Composers / Thomas Tellefsen / Places catalog

Napoléon Henri Reber

Napoléon Henri Reber (1807–1880) belonged to Chopin’s circle of friends and taught composition to Tellefsen when the latter became a student of Chopin. Reber’s class was also attended by another student of Chopin, Karol Mikuli (1821–1897).

Henri Reber wrote a great deal of chamber music and composed songs to French poetry. He instrumented Chopin’s Funeral March, which was performed at the composer’s funeral. From 1851, he was a professor of harmony, and from 1862 a professor of composition at the Paris Conservatory. His handbook Traité d’harmonie (1862) was later used at the Conservatory for many years. Reber had considerable influence on Parisian musical life throughout the 1860s, and we can assume that the chamber works of Tellefsen from the 1850s and 1860s were also influenced by his teacher’s stylistic ideals.

He had a reputation for being very conservative in his musical views. Saint-Säens, who knew him well, wrote: “With his predilection for the past and exquisite, almost courtly manners, he brought to mind the past: his white locks of hair, as if covered with wig powder, and long frock coat reminded one of old fashion; it seemed as if a forgotten guest from the eighteenth century, a contemporary of Mozart, were strolling through the nineteenth century, surprised and slightly bewildered by our music and our way of life”.

Place Category
Charlotte Thygeson (1811–1872) – a student of Kalkbrenner A student in France (1842–1849), Flats
Chopin and Tellefsen in London Flats, Thomas Tellefsen in Great Britain
Christiania Theater Appearances, Concerts in Christiania and Stockholm
Concerts at the Royal Opera in Stockholm Appearances, Concerts in Christiania and Stockholm
Concerts in Le Havre and Honfleur Appearances, A student in France (1842–1849)
England and Scotland (1849) Manors / Palaces / Castles, Thomas Tellefsen in Great Britain
England and Scotland (1851) Appearances, Thomas Tellefsen in Great Britain
Honfleur A student in France (1842–1849), Education
Latin School in Trondheim Education, Tellefsen’s Childhood in Trondheim
London (1870–1873) Appearances, Thomas Tellefsen in Great Britain
Masonic lodge in Christiania (Oslo) Appearances, Concerts in Christiania and Stockholm
Matthäus Nagiller (1815–1874) A student in France (1842–1849), Education
Napoléon Henri Reber A student in France (1842–1849), Education
Ole Andreas Lindeman Flats, Tellefsen’s Childhood in Trondheim
Ole Andreas Lindeman – organist at the Church of Our Lady Churches / Places of worship, Tellefsen’s Childhood in Trondheim
Princess Marcelina Czartoryska Education, Manors / Palaces / Castles, Mature years in Paris 1849–1874
Scotland (1850) Flats, Thomas Tellefsen in Great Britain
Scotland: July-September Flats, Thomas Tellefsen in Great Britain
Sir Thomas Dyke Acland and Thomas Dyke Acland Tellefsen Flats, Thomas Tellefsen in Great Britain
Tellefsen and early music Appearances, Mature years in Paris 1849–1874
Tellefsen – chamber musician Appearances, Mature years in Paris 1849–1874
Tellefsen – composer Mature years in Paris 1849–1874
Tellefsen – pianist Appearances, Mature years in Paris 1849–1874
Tellefsen – publisher Mature years in Paris 1849–1874, Publishers / Bookshops
Tellefsen’s choice of piano Appearances, A student in France (1842–1849)
Tellefsen – student of Chopin A student in France (1842–1849), Education
Tellefsen – teacher Education, Mature years in Paris 1849–1874
The Rothschilds Education, Mature years in Paris 1849–1874
The Tellefsens' house Flats, Tellefsen’s Childhood in Trondheim
Thomas Tellefsen at the Trondheim Theatre Appearances, Tellefsen’s Childhood in Trondheim
Trondheim Cathedral Churches / Places of worship, Tellefsen’s Childhood in Trondheim
Trondheim Music Society Appearances, Tellefsen’s Childhood in Trondheim