1881, from day to day
1881. With other artists, Johann Strauss II, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Franz Liszt influenced their time (romantic era). That year would see the birth of future classical or lyrical artists, such as Béla Bartók, while others would disappear. That year, new works would be composed, published or performed for the first time in public, such as “The Tales of Hoffmann” de Jacques Offenbach, for example. That year, halls or orchestras would be founded or ceased to operate.
All these moments, more or less notable, make the year 1881 a page in the history of classical and lyrical music to be discovered or rediscovered. soclassiq currently lists more than 290 of these moments for 1881.
The year 1881 in classical music and in lyrical art
January
04
Premiere of Akademische Festouvertüre c-Moll, Op. 80 That year: 1881, Classical music (Work for orchestra), Johannes Brahms
Birth of Nikolai Roslavets That year: 1881, Classical music, Russian modernist composer and music theorist (dead in 1944)
06
Birth of João dos Reis das Neves That year: 1881, Classical music, Portuguese musician and composer (dead in 1946)
10
Birth of Auguste Le Guennant That year: 1881, Classical music, French composer, organist and music educator (1881-1972) (dead in 1972)
Birth of Theophanes Pavlovsky That year: 1881, Classical music, Russian opera singer (dead in 1936)
14
Death of Maria Wilhelmine von Hasselt-Barth That year: 1881, Classical music, German singer and opera singer (born in 1813)
15
Birth of Corneil de Thoran That year: 1881, Classical music, Belgian musician (dead in 1953)
Birth of Albert Clerk-Jeannotte That year: 1881, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 1945)
17
Birth of George Rosenkrans That year: 1881, Classical music, Composer and bandleader (1881-1955) (dead in 1955)
Birth of José André That year: 1881, Classical music, Argentinian composer (dead in 1944)
24
Death of Mikhail Azanchevsky That year: 1881, Classical music, musical artist (born in 1839)
30
Death of Jacques-Nicolas Lemmens That year: 1881, Classical music, Belgian musician (born in 1823)
Death of Lucien Southard That year: 1881, Classical music, American conductor (1827-1881) (born in 1827)
31
Birth of Anton Arnold That year: 1881, Classical music, Austrian singer and opera singer (1881-1954) (dead in 1954)
February
01
Birth of Theodor Bohumír Pařík That year: 1881, Classical music, Czech conductor, violinist and composer (dead in 1961)
Death of Jules Deneux That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (born in 1820)
06
Birth of Karl Weigl That year: 1881, Classical music, Austrian composer (dead in 1949)
07
Birth of Mařenka Zieglerová That year: 1881, Classical music, Czech singer and actress (dead in 1966)
09
Death of Joseph Rudolf Lewy That year: 1881, Classical music, German composer and hornist (born in 1802)
10
Premiere of The Tales of Hoffmann That year: 1881, Classical music (Opera), Jacques Offenbach
Death of Adrien Talexy That year: 1881, Classical music, composer, musicologist, pianist (born in 1820)
11
Death of Wilhelm Maria Puchtler That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (born in 1848)
13
Premiere of The Maid of Orleans That year: 1881, Classical music (Opera), Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
14
Birth of David Devriès That year: 1881, Classical music, French opera singer (dead in 1936)
17
Birth of Laurence Hibbard Montague That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1950)
19
Birth of Armin Knab That year: 1881, Classical music, German composer (dead in 1951)
21
Birth of Kenneth J. Alford That year: 1881, Classical music, English composer (1881–1945) (dead in 1945)
22
Birth of Magdalene Seebe That year: 1881, Classical music, German opera singer (dead in 1928)
27
Death of Franz Ferenczy That year: 1881, Classical music, German opera singer (born in 1835)
Death of Eduard Pirkhert That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (born in 1817)
March
01
Birth of Elsa Stralia That year: 1881, Classical music, singer (dead in 1945)
03
Birth of Lev Tseitlin That year: 1881, Classical music, Russian composer (dead in 1952)
05
Birth of Arthur Willner That year: 1881, Classical music, Czech composer and teacher (dead in 1959)
08
Birth of Elza Szamosi That year: 1881, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 1924)
Death of Joseph Warren That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (born in 1804)
09
Birth of Johannes Sembach That year: 1881, Classical music, German singer (dead in 1944)
10
Birth of Frank Mullings That year: 1881, Classical music, British opera singer (1881-1953) (dead in 1953)
11
Death of Nikolai Rubinstein That year: 1881, Classical music, Russian pianist, conductor and composer (1835-1881) (born in 1835)
15
Birth of Ignatz Waghalter That year: 1881, Classical music, Polish-German composer and conductor (1881-1949) (dead in 1949)
16
Death of Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky That year: 1881, Classical music, Russian composer (1839–1881) (born in 1839)
Birth of Fannie Charles Dillon That year: 1881, Classical music, American composer (dead in 1947)
Birth of Rosina Buckman That year: 1881, Classical music, New Zealand singer (dead in 1948)
18
Birth of Paul Le Flem That year: 1881, Classical music, French composer (dead in 1984)
Death of Julius Krause That year: 1881, Classical music, German opera singer (1810-1881) (born in 1810)
20
Death of Uranio Fontana That year: 1881, Classical music, Italian composer and teacher (born in 1815)
21
Birth of Herman Sandby That year: 1881, Classical music, Danish composer (dead in 1965)
23
Birth of Egon Petri That year: 1881, Classical music, Dutch musician (1881-1962) (dead in 1962)
24
Birth of Theodor Blumer That year: 1881, Classical music, German composers (dead in 1964)
25
Birth of Béla Bartók That year: 1881, Classical music, Hungarian composer and pianist (dead in 1945)
Birth of Daniel Vigneau That year: 1881, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 1970)
27
Birth of Elizabeth Amsden That year: 1881, Classical music, singer (1881-1966) (dead in 1966)
Birth of Mariska Aldrich That year: 1881, Classical music, singer and actress (1881-1965) (dead in 1965)
31
Death of Gaetano Gaspari That year: 1881, Classical music, Italian composer (born in 1807)
April
02
Birth of Diran Alexanian That year: 1881, Classical music, cello teacher (1881-1954) (dead in 1954)
05
Death of Nicolás Toledo That year: 1881, Classical music, composer
08
Birth of Nikolai Myaskovsky That year: 1881, Classical music, Russian composer (dead in 1950)
Birth of Jos Watelet That year: 1881, Classical music, Belgian composer, musicologist, pianist and organist (1881-1951) (dead in 1951)
11
Death of Eugenio Cavallini That year: 1881, Classical music, Italian composer and conductor (1806-1881) (born in 1806)
12
Birth of Harvey Bartlett Gaul That year: 1881, Classical music, American musician (dead in 1945)
Birth of Robert Carr That year: 1881, Classical music, British opera singer (dead in 1948)
13
Birth of Otto Rathke That year: 1881, Classical music, German cabaret artist and conductor (1881-1936) (dead in 1936)
Birth of Ernest Bryant Crampton That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1941)
20
Birth of Sem Dresden That year: 1881, Classical music, Dutch composer (dead in 1957)
Birth of Marc de Ranse That year: 1881, Classical music, French pianist, composer, organist, choir director and music educator (1881-1951) (dead in 1951)
Birth of Simon Bucharoff That year: 1881, Classical music, American musician (dead in 1955)
23
Birth of Otakar Šín That year: 1881, Classical music, Czech composer, musicologist and choirmaster (1881-1943) (dead in 1943)
Death of August e François Morel That year: 1881, Classical music, French composer (born in 1809)
24
Birth of Albert Viljam Hagelin That year: 1881, Classical music, Norwegian politician (1881-1946) (dead in 1946)
Birth of Marco Frank That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1961)
29
Birth of Christiaan Kriens That year: 1881, Classical music, American composer and conductor (dead in 1934)
May
02
Death of Duke Peter of Oldenburg That year: 1881, Classical music, Russian duke (born in 1812)
Birth of Franklin Morris Class That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1926)
11
Birth of Jan van Gilse That year: 1881, Classical music, Dutch conductor (dead in 1944)
Birth of Aleksandr Zhitomirsky That year: 1881, Classical music, Soviet composer (1881-1937) (dead in 1937)
18
Birth of Richárd Erdős That year: 1881, Classical music, Hungarian operatic bass (dead in 1912)
19
Birth of Riccardo Casalaina That year: 1881, Classical music, Italian musician (dead in 1908)
Birth of Gennaro Napoli That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1943)
Birth of August Hunrath That year: 1881, Classical music, composer
25
Birth of Ary Schuyer That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1941)
28
Birth of Willy Strehl That year: 1881, Classical music, Austrian film actor, stage actor and opera singer (dead in 1941)
29
Birth of Frederick Septimus Kelly That year: 1881, Classical music, Australian and British musician and composer and rower (1881-1916) (dead in 1916)
31
Birth of Georges Villain That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1938)
June
01
Birth of Margaret Matzenauer That year: 1881, Classical music, American opera singer (1881-1963) (dead in 1963)
Death of Bruno Holm That year: 1881, Classical music, opera singer (born in 1854)
05
Birth of Minna Beckmann-Tube That year: 1881, Classical music, German singer and opera singer (dead in 1964)
Birth of Georges Renard That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1950)
06
Death of Henri Vieuxtemps That year: 1881, Classical music, Belgian violinist (1820-1881) (born in 1820)
08
Birth of Próspero Bisquertt That year: 1881, Classical music, Chilean composer (1881-1959) (dead in 1959)
11
Inauguration: National Theatre That year: 1881, Classical music (Prague, Czech Republic)
Premiere of Libuše That year: 1881, Classical music (Opera), Bedřich Smetana
Inauguration: main building of the National Theatre in Prague That year: 1881, Classical music (Nové Město (Praha 1), Czech Republic)
14
Death of Anna Zerr That year: 1881, Classical music, German opera singer (1822-1881) (born in 1822)
16
Birth of Bruno Weigl That year: 1881, Classical music, Czech composer (dead in 1938)
24
Birth of Heinz Tietjen That year: 1881, Classical music, German conductor (1881-1967) (dead in 1967)
27
Birth of Paul Fauchet That year: 1881, Classical music, French conductor, composer and musicologist (1881-1937) (dead in 1937)
28
Birth of Herbert Heyner That year: 1881, Classical music, British singer (1881-1954) (dead in 1954)
29
Birth of Curt Sachs That year: 1881, Classical music, German musicologist (1881–1959) (dead in 1959)
Death of Vasily Sarenko That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (born in 1814)
July
01
Birth of Vincenzo Bettoni That year: 1881, Classical music, Italian singer (dead in 1954)
03
Death of Achille de De Bassini That year: 1881, Classical music, Italian opera singer (1819-1881) (born in 1819)
Birth of Maurice Pesse That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1943)
05
Death of Nikolay Matveevitsj Nikiforov That year: 1881, Classical music, Russian actor (born in 1805)
Birth of Eugène Grassi That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1941)
08
Birth of Marie Tiffany That year: 1881, Classical music, American singer and opera singer (1881-1948) (dead in 1948)
Death of Oscar Arnoldson That year: 1881, Classical music, Swedish actor (1830-1881) (born in 1830)
Birth of Henry Everett Sachs That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1970)
15
Death of Carl Maria von Bocklet That year: 1881, Classical music, Austrian composer (born in 1801)
22
Birth of Arthur Hartmann That year: 1881, Classical music, American musician (dead in 1956)
Birth of Sol Paul Levy That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1920)
26
Death of Charles Colin That year: 1881, Classical music, French composer, oboist and organist (born in 1832)
27
Death of Johann Christian Lobe That year: 1881, Classical music, German composer, flute player and music theorist (born in 1797)
Birth of Reidar Kaas That year: 1881, Classical music, Norwegian singer and actor (dead in 1952)
29
Birth of Ignacy Dygas That year: 1881, Classical music, Polish singer (dead in 1947)
August
01
Birth of Stanisław Kazuro That year: 1881, Classical music, Polish composer (dead in 1961)
03
Birth of Povla Frijsh That year: 1881, Classical music, Danish classical soprano and voice teacher (dead in 1960)
04
Birth of Olga Kovaleva That year: 1881, Classical music, Soviet opera singer (dead in 1962)
10
Death of Theodor Bradsky That year: 1881, Classical music, Czech composer (born in 1833)
12
Birth of Václav Vačkář That year: 1881, Classical music, Czech composer (dead in 1954)
Birth of František Hovorka That year: 1881, Classical music, Czech composer, choirmaster and organist (1881-1929) (dead in 1929)
14
Birth of Jean Beck That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1943)
15
Birth of Gavino Gabriel That year: 1881, Classical music, Italian composer and musicologist (1881-1980) (dead in 1980)
Birth of Ted Snyder That year: 1881, Classical music, American composer, lyricist, and music publisher (1881-1965) (dead in 1965)
16
Birth of Hedy Iracema-Brügelmann That year: 1881, Classical music, German operatic soprano (dead in 1941)
17
Birth of Magdalena Dvořáková That year: 1881, Classical music, (1881-1952) (dead in 1952)
18
Birth of Hermann Zilcher That year: 1881, Classical music, German composer, pianist, conductor, and music teacher (dead in 1948)
19
Birth of George Enescu That year: 1881, Classical music, Romanian composer (dead in 1955)
Death of Joseph Labitzky That year: 1881, Classical music, Bohemian violinist, conductor and composer (born in 1802)
Birth of Eva von der Osten That year: 1881, Classical music, German soprano (dead in 1936)
Birth of Alma Clayburgh That year: 1881, Classical music, American opera singer (dead in 1958)
24
Birth of Marthe Chenal That year: 1881, Classical music, French opera singer (dead in 1947)
Death of José Ángel Montero That year: 1881, Classical music, Venezuelan composer (born in 1832)
25
Birth of Yvonne de Tréville That year: 1881, Classical music, American coloratura soprano singer (1881–1954) (dead in 1954)
26
Death of John William Harmston That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (born in 1823)
29
Birth of Edvin Kallstenius That year: 1881, Classical music, Swedish composer and arranger (dead in 1967)
September
04
Birth of Erna Denera That year: 1881, Classical music, German singer and opera singer (1881-1938) (dead in 1938)
08
Birth of Alfons Moortgat That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1962)
19
Birth of Yvonne Dubel That year: 1881, Classical music, French soprano opera singer (1881-1958) (dead in 1958)
21
Death of Camille de Durutte That year: 1881, Classical music, French composer and music theorist (born in 1803)
24
Death of Louise Guilmant That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (born in 1826)
28
Birth of Henry Geehl That year: 1881, Classical music, British musician (dead in 1961)
30
Death of Paulina Rivoli That year: 1881, Classical music, Polish singer (born in 1823)
October
01
Birth of Jacob Endregaard That year: 1881, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 1984)
Birth of Th. A Findeisen That year: 1881, Classical music, German composer and music educator (1881-1936) (dead in 1936)
02
Birth of Leonid Sabaneyev That year: 1881, Classical music, Russian musicologist, music critic, composer and scientist (dead in 1968)
Birth of Ferdinand Barlow That year: 1881, Classical music, French choreographer and composer (dead in 1951)
Premiere of The Stubborn Lovers, Op. 17 That year: 1881, Classical music (Opera), Antonín Dvořák
03
Birth of Oscar Ralf That year: 1881, Classical music, Swedish actor (dead in 1964)
06
Birth of Jan Talich That year: 1881, Classical music, cellist, 1881-1953 (dead in 1953)
09
Death of Richard Wüerst That year: 1881, Classical music, German composer (born in 1824)
12
Birth of Carlos López Buchardo That year: 1881, Classical music, Argentine composer (dead in 1948)
13
Birth of Max Hofmüller That year: 1881, Classical music, German tenor (1881-1981) (dead in 1981)
14
Death of Hippolyte Maury That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (born in 1834)
16
Death of Marcial del del Adalid y Gurréa That year: 1881, Classical music, Spanish composer (1826-1881) (born in 1826)
18
Birth of Nikolai Zhilyayev That year: 1881, Classical music, Russian musicologist (dead in 1938)
22
Death of Jānis Cimze That year: 1881, Classical music, Latvian musician (born in 1814)
24
Birth of Semyon Chernetsky That year: 1881, Classical music, Soviet military music composer (dead in 1950)
25
Birth of Alexander Bragin That year: 1881, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 1953)
30
Premiere of Serenade for string orchestra in C major, Op. 48 That year: 1881, Classical music (Work for chamber orchestra), Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
November
02
Death of Jan Nepomucen Bobrowicz That year: 1881, Classical music, Polish musician (born in 1805)
03
Birth of Bernardo de Muro That year: 1881, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 1955)
Death of Robert Emile Bockmühl That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (born in 1822)
04
Birth of Gena Branscombe That year: 1881, Classical music, Canadian composer (dead in 1977)
07
Birth of Torsten Vilhelm Lennartsson That year: 1881, Classical music, Swedish actor (dead in 1933)
09
Premiere of Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 83 That year: 1881, Classical music (Work for orchestra with soloist), Johannes Brahms
12
Premiere of Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major, Op. 44 That year: 1881, Classical music (Work for orchestra with soloist), Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
16
Birth of Domenico Alaleona That year: 1881, Classical music, Italian composer and musicologist (dead in 1928)
17
Birth of Nazzareno de De Angelis That year: 1881, Classical music, Italian opera singer (dead in 1962)
18
Birth of Ingeborg Strandin That year: 1881, Classical music, Swedish opera singer (dead in 1948)
19
Death of François Watier That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (born in 1806)
22
Death of Evlalia Kadmina That year: 1881, Classical music, Russian opera singer (1853-1881) (born in 1853)
Birth of Cecilia Dobrovolskaya That year: 1881, Classical music, Soviet opera singer and music educator (1881-1942) (dead in 1942)
23
Death of Rudolf Bial That year: 1881, Classical music, German violinist, composer, conductor and theater director (born in 1834)
25
Death of Theobald Boehm That year: 1881, Classical music, Bavarian flautist and tinkerer (1794-1881) (born in 1794)
Birth of Peder Gram That year: 1881, Classical music, Danish musician (dead in 1956)
Premiere of Der lustige Krieg That year: 1881, Classical music (Opera), Johann Strauss II
26
Birth of Leo Smith That year: 1881, Classical music, English Canadian cellist, composer and music writer (dead in 1952)
27
Birth of Otto Detlefsen That year: 1881, Classical music, Danish opera singer (1881-1963) (dead in 1963)
Birth of Félix Raugel That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1975)
30
Death of Gustavo Rossari That year: 1881, Classical music, Italian conductor, composer, hornist, musicologist and music educator (1827-1881) (born in 1827)
Birth of Alfredo Cuscinà That year: 1881, Classical music, Italian musician (dead in 1955)
December
01
Birth of Nikolai Romanovich Bakaleynikov That year: 1881, Classical music, Russian flutist and composer (dead in 1957)
03
Birth of Henry Fillmore That year: 1881, Classical music, American composer (dead in 1956)
09
Birth of Bella Paalen That year: 1881, Classical music, Austrian opera singer (dead in 1964)
12
Birth of Barbara Kemp That year: 1881, Classical music, German opera singer (dead in 1959)
Inauguration: Jersey City Opera House That year: 1881, Classical music (Jersey City, United States of America)
Birth of Oscar Eberhard Schminke That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1969)
Birth of Walter Engelsmann That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1952)
17
Death of Giulio Briccialdi That year: 1881, Classical music, Italian musician (born in 1818)
Birth of G. Rudolf Preiss That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1939)
Death of Thomas Westrop That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (born in 1821)
20
Birth of Carel van Butter That year: 1881, Classical music, Dutch singer (dead in 1937)
24
Birth of Charles Wakefield Cadman That year: 1881, Classical music, American composer (1881-1946) (dead in 1946)
30
Death of Corrado Miraglia That year: 1881, Classical music, Italian opera singer (born in 1821)
Birth of Ksenija Nikolaevna Dorliak That year: 1881, Classical music, Russian opera singer (1882-1945) (dead in 1945)
31
Birth of Yelena Bekman-Shcherbina That year: 1881, Classical music, Russian musician (1882-1951) (dead in 1951)
Also in December
Birth of Pierre-Aurèle Asselin That year: 1881, Classical music, Canadian opera singer (dead in 1964) .
This was also in 1881
Birth of Ernest Kaʻai That year: 1881, Classical music, Ukulele virtuoso and master (dead in 1961) . Birth of Theodore Stearns That year: 1881, Classical music, American composer (1881-1935) (dead in 1935) . Birth of Appleby Matthews That year: 1881, Classical music (dead in 1948) . Birth of Minnie Egener That year: 1881, Classical music, American singer (dead in 1938) . Birth of Jeanne-Marie Malcolm That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1964) . Birth of Harald Björkman That year: 1881, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 1936) . Birth of Ali Rıza de Ali Rıza That year: 1881, Classical music, Turkish composer (dead in 1934) . Inception: National Symphony Orchestra That year: 1881, Classical music (Mexico). Birth of Matylda Polińska-Lewicka That year: 1881, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 1968) . Birth of Israel Amter That year: 1881, Classical music, Marxist politician and founding member of the Communist Party USA (dead in 1954) . Birth of Basil Horsfall That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1950) . Death of Francisco de Sá Noronha That year: 1881, Classical music, Composer, violinist (born in 1820) . Birth of Enrica Clay Dillon That year: 1881, Classical music, singer (dead in 1946) . Birth of Ada Pfitzner-Saverni That year: 1881, Classical music, opera singer (dead in 1956) . Birth of William G. Ross That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1928) . Birth of Aleksandr Kobylyansky That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1942) . Birth of Benjamin M. Jerome That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1938) . Death of Hettie M. Shiveley Austin That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (born in 1844) . Birth of Homer Tourjée That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1939) . Inception: Boston Symphony Orchestra That year: 1881, Classical music (United States of America). Birth of Joan Nadal i Martínez That year: 1881, Classical music, Spanish tenor (1881-1962) (dead in 1962) . Death of Émile Ettling That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (born in 1817) . Inception: Orchestre Lamoureux That year: 1881, Classical music (France). Birth of Hans Winckelmann That year: 1881, Classical music, German singer and opera singer (dead in 1943) . Birth of Louis Jacquemin That year: 1881, Classical music, composer . Inauguration: Oldenburgisches Staatstheater That year: 1881, Classical music (Oldenburg, Germany). Birth of Jacques Pintel That year: 1881, Classical music, composer (dead in 1940) . Birth of Katie Moss That year: 1881, Classical music, British composer, violinist, pianist and singer (dead in 1947) . Death of Fridolin Auerhahn That year: 1881, Classical music, composer . Birth of Natalia Ermolenko-Yuzhina That year: 1881, Classical music, singer (dead in 1937) .
Works (composition or publishing)
- Franz Liszt (age 70)
- Nuages gris - Trübe Wolken That year: 1881, Classical music (Work for soloist)
- Sarabande and Chaconne from “Almira” (Handel) (Work for soloist)
- Die Wiege (Work for chamber orchestra)
- Toccata (Work for soloist)
- Carousel de Madame Pelet-Narbone (Work for soloist)
- Ungarns Gott. A magyarok Istene (Song, lied)
- Ave Maria IV (Work for choir)
- St Christopher. Legend (Work for choir)
- Charles Gounod (age 63)
- Le tribut de Zamora (Opera)
- Anton Bruckner (age 57)
- Symphony No. 7 in E major That year: 1881, Classical music (Work for orchestra), published in 1885
- Symphony No. 6 in A major That year: 1881, Classical music (Work for orchestra)
- Te Deum That year: 1881, Classical music (Work for choir), published in 1884
- Johann Strauss II (age 56)
- Kiss Waltz, Op. 400 That year: 1881, Classical music (Work for orchestra)
- Jubilee Festival, Op. 396 (Work for orchestra)
- Johannes Brahms (age 48)
- Nänie, Op. 82 That year: 1881, Classical music (Work for choir), composed in 1880
- Alexander Borodin (age 48)
- String Quartet No. 2 That year: 1881, Classical music (Work for chamber orchestra)
- Arabskaya Melodiya (Song, lied)
- For the shores of your far homeland (Song, lied)
- U lyudey-to v domu (Song, lied)
- Camille Saint-Saëns (age 46)
- Septet in E-flat major, Opp. 65 (Work for chamber orchestra)
- Hymne à Victor Hugo, Op. 69 (Vocal music)
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (age 41)
- Orchestral Suite No. 2 in C major, Op. 53 (Work for orchestra), published in 1883
- Le Soir (Work for choir)
- Antonín Dvořák (age 40)
- String Quartet No. 11 in C major, Op. 61 That year: 1881, Classical music (Work for chamber orchestra)
- There on Our Roof ... (Song, lied), published in 1875
- Movement for string quartet in F major (Work for chamber orchestra)
- Ballad of King Matthias, Op. 14 (Opera)
- Legends, Op. 59 (Work for chamber orchestra)
- Legends, Op. 59 (Work for orchestra)
- Galop in E major, Op. 53a2 (Work for orchestra)
- Moderato in A major (Work for soloist)
- Emmanuel Chabrier (age 40)
- 10 Pièces pittoresques (Work for soloist)
- Edvard Grieg (age 38)
- 2 elegiac melodies, Opp. 34 (Work for orchestra), composed in 1880
- Norwegian Dances, Opp. 35 (Work for chamber orchestra)
- 2 Lieder, WoO 169 (Work for choir)
- Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (age 37)
- The Snow Maiden That year: 1881, Classical music (Opera) Premiere
- The Snow Maiden (Suite) (Work for orchestra) Premiere
- Leoš Janáček (age 27)
- České církevní zpěvy z Lehnerova mešního kancionálu (Work for choir)
- Giacomo Puccini (age 23)
- Adagio in A major (Work for chamber orchestra)
- 3 Minuets (Work for chamber orchestra)
- Gustav Mahler (age 21)
- 5 Lieder and Songs That year: 1881, Classical music (Song, lied)
- 9 Lieder and Songs, “Songs and Airs :The Youth's Magic Horn (from Days of Youth)” That year: 1881, Classical music (Song, lied)
- Isaac Albéniz (age 21)
- Ai cuanto mas viejo (Opera)
- El canto de Salvación (Opera)
- Claude Debussy (age 19)
- Aimons-nous et dormons (Song, lied)
- Les baisers (Song, lied)
- Andante cantabile (Work for soloist)
- Rondel chinois (Song, lied)
- Tragédie (Song, lied)
- Jane (Song, lied)
- Hélène (Song, lied)
- Souhait (Song, lied)
- Triolet à Philis (Song, lied)
- Diane (Work for soloist)
- Les Papillons (Song, lied)
- Les Baisers d'amour (Song, lied)
- Chanson triste (Song, lied)
- Les Elfes (Song, lied)
- Pierrot (Song, lied)
- Daniel (Work for choir)
- Séguidille (Song, lied)
- Richard Strauss (age 17)
- Piano Sonata in B minor, Op. 5 (Work for soloist), composed in 1880
- Festmarsch in E-flat major, Op. 1 (Work for orchestra)
- String Quartet in A major, Op. 2 (Work for chamber orchestra)
- Alexander Glazunov (age 16)
- 5 Pieces for string quartet (Work for chamber orchestra)