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 9 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Edward Joseph Dent from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 14 November 1931
Letter, 14 November 1931, Edinburgh, Sir Donald Francis Tovey to Edward Joseph Dent. Description of Tovey's ideas of university musical education, comparison of Edinburgh degrees with that of Oxford and Cambridge. Typescript copy.
Letter to Geoffrey Cotsell from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1931
Letter, [1931], Edinburgh, Sir Donald Francis Tovey to Geoffrey Cotsell. Advice on passing a sight reading examination. Ms. transcript by Hubert Foss, with covering letter from Geoffrey Cotsell.
Letter to Mary Gardner Grierson from Sir Donald Franics Tovey, c1900
Letter, [n.d], Edinburgh, Donald Tovey to Mary Grierson. Requesting that Grierson illustrate Tovey's analysis lecture on the piano. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Elizabeth Pickerly, 28 May 1921
Letter, 28 May 1921, Edinburgh, Elizabeth Pickerly to Donald Tovey. Asking if one of Tovey's pupils could teach Pickerly and her brother music theory. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from F. W. Deas, 16 January 1927
Letter, 16 January 1927, Edinburgh, F. W. Deas to Donald Tovey. Questioning Tovey on the balance of tone between piano and strings in the time of Haydn and how accurately is the sound the classical masters created emulated. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from L. M. Prentis, 26 March 1934
Letter, 26 March 1934, Edinburgh, L. M. Prentis to Donald Tovey. From the guardian of a student of music at the University of Edinburgh criticising the teaching in harmony and suggesting the student would had been better studying at The Royal Academy of Music. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Mathew Shirlaw, 21 March 1923
Letter, 21 March 1923, Edinburgh, M. Shirlaw to Donald Tovey. Asking Tovey's opinion on Bailment's book on counterpoint. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from William Paterson Paterson, 09 December 1937
Letter, 9 December 1937, Edinburgh, W. P. Paterson to Donald Tovey. Thanking Tovey for giving Paterson a copy of ' Essays in Musical Analysis, vol V '. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 07 June 1924
Letter, 7 June 1924, Liverpool, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of the Reid orchestra and details of the arts course in music at Edinburgh University. Holograph signed.