Complete Tellefsen piano music from Simax

[Mark Thomas]

You may have read Calum MacDonald's rave two page review in IRR of the four CDs from Simax with the complete piano music of the Norwegian Thomas Tellefesen (1823-1874) and been intrigued. I certainly was and downloaded the tracks from classicsonline.com, where you can also hear samples from each of the 96 tracks, of course. I have had his two piano concertos for some time but wasn't hugely impressed, they seemed like paler imitations of Chopin's pair, neither of which I number amongst my favourites in any case.

Whilst at first hearing I don't quite share MacDonald's unbridled enthusiasm for all the solo piano works, I must say that this is very attractive but often also surprisingly deep music. In style it's clear that Tellefsen was part of Chopin's Paris circle; his music however is not as perfumed or feminine as Chopin's can be, has a more open air and less fevered quality and, I suppose, a Scandinavian feel to it. None of the pieces is very long - even the three movement Piano Sonata lasts only 17 minutes - but some of them like the Pavane de la Reine Elizabeth and the Toccata are big in every sense but their duration and leave a deep impression. Although many of the works here strike me as slight salon pieces, there are enough works of evident quality to make this collection a really recommendable buy. He may be only a minor master but Tellefsen is, on the showing of some of the works here, a master nonetheless.

[Peter1953]

Another complete edition. I already have the complete piano works on AP and the PCs on Simax. Lovely music which gives enough listening pleasure, but to my ears very far far far away from Chopin's level. 

[Mark Thomas]

Oh, I do agree Peter. He was no Chopin, but maybe a dozen or so of the 96 pieces - I mentioned a couple - struck me as having real individuality, imagination and a depth of emotion which were impressive and worth giving him credit for. As I say, a minor master. Calum MacDonald praises the pianist too. I have nothing with which to compare these performances but it may be that you would find them more convincing than those on your recording, I don't know.

[Gooseguy]

 Believe it or not, there is yet another set of Tellefsen's complete piano works, recently issued on the 2-L label, performed by Jorgen Larsen.  It is available on US Amazon.com as mp3 download at a real bargain price of $8.99 (US) for 3:18:13 of music, listing a total of 54 pieces.  I cannot speak to the quality of the playing or recording, but I have had good luck with other albums from this label.  The link, for those interested, is:
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Tellefsen-1823-1874-complete-piano/dp/B007Q0693O/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1335388858&sr=1-1

Who could have guessed that we could have three sets of this music?

[erato]

Jørgen larsen is a professor at the Trondheim Musikkonservatorium and a student of Eva Knardahl (and a friend of mine once upon a time).