1848 in music

See also: 1847 in music, other events of 1848, 1849 in music and the list of 'years in music'.

Events

• Richard Wagner begins writing libretto that will become Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung).
• Franz Liszt takes up full-time post as conductor to the Weimar court orchestra

Classical music

• Georges Onslow – Quintet for Piano and Strings no 2 in G major
• Johann Strauss I – Radetzky March

Popular music

• "Oh! Susanna!" by Stephen Foster

Births

• February 23 – Thomas Paine Westendorf, composer
• 27 February – Hubert Parry, composer
• March 31 – John Henry Roberts, composer
• September 5 – Manuel Giro, composer
• unknown date – Otto Malling
• unknown date – Henri Duparc

Deaths

• April 8 – Gaetano Donizetti