Józef Elsner

Józef Elsner (1769–1854) was a Polish composer and teacher. Elsner’s forebears came from Switzerland and settled in Poland in the 17th century. Chopin studied harmony, counterpoint and composition under Elsner at the Main School of Music in 1826-1829. Elsner’s contribution to the development of Warsaw’s cultural life and musical education was enormous. It began with the institution of the School of Drama (established to reform and expand musical education), continued with the opening of the School of Music and Drama (later split into two separate schools) and finished with the establishment of the Main School of Music, where he served as vice-chancellor. Elsner was also Director-General of National Music, Assessor of the Directorate of All Theatres and Dramatic and Musical Performance in the Kingdom, and a correspondent for the ‘Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung’ [General Music Newspaper]. He even established his own music engraving shop in 1803.