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 81 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Robert Calverley Trevelyan, 03 October 1910
Letter, 3 October 1910, Surrey, Robert Trevelyan to Donald Tovey. Notes on the script for ' The Bride of Dionysus'. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Robert Calverley Trevelyan, 20 October 1910
Letter, 20 October 1910, Surrey, Robert Trevelyan to Donald Tovey. Discussion and plans for the opening of Act III of ' The Bride of Dionysus'. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Robert Calverley Trevelyan, 18 December 1910
Letter, 18 December 1910, Morpeth, Robert Trevelyan to Donald Tovey. Ideas for the end of Ariadne, in ' The Bride of Dionysus'. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Robert Calverley Trevelyan, 18 January 1910
Letter, 18 January 1910, Surrey, Robert Trevelyan to Donald Tovey. Outlining in detail Trevelyan's plans for Act III of 'The Bride of Dionysus'. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sir Hugh Allen, 01 February 1932
Letter, 1 February 1932, London, Hugh Allen to Doald Tovey. Detailed discussion of performing The Bride of Dionysus in London. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sir Isidor George Henschel, c1930
Letter, [n.d], London, George Henschel to Donald Tovey. Notes on Tovey's work. Holograph signed, incomplete.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sir Thomas Beecham, 06 December 1918
Letter, 6 December 1918, London, Thomas Beecham to Donald Tovey. Expressing regret that Beecham was unable to visit Edinburgh and meet Tovey and enquiries about Tovey's opera. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from T. Ranken, 30 April 1929
Letter, 30 April 1929, Edinburgh, T. Ranken to Donald Tovey. Congratulating Tovey on his opera. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Unknown, 28 April 1932
Letter, 28 April 1932, Dulverton, Unknown to Donald Tovey. Expressing regret that the author is not at the performance of the opera and asking Tovey as a favour to perform a concert with a friend who is in financial trouble. Holograph incomplete.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Walter Schlapp, 24 April 1929
Letter, 24 April 1929, Walter Schlapp to Donald Tovey. Congratulating Tovey on the performance of the Bride of Dionysus. Holograph signed.