Wolfgang Osthoff (17 March 1927 – 29 July 2008) was a German musicologist and professor (ordinarius) for historical musicology at the University of Würzburg.
Studies in philosophy (among others with Hans-Georg Gadamer) and Middle Latin enabled him to understand music in a comprehensive context.
Osthoff was active in national and international scientific societies and academies; for over a quarter of a century he was responsible for musicology at the Sapienza University of Rome.
He was a member of the presidency of the Hans Pfitzner Society, a scientific member or on the advisory board of the German Study Centre in Venice, the Istituto Nazionale di Studi Verdiani Parma, the Beethoven House in Bonn, the Music History Commission of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Stefan George Society in Bingen.
Here he paid special attention to the works of Hans Pfitzner and Gerhard Frommel [de], with whom he had a deep friendship.