The following is a list of notable events that occurred in the year 1879 in Scandinavian music.

• 1 November – Aged 14, Carl Nielsen becomes a bugler and alto trombonist in the band of the Danish army's 16th Battalion at Odense.^[1]
• unknown date (after August) – Following the death of his wife, Henriette Nissen-Saloman, Danish violinist and composer Siegfried Saloman moves to Stockholm, Sweden, where he remains until his death.^[2]

• Niels Gade – En Sommerdag paa Landet^[3]
• Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann – Opening Music for a University Anniversary^[4]
• Johan Svendsen
  • Op.23 - 5 Melodies, Songs^[5]
  • Op.24 - 4 Melodies, Songs^[5]

• 9 February – Natanael Berg, Swedish composer (died 1957)^[6]
• 27 May – Per Reidarson, Norwegian composer and music critic (died 1954)^[7]
• 31 July – Cally Monrad, Norwegian singer, actress and poet (died 1950).^[8]
• 5 October – Halfdan Cleve, Norwegian composer (died 1951).^[9]
• 7 October – Joe Hill (born Joel Emmanuel Hägglund), Swedish-American labor leader and songwriter (died 1915)
• 23 October – Johan Austbø, Norwegian teacher, dancer, poet, composer, singer, and proponent of Nynorsk (died 1945).^[10]
• 29 November – Jacob Gade, Danish violinist and composer (died 1963)^[11]
• 19 December – Otto Olsson, Swedish organist and composer (died 1964)^[12]

• 27 August – Henriette Nissen-Saloman, Swedish opera singer, 60^[13]
• 12 September – Peter Arnold Heise, Danish composer, 49^[14]
• 30 November – August Bournonville, Danish ballet master and choreographer, 74^[15]