Stolpe, Edward (EN)

Stolpe Edward, *1812 Warsaw, †17 July 1874 (not 1872) Warsaw, Polish pianist, teacher and composer, probably of Swedish origin, son of Alojzy the Elder. After graduating from Warsaw High School, he studied at the conservatory in Warsaw with J. Elsner (diploma in 1828 with the opinion: “good”). He was a concert pianist; took part in performances of new or unknown works in Warsaw, including Grand duo concertant in E major for piano and cello by Chopin (1 July 1835, with J. Szabliński), J. Brzowski’s Fantastic Overture in a version for 2 pianos (26 August 1835) and Nowakowski’s piano quintet (18 November 1835); with A. Leśkiewicz, he performed “with particular expression” Concerto in C major Op. 125 for 2 pianos by F. Kalkbrenner. On 30 July 1840, he took up the piano class at the Alexandria Institute for the Education of Ladies in Warsaw, in 1843 he went to Puławy, where the Institute had been moved a year earlier, in 1862 he returned to Warsaw, where until 1867 he was a professor of the upper class of piano and a member of the board of the Institute of Music, as well as a valued private teacher. As Chopin’s friend, he passed on his observations of Chopin’s playing to his students and introduced his works into the curriculum. On 13 August 1840, he married M. Turowska, a singer. Depressed by the premature death of his talented son, Antoni, he withdrew into the shadows and was almost forgotten. He composed Valse et masure for piano (Warsaw 1835, I. Klukowski) and numerous waltzes and cotillions, published in the lithographic workshops of K.L. Magnus, I. Klukowski, Sennewald, often performed in the Merchant and Civic centres and the Swiss Valley in Warsaw.

Literature: [J. Heppen] Nekrologia, “Tygodnik Ilustrowany” 1875 No. 376.