- Jan 11 Reinhold Glière, Russian-Soviet composer, born in Kyiv, Ukraine (d. 1956)
- Jan 28 Julian Antonio Carillo Trujillo, Mexican composer, musician and conductor (developed theory of microtonal music "The Thirteenth Sound"), born in Ahualulco, Mexico (d. 1965)
- Feb 2 Friedrich-Max "Fritz" Kreisler, Austrian-American violinist and composer (Alt-Wiener Tanzweisen), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1962)
- Feb 4 Raymond Moulaert, Belgian pianist and composer, born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1962)
- Feb 7 Erkki Melartin, Finnish composer (Juhlamarssi; Summer Symphony; Fantasia Apocaliptica), born in Käkisalmi, Grand Duchy of Finland (d. 1937)
- Feb 7 Walter Courvoisier, Swiss composer, born in Riehen, Switzerland (d. 1931)
- Feb 9 Sydney Hugo Nicholson, British choir director, organist, composer, and founder of the Royal School of Church Music, born in London, England (d. 1947)
- Feb 11 Sara Wennerberg-Reuter, Swedish organist and composer, born in Otterstad, Sweden (d. 1959)
- Feb 26 Richard Wetz, German composer (Requiem, Op. 50 in B minor), born in Gleiwitz, Upper Silesia (now Gliwice, Poland) (d. 1935)
- Feb 28 Viliam Figus-Bystry, Slovakian composer, born in Banská Bystrica, Kingdom of Hungary (d. 1937)
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Mar 7 French composer, pianist and conductor (Daphnis et Chloé; Boléro), born in Ciboure, France
- Mar 9 Martin Shaw, English composer, born in London, England (d. 1958)
- Mar 10 Alexander Borisovich Goldenweiser, Russian pianist, and composer (Contrapuntal Sketches), born in Kishinev, Russia (d. 1961)
- Mar 12 Juli Garreta, Spanish-Catalan composer (Sardanes; Les illes Medes), born in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Spain (d. 1925)
- Mar 14 Norman O'Neill, English composer, born in Kensington, London, England (d. 1934)
- Mar 29 Paul Rubens, English musical comedy composer (Miss Hook of Holland), born in London (d. 1917)
- Apr 4 Jozef Szulc, Polish composer, born in Warsaw (d. 1956)
- Apr 4 Pierre Monteux, French-American conductor (Boston Symphony, 1919-24; Concertgebouw, 1924–34; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris, 1929–38; San Francisco Symphony, 1936–52, London Symphony, 1961-64), born in Paris, France (d. 1964)
- Apr 24 Jenő Huszka, Hungarian composer (Bob herceg (Prince Bob)), born in Szeged, Hungary (d. 1960)
- May 18 Guido Alberto Fano, Italian composer and pianist, born in Padua, Kingdom of Italy (d. 1961)
- May 31 Italo Montemezzi, Italian composer (L'amore dei tre re), born in Vigasio, Italy (d. 1952)
- Jun 13 Max d'Ollone, French composer and writer (Le Ménestrel), born in Besançon, France (d. 1959)
- Jun 26 Camille Zeckwer, American composer, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1924)
- Jul 17 Donald Tovey, British musicologist (Essays in Musical Analysis), pianist, and composer (The Bride of Dionysus), born in Eton, England (d. 1940)
- Jul 30 James W. Tate, English composer, born in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England (d. 1922)
- Aug 6 Marcel Labey, French conductor and composer, born in Vésinet, France (d. 1968)
- Aug 9 Albert William Ketèlbey, British pianist and composer (In A Monastery Garden), born in Aston, Birmingham (d. 1959)
- Aug 12 (Héctor) Ettore Panizza, Argentinian composer (Aurora; Bizancio). and opera conductor, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina (d. 1967)
- Aug 12 Mezio Agostini, Italian composer, born in Fano, Kingdom of Italy (d. 1944)
- Aug 15 Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, African-British composer (Hiawatha's Wedding Feast), born in London, England (d. 1912)
- Aug 16 Florrie Forde [Flannagan], Australian singer and British music hall performer, born in Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia (d. 1940)
- Sep 10 Paul Scheinpflug, German composer, born in Loschwitz, Germany (d. 1937)
- Sep 17 Vyacheslav Gavrilovich Karatigin, Russian composer, born in Pavlovsk (d. 1925)
- Sep 18 Henriette Renié, French harp prodigy, composer, and teacher, born in Paris, France (d. 1956)
- Sep 22 Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, Lithuanian composer (Miške (In the Forest); Jūra (The Sea)), art nouveau painter, and writer, born in 1875 Senoji Varėna, Vilna Governorate, Russian Empire ( now Lithuania (d. 1911)
- Oct 2 Henry Février, French composer, born in Paris (d. 1957)
- Oct 5 Cyril Rootham, English organist, composer, and educator, born in Redland, Bristol (d. 1938)
- Nov 3 Emīls Dārziņš, Latvian composer (Melanholiskais valsis - Melancholic waltz), and music critic, born in Jaunpiebalga, Russian Empire (d. 1910)
- Nov 13 Rogelio del Villar, Spanish composer, born in Leon, Spain (d. 1937)
- Dec 14 Dobri Khristov, Bulgarian composer, born in Varna, Bulgaria (d. 1941)
- Dec 15 Friedrich Niggli, Swiss composer, born in Aarburg, Switzerland (d. 1959)
- Dec 22 Antoine Mariotte, French composer (Paysage maritime), born in Avignon (d. 1944)