- Jan 21 (Gustav) Albert Lortzing, German Spieloper composer and actor (Zar und Zimmerman), dies at 49
- Jan 24 Gaspare Luigi Pacifico Spontini, Italian opera composer and conductor (La Vestale), dies at 76
- Jan 27 Karl Moser, German composer, dies at 77
- Feb 20 Josef Alois Ladurner, composer, dies at 81
- Feb 25 Ferdinand Simon Gassner, composer, dies at 53
- Mar 4 Michael Henkel, German composer and organist, dies at 70
- Mar 6 Alexander Aliabiev, Russian composer remembered as one of the fathers of Russian art song, dies at 63
- Apr 8 John Parry [Bardd Alaw], Welsh composer and harpist, dies at 75
- Apr 9 Antoine-Charles Glachant, composer, dies at 80
- Jul 4 Martin-Joseph Mengal, composer, dies at 67
- Jul 17 Béni Egressy, Hungarian composer, dies at 37
- Aug 19 Gioseffo Catrufo, composer, dies at 80
- Nov 20 Wenzel Sedlak, Bohemian clarinetist and composer, dies at 75