- Jan 19 Johann Gottlieb Karl Spazier, German composer, dies at 43
- Jan 23 Vaclav Pichl, Czech composer, dies at 63
- Jan 24 Giacomo Conti, Italian composer, dies at 50
- Feb 27 Stefan Paluselli, Austrian choirmaster, composer, and monk, dies at 57
- Apr 6 Lorenz Justinian Ott, German composer, dies at 56
- May 28 Luigi Boccherini, Italian cellist and composer (Minuet), dies at 62
- Jul 1 Georg Ritschel, German composer, dies at 60
- Aug 1 Friedrich Christoph Gebtewitz, German composer, dies at 51
- Aug 31 Joseph Abaco, Italian composer, dies at 95
- Oct 13 Johann Christoph Kuhnau, German composer, church musician choral director, and teacher, dies at 70
- Oct 21 Johann Baptist Lasser, German singer and composer, dies at 54
- Dec 10 Friedrich Franz Hůrka, Bohemian operatic tenor, conductor, and composer, dies at 43