Antoni Stolpe

(1851 Puławy [Poland] – 1872 Merano [Italy])

Antoni Stolpe was a Polish pianist and composer. Born into a traditional musical family, he received his initial musical instruction from his father, Edward. He later studied at the Warsaw Music Institute (later the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music) under Karol Freyer and Stanisław Moniuszko, among others. In 1867, he was awarded the “Grand Prize” in the piano class and “First Prize” in counterpoint.

Stolpe’s debut was on July 17, 1867, at a concert for student award winners held at the Civic Club, where he performed an Etude by Chopin and his own Mazurka in B minor. To raise funds for his studies abroad, he held three concerts showcasing his own compositions at Hoffel’s Piano Manufactory and the Civic Club hall, demonstrating his triple talent as a composer, conductor, and pianist. In June 1869, he moved to Berlin and studied under Friedrich Kiel and Theodor Kullak; however, only half a year later, he was offered to teach a piano class.

Stolpe’s musical career was cut short by illness. He contracted tuberculosis from a cold caught on his way home from a Wagner concert one evening and passed away at the young age of 21 due to complications from pneumonia.

Antoni Stolpe is regarded as one of the most outstanding Polish composers and pianists after Fryderyk Chopin. He wrote dozens of excellent works of various scales and orchestrations, but these works remained forgotten until the end of the 20th century.