Skip to main content

Tovey, Sir Donald Francis, 1875-1940 (Reid Professor of Music, University of Edinburgh)

 Person

Staff Only

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 Hubert James Foss from S. Hillckson, 02 January 1946

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2222
Scope and Contents

Letter, 2 January 1946, London, S. Hillckson to Hubert Foss. Discussing Hillckson's memories of Tovey and arranging a meeting. Holograph signed.

Dates: 02 January 1946
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Letter to Hubert James Foss from Sir Denys de Saumarez Bray, 24 August 1941

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2048
Scope and Contents

Letter, 24 August 1941, Winchester, Denys Bray to Hubert Foss. Memories of Tovey. Holograph signed.

Dates: 24 August 1941
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Letter to Hubert James Foss from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 25 February 1927

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L70
Scope and Contents

Letter, 25 February 1927, Edinburgh, Donald Tovey to Hubert Foss. Request to edit work. Holograph signed.

Dates: 25 February 1927
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Letter to Hubert James Foss from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1900

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L71
Scope and Contents

Letter, [c1900], Edinburgh, Sir Donald Francis Tovey to Hubert James Foss. Suggesting Oxford University Press undertake an edition of Bach's ' Kunst der Fugue '. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1900
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Letter to [Hubert James Foss] from Sir William Rothenstein, 18 January 1942

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2440
Scope and Contents

Letter, 18 January 1942, William Rothenstein to [Hubert Foss]. Reminiscences of Tovey and informing Foss that Rothenstein made two drawings of Tovey. Holograph signed.

Dates: 18 January 1942
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Letter to Hubert James Foss from Sophie Weisse, c 01 August 1941

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2756
Scope and Contents

Letter, August [n.y], Edinburgh, Sophie Weisse to Hubert Foss. Informing Foss that Tovey was a remarkable astronomer, and suggesting he died because of loss of feeling in his fingertips. Holograph signed.

Dates: c 01 August 1941
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Letter to Hubert James Foss from Sophie Weisse, 01 October 1941

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2574
Scope and Contents

Letter, 1 October 1941, Edinburgh, Sophie Weisse to Hubert Foss. Commenting on an article written by Foss on Tovey, and reminiscing. Holograph signed.

Dates: 01 October 1941
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Letter to Hubert James Foss from Sophie Weisse, 01 October 1941

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2575
Scope and Contents

Letter, 8 September 1941, Edinburgh, Sophie Weisse to Hubert Foss. Correcting a point in Foss's article on Tovey, concerning Bosendorfer piano's. Holograph signed.

Dates: 01 October 1941
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Letter to Hubert James Foss from Sophie Weisse, c1940

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2577
Scope and Contents

Letter, [n.d], Surrey, Sophie Weisse to Hubert Foss. Informing Foss that Miss. Weisse will attempt to work on his dissertation, but explaining that Miss. Weisse is quite helpless now. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1940
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Letter to Hubert James Foss from Sophie Weisse, c1941

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2578
Scope and Contents

Letter, [n.d], Surrey, Sophie Weisse to Hubert Foss. Inviting Foss to visit Weisse, and expressing a desire to go to Worplesdon and visit Tovey's grave. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1941
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence