This is one of a series of postings of important classical music dates, from the 17th century to the present. Included are the date and location of the birth and death of composers, and the premiere date and location of the first public performance of works. When the premiere date and location is unknown, the date or year of completion of the work is given. Though reasonably comprehensive, this is a subjective list, so the choice of composers and works is mine. If you find any errors, or if you can offer a premiere date and location for a work where only the completion date or year is listed, please post a comment here.
1880
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) completed Two Elegiac Melodies, op. 34
January 20 – Two Rhapsodies, op. 79 by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Krefeld, Germany
February 14 – Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor, op. 15 by Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) was first performed in Paris, France
April 20 – In the Steppes of Central Asia, in A minor, by Alexander Borodin (1833-1887) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
July 24 – Ernest Bloch (1880-1959) was born in Geneva, Switzerland
November 7 – Roses from the South Waltz, op. 388 by Johann Strauss II (1825-1899) was first performed in Vienna, Austria
December 26 – Tragic Overture, in D minor, op. 81 by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Vienna, Austria
1881
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) completed Norwegian Dances, op. 35
February 12 – Symphony No. 2 in C minor, op. 17, “Little Russian” (2nd and final version) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
February 20 – Symphony No. 4 in E♭ major, WAB 104, “Romantic” by Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) was first performed in Vienna, Austria
March 25 – Béla Bartók (1881-1945) was born in Sânnicolau Mare, Romania
March 25 – Symphony No. 6 in D major, op. 60, B112 by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) was first performed in Prague, Czech Republic
March 28 – Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) died in Saint Petersburg, Russia
April 17 – Carmen Fantasy, op. 25 for violin and orchestra (on themes from Bizet’s Carmen), by Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908) was first performed in Madrid, Spain
April 20 – Nikolai Myaskovsky (1881-1950) was born in Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, Poland
August 19 – George Enescu (1881-1955) was born in Liveni, Romania
October 30 – Romance in G major for violin and orchestra, op. 26 by Johan Svendsen (1840-1911) was first performed in Oslo, Norway
November 9 – Piano Concerto No. 2 in B♭ major, op. 83 by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Budapest, Hungary
December 4 – Violin Concerto in D major, op. 35 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) was first performed in Vienna, Austria
1882
February 7 – String Quartet No. 2 in D major by Alexander Borodin (1833-1887) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
February 10 – The Snow Maiden, opera by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
April 18 – Leopold Stokowski (1882-1977) was born in London, England
June 17 – Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) was born in Lomonosov, Russia
July 8 – Percy Grainger (1882-1961) was born in Melbourne, Australia
July 26 – Parsifal, opera by Richard Wagner (1813-1883) was first performed in Bayreuth, Germany
October 6 – Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937) was born in Tymoshivka, Ukraine
November 5 – Má vlast, six symphonic poems by Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884) was first performed in its entirety in Prague, Czech Republic
November 27 – Serenade for 13 Wind Instruments in E♭ major, op. 7 by Richard Strauss (1864-1949) was first performed in Dresden, Germany
December 9 – Joaquín Turina (1882-1949) was born in Seville, Spain
December 16 – Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967) was born in Kecskemét, Hungary
1883
February 13 – Richard Wagner (1813-1883) died in Venice, Italy
March 19 – Tamara, symphonic poem in B minor by Mily Balakirev (1837-1910) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
May 16 – Scherzo capriccioso in D♭ major, op. 66, B131 by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) was first performed in Prague, Czech Republic
July 4 – Maximilian Steinberg (1883-1946) was born in Vilnius, Lithuania
July 25 – Alfredo Casella (1883-1947) was born in Turin, Italy
July 27 – Franz Doppler (1821-1883) died in Baden bei Wien, Austria
October 14 – Violin Concerto in A minor, op. 53, B108 by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) was first performed in Prague, Czech Republic
December – Elégie, for cello and piano, op. 24 by Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) was first performed in Paris, France
December 2 – Symphony No. 3 in F major, op. 90 by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Vienna, Austria
December 3 – Anton Webern (1883-1945) was born in Vienna, Austria
December 6 – Sonata in F major for cello and piano, op. 6 by Richard Strauss (1864-1949) was first performed in Nuremberg, Germany
1884
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) completed From Holberg’s Time: Suite in Olden Style, op. 40
January 3 – String Quartet No. 2 in D minor by Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884) was first performed in Prague, Czech Republic
May 12 – Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884) died in Prague, Czech Republic
September 17 – Charles Griffes (1884-1920) was born in Elmira, New York
December 30 – Symphony No. 7 in E major, WAB 107, by Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) was first performed in Leipzig, Germany
1885
Emmanuel Chabrier (1841-1894) completed Habanera
April 22 – Symphony No. 7 in D minor, op. 70, B141 by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) was first performed in London, England
June 19 – Stevan Hristić (1885-1958) was born in Belgrade, Serbia
July 7 – Ernest Farrar (1885-1918) was born in London, England
September 28 – Ballade in D minor, for violin and piano, op. 15, B139 by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) was first performed in Prague, Czech Republic
October 25 – Symphony No. 4 in E minor, op. 98 by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Meiningen, Germany
November 23 – Stenka Razin, in B minor, op. 13, symphonic poem by Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
1886
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) completed Lyric Pieces, Book III, op. 43
January 10 – Aita Donostia (1886-1956) was born in San Sebastián, Spain
May 1 – Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy Overture (3rd and final version), TH 42, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) was first performed in Tbilisi, Georgia
May 19 – Symphony No. 3 in C minor, op. 78, with organ, by Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) was first performed in London, England
July 31 – Franz Liszt (1811-1886) died in Bayreuth, Germany
October 15 – Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) and orchestrated by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908), was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
November 24 – Cello Sonata No. 2 in F major, op. 99 by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Vienna, Austria
December 16 – Violin Sonata in A major, CFF 123, by César Franck (1822-1890) was first performed in Brussels, Belgium
1887
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) completed Pavane in F♯ minor, op. 50, for SATB choir and piano
Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936) completed Elegy in D♭ major, op. 17 (In memory of Franz Liszt) for cello and piano
January – Miniatures, for two violins and viola, op. 75a, B149 by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) was first performed in Prague, Czech Republic
January 6 – Slavonic Dances, op. 72, B147 (Nos. 1, 2, and 7) by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) was first performed in Prague, Czech Republic
[Note: I have been unable to find when Nos. 3-6 and 8 premiered.]
January 22 – Piano Quartet No. 2 in G minor, op. 45 by Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) was first performed in Paris, France
February 27 – Alexander Borodin (1833-1887) died in Saint Petersburg, Russia
March 5 – Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
March 7 – Heino Eller (1887-1970) was born in Tartu, Estonia
March 30 – Romantic Pieces, for violin and piano, op. 75, B150 by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) was first performed in Prague, Czech Republic
October 18 – Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Orchestra in A minor, op. 102 “Double Concerto” by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Cologne, Germany
October 31 – Capriccio espagnol, op. 34 by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
November 15 – Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) completed Violin Sonata No. 3 in C minor, op. 45
December 12 – Kurt Atterberg (1887-1974) was born in Gothenburg, Sweden
1888
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) completed Nächtens (At night), in D minor, from Six Quartets, op. 112, no. 2
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) completed Lyric Pieces, Book IV, op. 47
Florida Suite by Frederick Delius (1862-1934) was first performed in Leipzig, Germany
Erik Satie (1866-1925) completed Gymnopédie No. 1
January 6 – Cypresses, for string quartet, B152 by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) was first performed (Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 9) in Prague, Czech Republic
January 6 – Piano Quintet No. 2 in A major, op. 81, B155 by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) was first performed in Prague, Czech Republic
October 28 – Scheherazade, op. 35 by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
November 17 – Symphony No. 5 in E minor, op. 64 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
December 15 – Russian Easter Festival Overture, op. 36 by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
December 21 – Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, op. 108, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Budapest, Hungary
December 30 – Ilse Fromm-Michaels (1888-1986) was born in Hamburg, Germany
1889
Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936) completed the orchestration of the unfinished Symphony No. 3 in A minor by Alexander Borodin (1833-1887)
February 17 – Symphony in D minor, CFF 130, by César Franck (1822-1890) was first performed in Paris, France
February 17 – Geoffrey Toye (1889-1942) was born in Winchester, England
October – Ralph Greaves (1889-1966) was born in Lymington, Hampshire, England
November 3 – Poetic Tone Pictures, op. 85, B161 (piano) by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) was first performed in Tábor, Czech Republic
November 11 – Don Juan, tone poem in E major, op. 20 by Richard Strauss (1864-1949) was first performed in Weimar, Germany
November 20 – Symphony No. 1 in D major by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) was first performed in Budapest, Hungary