Thomas D.A. Tellefsen

Thomas Tellefsen attained international renown as both a composer and a pianist. He was a student of Chopin and accompanied that master on his final tour. Tellefsen moved to Paris, hoping to study with Chopin. In 1844, Chopin agreed to take Tellefsen on as a pupil. Chopin's enthusiasm grew rapidly; he gave Tellefsen free lessons, and the two became friends. Fleeing Paris during the unrest of 1848, Tellefsen went to England and accompanied Chopin on his final concert tour there. Tellefsen was widely noted as an interpreter of Chopin's works, and he made a collected edition of them. He wrote two piano concertos, various chamber works with piano, and solo piano works. He died in Paris on October 6, 1874. As of the early 2020s, more than 85 of his works had been recorded.