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 115 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Clara Wallace from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1890
Letter, [n.d], [London], Donald Tovey to Clara Wallace. Apologising for not visiting and accepting an invitation. Holograph signed.
Letter to Dr Mary Gardner Grierson from E. d' Arba, 06 July 1952
Letter, 6 July 1952, London, E. d' Arba to Mary Grierson. Praising Grierson's biography on Tovey and attempting to arrange a meeting. Holograph signed, with stamped envelope.
Letter to Dr Mary Gardner Grierson from Hubert James Foss, 12 February 1952
Letter, 12 February 1952, London, Hubert Foss to Mary Grierson. Praising Grierson's biography of Tovey. Holograph signed.
Letter to Dr Mary Gardner Grierson from L. Zwingli, 02 March 1952
Letter, 2 March 1952, London, L. Zwingli to Mary Grierson. Congratulating Grierson on her biography of Tovey and enclosing some articles on Tovey. Holograph signed, with stamped envelope.
Letter to Dr Mary Gardner Grierson from Roger Oliver, 04 March 1952
Letter, 4 March 1952, London, Roger Oliver to Mary Grierson. Praising Grierson's biography of Tovey and Tovey himself. Holograph signed.
Letter to Dr Mary Gardner Grierson from Sir Arthur Somervall, 05 January 1933
Letter, 5 January 1933, London, Arthur Somervall to Mary Grierson. Describing Somervall's symphony, the slow movement of which was written in memory of Scott the explorer, and asking how Tovey was. Holograph signed.
Letter to Dr Mary Gardner Grierson from Sophie Weisse, 15 June 1932
Letter, 15 June 1932, London, Sophie Weisse to Mary Grierson. Asking Grierson how Tovey is and expressing concern about his health. Holograph signed.
Letter to Dr Mary Gardner Grierson from Sophie Weisse, 01 October 1935
Letter, 1 October 1935, London, Sophie Weisse to Mary Grierson. Informing Grierson that Miss. Weisses brother is dying and asking for news of Tovey's whereabouts. Holograph signed.
Letter to Elizabeth Trevelyan from Percy Such, 11 July 1909
Letter, 11 July 1909, London, Percy Such to Elizabeth Trevelyan. Apologising for a misunderstanding caused by a letter from Miss. Weisse to Elizabeth Trevelyan and attempting to reconcile offence caused by meeting with Trevelyan. Holograph signed.
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.