Thomas Tellefsen

Thomas Dyke Acland Tellefsen (26 November 1823 – 6 October 1874) was a Norwegian pianist, composer, and teacher. As a composer, Tellefsen wrote 44 opuses, including solo piano works, two piano concertos, and chamber music. He dedicated many of his compositions to the Polish, Russian, and French aristocracy.

Life Tellefsen, the youngest of six siblings, Thomas gave his first public concert in his home town in the spring of 1842, age 18. Here, he became the pupil of his compatriot Charlotte Thygeson (1811–1872; a daughter of Nicolai Emanuel de Thygeson),

Tellefsen's "highest wish"—to study under Chopin—was hugely difficult. Tellefsen stated that it was "more difficult to reach Chopin than Louis-Philippe". It was not until November 1844—through the influence of George Sand—that Tellefsen finally attained this wish. Tellefsen's letters indicate Chopin's interest in him, spending as much as three hours at a single lesson, During the years 1844 to 1848, According to Tellefsen, Ludwika gave him the only complete manuscript of Chopin's compositions remaining after his death, which Tellefsen later used for his edition of Chopin's works.

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. His program included compositions by Chopin and himself. 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.

Tellefsen died in Paris. He is buried at the . He was a Knight of the "Seraphine" Order of Norway.

In a letter to his father dated 8 June 1848, Tellefsen described—during his stay in London—his meeting with Sir Thomas:

No. 1 Moderato G minor

No. 2 Vivace G major No. 3 Allegro vivace B♭ major No. 4 Mesto F♯ minor Ave Maria 4

Pas trop lent G major Vocal music 1850 c. No. 2 Vivace G major No. 3 Allegro moderato E major Tarentelle 6

Molto vivace E♭ major Piano solo 1853 Élégie 7

Molto adagio F minor Piano solo 1853

First movement Allegro moderato G minor

Second movement Andante E♭ major Third movement Finale. Allegro G minor Huldredansen 9

Allegro moderato G minor Piano solo 1853 Adagio et Rondo 10

Adagio; allegro moderato B minor Piano solo 1853 Nocturne No. 2 11

Andante cantabile E major Piano solo 1853

Thème Andante B♭ minor

Fantaisie Adagio D♭ major

First movement Allegro moderato C minor

Second movement Adagio A♭ major Third movement Rondo. Vivace C major

No. 1 Allegro D minor

No. 2 Leggiero G major No. 3 Leggiero F minor No. 4 Moderato F major No. 5 Allegro vivace D major No. 6 Lento simplice C minor

First movement Allegro moderato F minor

No. 2 Lento A♭ major No. 3 Marche funèbre. Legato C minor Nocturne No. 3 17

Adagio ma non troppo G minor Piano solo 1855 Grande Polonaise 18

Moderato C♯ minor Piano solo 1855–56 c.

First movement Allegro moderato G major

Second movement Adagio E♭ major Third movement Scherzo. Presto G minor Fourth movement Finale. Allegro vivace G major Allegretto 20

Simplice A major Piano solo 1856

First movement Allegro rowspan-"3" | E♭ major

Second movement Allegretto G minor Third movement Finale. Allegro E♭ major Toccata 22

Allegro F major Piano solo 1857 La petite mendiante 23

Allegro ma non tropo E minor Piano solo 1858 Grande Mazurka 24

— B♭ major Piano solo 1858 Grande Étude 25

Allegro C♯ minor Piano solo 1858 Bruraslaatten 26

Maestoso D major Piano solo 1858 Valse 27

Moderato D♭ major Piano solo 1863 c. Ballade 28

Allegretto C minor Piano solo 1860 Marche triomphale 29

Allegro moderato. Maestoso E♭ major Piano solo 1861

No. 1 Moderato F major

No. 2 Moderato F minor

First movement Allegro maestoso B♭ major

Second movement Scherzo. Moderato D minor/D major Third movement Adagio E♭ major Fourth movement Finale. Allegro B♭ major

No. 1 Berceuse. Andante G major

1862

No. 2 Joyeux Refrain. Allegro D major 1863 No. 3 Dans la Vallée, Idylle. Andante ma non troppo A major 1863 c. Mazurka (Polskdans) 33

— A major Piano solo 1863 Au travers d'un songe 34

Andante A♭ major Piano solo 1868 Air de ballet 35

Allegretto D minor Chamber music 1865 c. Capriccio appasionato 36

Allegro non troppo B minor Piano solo 1868

First movement Largo — Allegro — Presto E minor

Second movement Interlude (complainte). Andante E major Third movement Thème varié. Andante E major Impromptu 38

Allegro G minor Piano solo 1872 Nocturne No. 4 39

Andante G♭ major Piano solo 1872 Walhallafesten 40

Moderato G minor/G major Piano solo 1870 c.

First movement Allegro maestoso B minor

Second movement Andante D major Third movement Finale. Moderato B major

First section Andante con moto F♯ minor/F♯ major

Second section = 60 D major/D minor/B♭ major Third section = 144 A major Étude 43

Allegro E major Piano solo 1867 c. Pavane de la Reine Elisabeth 44

Andante noblement C♯ minor/D♭ major Piano solo 1870 c. Works without opus number Tellefsen's works without opus numbers are either piano studies or liturgical pieces. His Moderato, written in 1842, is one of his very first attempts in composition. 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. The versetti are organ verses played in alternation with sung verses of hymns. The preludes were played for organ or pedal piano. They were used as preludes and postludes, while a cantabile piece might also appear after the sermon as an introduction to the next hymn. Variations on hymn tunes are a much-used form in church services as well.

TitleCatalogue numberTempo markingKeyGenreYear Notes Valse — — A major Piano solo — — Moderato — — — Piano solo 1842 — Choral variations on the hymn "Kimer, I klokker" — — G major Piano solo — Prelude — Allegro moderato G major Piano solo — — Lento - Allegro moderato - Tempo primo — — — Piano solo — — Larghetto — — — Piano solo — — Prelude — — G major Piano solo — — Suite: Prelude, Versette, Prelude 2, Prelude da capo — — G minor Piano solo — — Fughetta'r, Versettes & Cantabilla Fughetta I — C major Piano solo — Fughetta II — C major Fughetta III — C major Fughetta IV — A minor Fughetta V — A minor Fughetta VI — A minor Fughetta VII — A minor Versette — G minor Fughetta VIII — G minor Cantabille — G minor Fughetta IX — G major Fughetta X — G major Fughetta XI — G major Cantabille — C major Cantabille — D major Fughetta XII — D dorian Interlude — D dorian Fughetta XIII — D dorian Versette — D minor Fughetta XIV — D minor Fughetta XV — E minor Prelude to Fugue — — — Piano solo — — A Minor Variation — — — Piano solo — — Waltz — — A minor Piano solo — — Adagio — — D major Piano solo — — Prelude — — G minor Piano solo — — Preludio Andantino - mixolidian d - da capo al fine — — E minor Piano solo — — Preludio I — — G major Piano solo — — Prelude — — D major Piano solo — — Prelude (Picardian) — — E Piano solo — Fuga — — D Piano solo — Prelude II — — G major Piano solo — — Adagio — Alla breve D minor Piano solo — — Prelude III — — G major Piano solo — — Interlude — — C major Piano solo — — Variations on the Hymn "Jesus styr du mine tanker" — — G major Piano solo — Prelude on the Hymn "I Jesu Navn" — — G minor Piano solo —

Notes and references