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 93 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 17 July 1893
Letter, 17 July 1893, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Notifying Miss. Weisse of Tovey's time of arrival. Photocopy of Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 17 July 1893
Letter, 17 July 1893, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Informing Miss Weisse of Tovey's time of arrival. Typescript copy.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 01 August 1893
Letter, 1 August 1893, Suffolk, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Details of Tovey's visit to Lowestoft. Typescript copy.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 20 July 1895
Letter, 20 July 1895, Lairg, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of Tovey's tour of Scotland. Holograph signed, with stamped envelope.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 30 July 1897
Letter, 30 July 1897, Bonn, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of Tovey's tour of Bonn, including Beethoven's house. Typescript copy.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 01 August 1897
Letter, 1 August 1897, Bayreuth, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of journey to Bayreuth, and problems of language difference. Holograph signed, with two duplicate typescript copies, 26 x 20cm.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 01 August 1897
Letter, 3 August 1897, Maintz, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of journey to Bayreuth via the Rhine. Typescript copy.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 15 June 1898
Letter, 15 June 1898, Oxford Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Informing Miss. Weisse of a trip to Liverpool to visit V. M. Coutts Trotter. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 03 August 1900
Letter, 3 August 1900, Biggar, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Note of Tovey's visit to Biggar. Typescript copy.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 12 December 1900
Letter, 12 December 1900, Austria, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey's trip. Holograph signed in pencil.