Tovey, Sir Donald Francis, 1875-1940 (Reid Professor of Music, University of Edinburgh)
Dates
- Existence: 1875 - 1940
Biography
Donald Francis Tovey was born at Eton on 17 July 1875. His father was an Assistant Master at Eton College. He was educated privately by the music and general teacher Miss Sophie Weisse (1851-1945) and later on studied under Sir Walter Parratt (1841-1924) and Sir C. H. Parry (1848-1918). Tovey then won a music scholarship to Balliol College, Oxford, graduating with a BA, Classical honours, in 1898. As a pianist, a series of chamber music concerts followed in London, Berlin and Vienna where he played with Halle, Joachim, Hausmann, Casals, and other artists. He also composed. In 1914 he was appointed to the Reid Chair of Music at Edinburgh University in succession to Professor Niecks (1845-1924). As Professor he broadened the music curriculum by instituting classes in musical interpretation, orchestration, history and analysis, thorough-bass, score reading, and advanced counter-point and composition. Tovey also established and conducted the Reid Orchestra and organised an annual series of concerts. His musical compositions were in many forms including chamber music, symphony, grand opera and concerto, and probably the most famous was his opera The bride of Dionysus produced in Edinburgh in 1929. His literary publications include the six volumes of Essays in musical analysis (1935-1939), and A musician talks (1941). Tovey was knighted in 1935. Sir Donald Francis Tovey died on 10 July 1940.
Found in 200 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Aschberg, Aped and Crew Ltd., 05 May 1923
Letter, 5 May 1923, London, Aschberg, Aped and Crew Ltd. to Donald Tovey. Request that Tovey lend some material appropriate for an exit of Nuns in a scene written around Thomas Baccarat, for a pageant at Harrow. Typescript incomplete.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Beatrice Harrison, 12 April 1929
Letter, 12 April 1929, Surrey, B. Harrison to Donald Tovey. Thanking Tovey for sending a copy of his sonata and asking for help to play it. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Boris Hambourg, 02 January 1935
Letter, 2 January 1935, Toronto, Boris Hambourg to Donald Tovey. Congratulating Tovey on his acclaimed cello concerto and requesting a full score of the work. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Carl Deis, 13 October 1925
Letter, 13 October 1925, New York, Carl Deis to Donald Tovey. Arranging a meeting to go over Tovey's Opus 8. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Cecil Liddell, c06 March 1920
Letter, 6 March 1920, London, Cecil Liddell to Donald Tovey. Requesting that Tovey make a round out of an advertisement for Calamine soap. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Dr. Ralph Lauckner, 20 October 1922
Letter, 20 October 1922, Stuttgart, Dr. Ralph Lauckner to Donald Tovey. Discussing a German publisher for Tovey's ' Euryanthe' and performances of the work in New York and Prague. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Dr. Ralph Lauckner, 23 November 1922
Letter, 23 November 1922, Stuttgart, Dr. Ralph Lauckner to Donald Tovey. Asking Tovey to make alterations to piano scores and translate words, expressing an interest in the work of Passer, Swoboda and Pollack. Typescript, signed in red pencil.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from E. Dohnanyi - Salapes, 02 February 1935
Letter, 2 February 1935, Budapest, E. Dohnanyi-Salapes to Donald Tovey. Informing Tovey of the first performance of a work by Dohnanyi, asking Tovey for help with the translation and marketing of the work in the United Kingdom. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Edward Hilliard, 27 October 1906
Letter, 27 October 1906, Oxford, Edward Hilliard to Donald Tovey. Informing Tovey of a benefactor who wishes to offer Tovey £900 to give Tovey more time for composition and original work. Typescript copy.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Elizabeth Trevelyan, c 26 February 1930
Letter, 26 February [n.y], Stratford on Avon, Elizabeth Trevelyan to Donald Tovey. Wishing Tovey well, requesting an analytical programme of Tovey's symphony, and expressing an eagerness to hear Tovey's symphony. Holograph signed.