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 7 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Alberic Wynberg, 15 May 1933
Letter, 15 May 1933, Alberic Wynberg to Donald Tovey. Thanking Tovey for a gracious analysis of Wynberg's work and a description of the work. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Ernest Walker, 15 October 1924
Letter, 15 October 1924, Oxford, Ernest Walker to Donald Tovey. Discussing a book on Schubert, and asking Tovey to consider Walker's work on Schubert. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Max Hesse's Verlag, 20 October 1924
Letter, 20 October 1924, Berlin, Max Hesses Verlag to Donald Tovey. Discussing Tovey's translation of the 'History of violin playing' into English and Tovey's entry in Riemann's Lexicon. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sir James Steuart Wilson, 02 July 1930
Letter, 2 July 1930, London, Steuart Wilson to Donald Tovey. Explaining Wilson's critical article on Tovey's work as 'journalistic'. Holograph signed.
Letter to [ Sir Donald Francis Tovey] from The Hispanic Society of America, 27 June 1922
Letter, 27 June 1922, London, The Hispanic Society of America to [ Donald Tovey]. Requesting a copy of Tovey's analysis of The Goldberg Variations. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Unknown, 26 May 1932
Letter, 26 May 1932, Berlin, Unknown to Donald Tovey. Praising Tovey's ' Art of Fugue', and comparing it to work by Riemann and Graeser. Holograph incomplete.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from W. M. Tso, 06 March 1939
Letter, 6 March 1939, Hong Kong, W. M. Tso to Donald Tovey. Asking Tovey to recommend books on the great composers, harmony and composition. Holograph signed.