Frits Hartvigson

Frits Hartvigson (sometimes Fritz) (31 May 18418 March 1919) was a Danish pianist and teacher, who spent many years in England and gave a number of important English concerto premieres.

Career Frits Seligmann Hartvigson was born in Grenå, Jutland in 1841. His first lessons were with his mother. He later studied under Niels Gade, Gebauer and Anton Rée in Copenhagen. He made his debut at age 14, and by 17 he was touring throughout Norway. He had further study in Berlin under Hans von Bülow in 1859–62.

Among Hartvigson's concert successes at that time were Anton Rubinstein's Piano Concerto No. 3 in G in Leipzig in 1861, and Robert Schumann's Piano Concerto in A minor in Copenhagen under Gade's baton in 1863.

In 1867-68 he was a member of the ironically named "Working Men's Society" (none of them were from the working class), a private group promoting progressive repertoire in London. It was confined to six members; four pianists with Lisztian or Wagnerian credentials: Karl Klindworth, Walter Bache, Edward Dannreuther and Frits Hartvigson; and two lay members, the painter Wilhelm Kümpel and the writer and authority on old musical instruments Alfred J. Hipkins (1826-1903). They met in each other's homes up to 30 times a year, the pianist members always playing in the above order.

On 10 June 1872 he played Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat for the first time in England. On 16 November he introduced Rubinstein's 4th Concerto in D minor. However, on at least one occasion Tchaikovsky confused Hartvigson with Edward Dannreuther.

On 19 November 1878 Hartvigson was the soloist in the first English performance of Liszt's Totentanz. The conductor was Hans von Bülow

In 1879 he injured his left hand, which prevented his public appearances for some years.

In 1888 he was appointed Professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London, becoming an Honorary Member in 1894. Alfred Hollins, Constance Bache and Pauline Ellice and George Thalben-Ball.

His brother Anton Hartvigson (1845-1911) was also a prominent pianist and teacher, also at the Normal College for the Blind for some time, but was based mainly in Copenhagen.