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 5 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Dr Mary Gardner Grierson from Geoffrey Fenwick Jocelyn Cumberlege, 12 March 1952
Letter, 12 March 1952, London, Geoffrey Cumberlege to Mary Grierson. Recept for a cheque for the publication of her biography of Tovey. Typescript signed, with receipts, [2]p. 22 x 22cm, and a review list, 22 x 18cm.
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 Albert Schweitzer, 06 November 1938
Letter, 6 November 1938, London, Albert Schweitzer to Donald Tovey. Reminiscing over times spent with the Tovey's in Edinburgh and discussing the publication of Schweitzer's book, 'African Stories'. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from William Strecker, 30 January 1912
Letter, 30 January 1912, London, William Strecker to Sophie Weisse. Advising Miss. Weisse to inform Tovey that she is paying for his works to be published, discussing copyright fee and explaining that the Tovey's works were published because of their artistic merit rather than a business point of view. Typescript signed.