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 20 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Arthur Melville Clark from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 01 July 1936
Letter, 1 July 1936, London, Sir Donald Francis Tovey to Arthur Melville Clark. Describing the type of article that will be produced. Transcript.
Letter to Hubert James Foss from Jonathan Reeves, 29 January 1942
Letter, 29 January 1942, London, Jonathan Reeves to Hubert Foss. Informing Foss of correspondence between Sir Hugh Allen and Tovey, the untidiness of his manuscripts, his work on Beethoven and Brahms and memories of the young Tovey with Miss. Weisse. Typescript signed.
Letter to Jean Kennedy from H. A. Scott, 20 July 1939
Letter, 20 July 1939, London, H. A. Scott to Jean Kennedy. Hoping that Tovey recovers soon and enclosing a schedule of latest dates articles for the Encyclopaedia Brittanica may be received. Typescript signed.
Letter to Messrs. Paterson from The Hispanic Society of America, 11 April 1922
Letter, 11 April 1922, London, The Hispanic Society of America to Messrs. Paterson, Sons & Co.. Requesting a copy of Tovey's ' Beethoven's Ninth Symphony: An essay in musical analysis', and enquiring after Tovey's previous essays. Typescript.
Letter to Robert Calverley Trevelyan from Norman Peterkin, 28 November 1945
Letter, 28 November 1945, London, Norman Peterkin to Robert Trevelyan. Expressing Hubert Foss's worries about printing Tovey's essay, 'Music in German Culture', 1914, because of its views on the war and Nazism. Typescript signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Arthur Henry Fox Strangways, 16 October 1934
Letter, 16 October 1934, London, A. H. Fox Strangeways to Donald Tovey. Request that Tovey write an article about Elgar. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Arthur Henry Fox Strangways, 04 June 1925
Letter, 4 June 1925, London, A. H. Fox Strangways to Donald Tovey. Requesting Tovey's ideas on the essence of Schubert, commenting on contemporary music scholars, reminding Tovey to produce an accurate article. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Arthur Henry Fox Strangways, 13 June 1922
Letter, 13 June 1922, London, A. H. Fox Strangways to Donald Tovey. Requesting Tovey's articles on quartets, an indication of the appropriate length of the article. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Arthur Henry Fox Strangways, 19 November 1921
Letter, 19 November 1921, London, A. H. Fox Strangways to Donald Tovey. Asking that Tovey proof and return his ' excellent' article. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Arthur Henry Fox Strangways, c1920
Letter, [n.d], London, A. H. Fox Strangways to Donald Tovey. Suggesting that Tovey produce a comparative index of Haydn's quartets. Holograph signed.