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.
1860
Franz Liszt (1811-1886) and Franz Doppler (1821-1883) completed the orchestral version of Hungarian Rhapsody No. 3 in D♭ major (S. 359, No. 3)
February 10 – Serenade No. 2 in A major, op. 16 (original version), by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Hamburg, Germany
March 3 – Serenade No. 1 in D major, op. 11, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Hanover, Germany
March 13 – Hugo Wolf (1860-1903) was born in Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia
May 4 – Emil von Reznicek (1860-1945) was born in Vienna, Austria
May 29 – Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909) was born in Camprodon, Catelonia, Spain
July 7 – Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) was born in Kaliště, Czech Republic
October 20 – String Sextet No. 1 in B♭ major, op. 18, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Hanover, Germany
December 18 – Edward MacDowell (1860-1908) was born in New York, New York
1861
January 15 – The Harp Rings Out, in C major, op. 17, no. 1 (SSA women’s chorus, horn, and harp), by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Hamburg, Germany
The Death of Trenar, in C minor, op. 17, no. 4 (SSA women’s chorus, two horns, and harp), by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Hamburg, Germany
Love Song, in E major, op. 44, no. 1 (SSAA women’s chorus & piano), by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Hamburg, Germany
November 16 – Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, op. 25, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Hamburg, Germany
1862
January 29 – Frederick Delius (1862-1934) was born in Bradford, England
February 17 – Edward German (1862-1936) was born in Whitchurch, Shropshire, England
August 22 – Claude Debussy (1862-1918) was born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
September 25 – Léon Boëllmann (1862-1897) was born in Ensisheim, France
1863
December 24 – Enrique Fernández Arbós (1863-1939) was born in Madrid, Spain
1864
March 15 – Johan Halvorsen (1864-1935) was born in Drammen, Norway
June 11 – Richard Strauss (1864-1949) was born in Munich, Germany
1865
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) completed In Autumn, concert overture for orchestra, op. 11
June 9 – Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) was born in Sortelung, Denmark
June 10 – Tristan and Isolde, opera by Richard Wagner (1813-1883), was first performed in Munich, Germany
August 10 – Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936) was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia
October 1 – Paul Dukas (1865-1935) was born in Paris, France
October 13 – Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor, op. 38, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Gdańsk, Poland
November 28 – Horn Trio in E♭ major, op. 40, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Zürich, Switzerland
December 8 – Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) was born in Hämeenlinna, Finland
December 17 – Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D. 759 “Unfinished” by Franz Schubert (1797-1828) was first performed in Vienna, Austria
1866
April 1 – Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924) was born in Empoli, Italy
June 22 – Piano Quintet in F minor, op. 34, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Leipzig, Germany
October 11 – String Sextet No. 2 in G major, op. 36, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Boston, Massachusetts
1867
February 15 – The Blue Danube, op. 314, by Johann Strauss II (1825-1899) was first performed in Vienna, Austria
September 5 – Amy Beach (1867-1944) was born in Henniker, New Hampshire
1868
Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) completed Péchés de vieillesse (“Sins of Old Age”)
January 5 – Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, op. 26, by Max Bruch (1838-1920) was first performed (in its present form) in Bremen, Germany
August 7 – Granville Bantock (1868-1946) was born in London, England
November 13 – Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) died in Passy, France
November 15 – Waltz in A♭ major, op. 39, no. 15, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Hamburg, Germany
1869
January 16 – Symphony No. 1 in E♭ major by Alexander Borodin (1833-1887) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
February 18 – A German Requiem, op. 45, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was first performed in Leipzig, Germany
March – Symphony No. 2, Antar (1st version) by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia
March 8 – Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) died in Paris, France
April 3 – Piano Concerto in A minor, op. 16, by Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) was first performed in Copenhagen, Denmark