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 14 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Mary Gardner Grierson from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1933
Letter, January 1933, Suffolk, Donald Tovey to Mary Grierson. Points of orchestration for piece by Dvorak. Holograph signed.
Letter to Mary Gardner Grierson from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 06 June 1936
Letter, 6 June 1936, London, Donald Tovey to Mary Grierson. Requesting scores. Holograph signed.
Letter to Mary Gardner Grierson from Sir Donald Franics Tovey, c1900
Letter, [n.d], Edinburgh, Donald Tovey to Mary Grierson. Note informing of Tovey's finding an oboe part. 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 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 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.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Ernest Walker, c 11 April 1916
Letter, 11 April [n.y], Oxford, Ernest Walker to Donald Tovey. Thanking Tovey for a letter on variations and a discussion of orchestration. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Keith [Faeker], 06 March 1931
Letter, 6 March 1931, Edinburgh, Keith [Faeker] to Donald Tovey. Thanking Tovey for sending a note of encouragement before a performance and praising Tovey's arrangements. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Pablo Casals, 25 January 1937
Letter, 25 January 1937, Pablo Casals to Donald Tovey. Note concerning the fingering, and bow strokes for Tovey's concerto. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Unknown, c1898
Letter, [1898], Hampshire, Unknown to Donald Tovey. Asking Tovey to put a poem, about a farewell at a station, to music. Holograph incomplete.