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 Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1889
Letter, [1889], Windsor, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Donald and his family and a discussion of a string quartet movement. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 22 May 1889
Letter, 22 May 1889, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of a tennis party at Mrs. Sackville West's house. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 12 October 1889
Letter, 12 October 1889, Cambridge, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of a visit to Leeds and a concert attended there. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 25 October 1889
Letter, 25 October 1889, Windsor, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Details of a visit to Leeds with a Mr. and Mrs. Newall and of the concerts they saw there. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 12 January 1891
Letter, 12 January 1891, London Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of a concert at The Royal Albert Hall, and a ` drawing room performance' Tovey gave.. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 01 November 1892
Letter, [November 1892], Windsor, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Covering note for some of Tovey's compositions, including a violin quartet. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 25 December 1892
Letter, 25 December 1892, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Christmas greetings. Holograph signed, annotations in pencil by Miss Weisse at the end of the letter.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1892
Letter, [n.d], [Surrey], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. List of musical works owned by Tovey and those he would like to acquire. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1892
Letter, [n.d], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Requesting musical scores to aid the completion of Tovey's own quartet. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 08 November 1897
Letter, 8 November 1897, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey's progress at Balliol, and his boredom with studying the classics. Holograph signed, with duplicate typescript copy, [2]p. 26 x 21cm.