andover, Massachusetts (d. 1838)
- Apr 18 Bernhard Anselm Weber, German pianist, conductor and composer, born in Mannheim, Germany (d. 1821)
- May 1 Gottfried Rieger, Czech composer, born in Opavice, Silesia (now Czech Republic) (d. 1855)
- May 15 Johann Nepomuk Kalcher, German organist, composer, and teacher of Carl Maria von Weber (d. 1827)
- Jul 1 Georg Christoph Grosheim, German composer, born in Kasel, Germany (d. 1841)
- Jul 5 János Lavotta, Hungarian violinist and composer, born in Pusté Úľany, Slovakia (d. 1820)
- Sep 11 Valentino Fioravanti, Italian composer, born in Rome (d. 1837)
- Sep 15 Friedrich Heine, German composer, born in Leipzig (d. 1821)
- Sep 15 Paolo Francesco Parenti, Italian composer, born in Naples, Italy (d. 1821)
- Oct 14 Charles-Henri Plantade, French composer, born in Pontoise, France (d. 1839)
- Nov 30 Franz Xaver Gerl, composer, born in Andorf, Austria (d. 1827)
- Dec 10 Louis-Sébastien Lebrun, French composer, born in Paris (d. 1829)