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 2127 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Margaret Warre Cornish, 24 May 1930
Letter, 24 May 1930, London, Margaret Warre Cornish to Donald Tovey. Praising Tovey's performance of Beethoven. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Margaret Whitehouse, c1920
Letter, [n.y], London, Hampstead, Margaret Whitehouse to Donald Tovey. Thanking Tovey for giving a speech at the Liverpool institute. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Margo Denecke, 08 August 1922
Letter, 8 August 1922, Switzerland, Denecke to Donald Tovey. Greetings from Switzerland and news of the Denecke family. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Maria Levinskaya, 02 March 1930
Letter, 2 March 1930, London, Maria Levinskaya to Donald Tovey. Asking Tovey to accept a copy of Levinskaya's book, and a description of the work. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Marion Gill, c11 December 1920
Letter, 11 December 1920 [n.y], Edinburgh, Marion Gill to Donald Tovey. Requesting that a performance of a Schumann quintet be repeated. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Marion Ranken, c 29 April 1929
Letter, 29 April [n.y], Edinburgh, Marion Ranken to Donald Tovey. Congratulating Tovey on a performance. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Marshall, 18 November 1924
Letter, 18 November 1924, Edinburgh, Marshall to Donald Tovey. Confirming the date for Tovey's broadcast on 'The Genius of Mozart' and the fee. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Martin Allerman, 06 February 1925
Letter, 6 February 1925, Martin Allerman to Donald Tovey. Thanking Tovey for a correspondence and requesting that he set some words to music. Holograph signed, written on the back of typed words to ' Song of the Rhodian children', and ' Hail, hail to the swallow'.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Mary A. Weisse, c1920
Letter, [n.d], Edinburgh, Mary A. Weisse to Donald Tovey. Enclosing a letter from Miss. Weisse, and news of Mary Weisse's insomnia. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Mary Dalhouse, c1934
Letter, 1934, Brechin, Mary Dalhouse to Donald Tovey. Thanking Tovey for information he has supplied on music manuscripts. Holograph signed.