Thomas Tellefsen

Thomas Dyke Acland Tellefsen (26 November 1823 – 6 October 1874)[2][3] was a Norwegian pianist, composer, and teacher.

[10] During the years 1844 to 1848,[3] he was taught periodically by Chopin, who also became his personal friend (up until his death) and had considerable influence on his musical taste, style of playing, and compositions.

Tellefsen referenced this method in a letter to his mother dated 28 December 1849, in which he states, "I am working hard on all this now".

[3] This edition, titled Collection des oeuvres pour le piano par Frédéric Chopin en douze livraisons (published in 1860 by Richault in Paris), was criticized by fellow Chopin pupil and editor Karol Mikuli, who noted its errors and omissions.

[13][14] Princess Marcelina Czartoryska took him to the Hôtel Lambert in Paris, where he made his debut as a pianist with great success on 29 April 1851.

Soon after that, Tellefsen became regarded as one of the most outstanding pianists of his time, and was especially admired as an interpreter of Chopin's music and as a composer in his own right.

[15] Tellefsen was named after his godfather, Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, 10th Baronet, as chosen by his father Johan.

He also wrote two piano concertos (the first in 1848 and the second in 1853), six waltzes, four nocturnes, three études, and a number of larger works and salon pieces, which were written for the teaching of his pupils.

[3] Tellefsen used traditional Norwegian songs in many of his works (e.g., in his first piano concerto and in his mazurkas);[2][7] in this aspect, he can be considered a forerunner of his compatriots Grieg, Svendsen, and Sinding.

[3] In January 2024 a recording of the two piano concertos by pianist and conductor Howard Shelley was issued on the Hyperion label.

Another collection of works consists of 21 short fughettas, versetti, and cantabile pieces, suitable in length in Roman Catholic and Lutheran services during the time in which they were written.