1838 in music

See also: 1837 in music, other events of 1838, 1839 in music and the list of 'years in music'.

Events

• Giovanni Ricordi buys Giuseppe Verdi's copyrights.

Popular music

• "Annie Laurie", words (1688) William Douglas, music Lady John Scott (Alicia Ann Spottiswoode)
• "'Tis Home Where'er the Heart Is" by Robert Dale Owen

Classical music

• Franz Lachner – Frauenliebe und Leben
• Robert Schumann – Kinderszenen, Op. 15

Opera

• Benvenuto Cellini by Hector Berlioz

Births

• October 25 – Georges Bizet, French composer
• July 9 – Philip Paul Bliss

Deaths

• September 7 – Joseph Panny
• September 8 – Pietro Rovelli
• March 24 – Thomas Attwood
• July 28 – Bernhard Henrik Crusell