Thomas D. A. TELLEFSEN (1823-1874)
Complete Piano Works
see end of review for track listing
Jørgen Larsen (piano)
rec. May 2010 and February 2011, Ringve Museum, Norway.
Pure Audio Blu-Ray disc: playable in all regions.
2L-080-PABD [198:00]
Thomas D.A. Tellefsen is best known for his relationship with Chopin. After
studying with Chopin for several years in Paris, the two became friends, notably
after they both left France for England following the 1848 revolution, and
up until Chopin’s death in 1849. After this, Tellefsen had a certain
success in Paris as a pianist and interpreter of Chopin’s music, as
well as a performer of his own works.
Chopin’s influence is clear enough in many of these piece but Norwegian
folk themes also put in an appearance. One can make a link between Tellefsen
and Grieg’s piano music, where many of the latter’s Lyric Pieces
recall Tellefsen’s style.
Like Chopin’s music, these works are, for the most part, individual
pieces, with the exception of the early C minor sonata. There are nocturnes
and mazurkas, etudes and waltzes. The music is delightfully lyrical, in the
true classical romantic tradition, yet there is little call for virtuosity.
Tellefsen’s music is well enough known that there are two other complete
recordings of his piano music - one by Einar Steen-Nøkleberg on Simax,
and another by Malgorzata Jaworska on Acte Préalable. Nevertheless,
Tellefsen was no Chopin, and while the music is enjoyable, it is far from
that of Tellefsen’s master.
This disc is what 2L Records calls a Pure Audio Blu-ray. It contains nearly
three and a half hours of music on a single disc in DTS HD MA 96kHz/24bit
5.1 and LPCM 192kHz/24bit stereo formats. Using the mShuttle technology, it
is possible to access the contents of the disc over a network, and copy the
files in FLAC 96kHz, WAV or MP3 format. However, much to my chagrin, the files
are not tagged at all. You’ll need to enter the names of each track,
their track numbers, and all the other information after putting them on your
computer. This is inexcusable. If 2L is going to provide these files for computer
use, the least they could do is tag them correctly. Note that you can purchase
this music by download from Amazon and the iTunes Store, for the price of
a single CD, and it is certainly correctly tagged from those vendors.
While this is pleasant music, it seems to all sound alike after a while. Tellefsen’s
output is a good example of what Chopin’s disciples were capable of.
It may especially interest amateur pianists who wish to learn some new music
of the 19th century that is not overly demanding.
Kirk McElhearn
Kirk McElhearn writes about more than just music on his blog Kirkville.
Attractive piano music from a student, then friend of Chopin.
Track listing
Four Mazurkas, op. 1 - A major [2:29]; A minor [2:31]; E minor [1:44]; A major
[1:24]
Nocturne no. 1 in F major, op. 2 [4:07]
Four Mazurkas, op. 3 - G minor [1:34]; G major [2:00]; B flat major [1:33];
F sharp minor [3:15]
Three Valses brillantes, op. 5 - A flat major [2:52]; G major [1:16]; E minor
[3:52]
Tarentelle in E flat major, op. 6 [3:10]
Élégie in F minor, op. 7 [6:18]
Huldredansen (Dance of the Hulders) in G minor, op. 9 [2:43]
Adagio et Rondo in B minor, op. 10 [9:22]
Nocturne no. 2 in E major, op. 11 [3:39]
Thème original et Fantaisie in B flat minor, op. 12 [8:27]
Sonata in C minor, op. 13 - Allegro moderato [6:33]; Adagio [5:34]; Rondo.
Vivace [2:58]
Six Mazurkas, op. 14 - D minor [3:07]; G major [1:23]; F minor [3:46]; F major
[2:19]; D major [2:12]; C minor [2:08]
Feuillets d’Album, op. 16 - Allegro moderato in B flat major [1:26];
Lento in A flat major [2:49]; Marche funèbre in C minor [5:53]
Nocturne no. 3 in G minor, op. 17 [4:23]
Grande Polonaise in C sharp minor, op. 18 [7:04]
Allegretto in A major, op. 20 [2:58]
Toccata in F major, op. 22 [7:46]
La Petite Mendiante in E minor, op. 23 [2:03]
Grande Mazurka in B flat major, op. 24 [3:56]
Grande Étude in C sharp minor, op. 25 [3:06]
Bruraslaatten (Bridal Tune) in D major, op. 26 [3:08]
Valse in D flat major, op. 27 [3:27]
Ballade in C minor, op. 28 [4:34]
Marche Triomphale in E flat major, op. 29 [5:04]
Grande Valse no. 5 in F major, op. 30 no. 1 [3:28]; no. 6 in F minor, op.
30 no. 2 [3:33]
Mazurka/Polskdans in A major, op. 33 [4:05]
Au travers d’un songe in A flat major, op. 34 [2:47]
Capriccio appassionato in B minor, op. 36 [4:37]
Impromptu in G minor, op. 38 [3:26]
Nocturne no. 4 in G flat major, op. 39 [5:04]
Walhallafesten (The Walhalla Feast) in G minor, op. 40 [3:52]
Mélodies écossaises in A major, op. 42 [7:46]
Excercice en sixtes in E major, op. 43 [2:29]
Pavane de la Reine Elisabeth in C sharp minor, op. 44 [5:34]
Valse in A major without opus number [3:03]