1842 in music

See also: 1841 in music, other events of 1842, 1843 in music and the list of 'years in music'.

Events

• May 31 – Frederick William IV of Prussia creates a new order of merit for the arts and sciences. Those honoured include: Felix Mendelssohn, Franz Liszt and Gioacchino Rossini.
• Louis Gottschalk leaves the United States to obtain a classical training in Europe.

Popular hits

Classical music

• Frédéric Chopin – Polonaise for Piano in A flat major, B 147/Op. 53 "Heroic"
• Josef Lanner – Die Schönbrunner Waltzer
• Felix Mendelssohn – Symphony No. 3 ("Scottish")

Opera

• Caràttaco by Angelo Catelani
• Linda di Chamounix by Gaetano Donizetti
• Nabucco by Giuseppe Verdi
• Rienzi by Richard Wagner
• Russlan And Ludmilla by Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka
• Der Wildschütz by Albert Lortzing

Births

• January 7 – Johan Lindegren
• May 12 – Jules Massenet
• May 13 – Arthur Sullivan, composer
• July 19 – Karl Zeller, Austrian composer

Deaths