Full score and orchestral parts for Cello Concerto in C maj Opus 40 by Donald Francis Tovey

Donald Francis Tovey was born at Eton on 17 July 1875. He was educated privately by the music and general teacher Miss Sophie Weisse (1851-1945), and later on 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. 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 analysi's (1935-1939), and 'A musician talks' (1941). Tovey was knighted in 1935. Sir Donald Francis Tovey died on 10 July 1940.

Pablo (Pau) Casals was born in El Vendrell, Catalonia, on 29 December 1876. He would become a cellist and conductor, and is generally regarded as the pre-eminent cellist of the first half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest cellists of all time. He made many recordings throughout his career, of solo, chamber, and orchestral music, also as conductor, but he is perhaps best remembered for the recordings of the Bach Cello Suites he made from 1936 to 1939. Casals was an ardent supporter of the Spanish Republican government, and after its defeat vowed not to return to Spain until democracy was restored. Casals performed at the Gran Teatre del Liceu on 19 October 1938, possibly his last performance in Catalonia before his exile. He died in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on 22 October 1973, and was buried at the Puerto Rico National Cemetery. In 1979 his remains were interred in his hometown of El Vendrell, Catalonia.