Robert Riefling

Robert Dankwart Leo Riefling (17 September 1911 – 1 July 1988) was a Norwegian classical pianist and pedagogist. He was regarded among Scandinavia's leading pianists, and toured all over the western world. He was a professor in Copenhagen from 1967, and in Oslo from 1973.

Personal life Robert Riefling was born in Aker as the son of musician Albert Heinrich Theodor Riefling and Ingeborg Louise Rollag. He was a brother of pianist Reimar Riefling. He was married three times, first from 1944 to 1947 to pianist Amalie Christie, then from 1949 to Borghild Hammerich, and from 1988 to Bibbi Lindstrøm. He was a brother-in-law of the military officers Werner Christie and Johan Christie.

Career Riefling made his concert debut with the Oslo Philharmonic in Kristiania in 1922, and had his solo debut in 1925. During the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany he was arrested and held at Bredtveit and Grini concentration camp a few months in 1942 and 1943. He was widely known for his interpretation of works by Johann Sebastian Bach, including The Well-Tempered Clavier, which he had studied while being imprisoned, and played at concerts in Oslo, Copenhagen and London in 1947. Among his premieres of contemporary compositions are Klaus Egge's Fantasi i Halling, a piano concerto by Harald Sæverud (Sæverud's Op.31, which was dedicated to Riefling), Fartein Valen's piano concerto (Op.44 of 1949-50, in 1953) and Johannes Rivertz' piano suite Spill og dans.

In 1967, he was appointed professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen, and a professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music from its establishment in 1973. He was decorated Knight, First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, Knight of the Danish Order of the Dannebrog, and was awarded the German Federal Cross of Merit.

Riefling died in Oslo on 1 July 1988.