The Reid Professorship in Music was a position founded within the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

in 1839 using funds provided in a bequest from

General John Reid A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

History

On his death in 1807 General John Reid left a fortune of more than £50,000. Subject to the life-interest of his only daughter, who had married a Mr Robertson without his consent, he left this money to found a professorship of music in the University of Edinburgh, and to be further applied to the purchase of a library, or otherwise laid out in such a manner as the principal and professors of the university might think proper. Accordingly, in 1839, after the daughter's death, the chair of music was founded. The fund had increased by that time to about £70,000; but the university authorities largely availed themselves of the discretion given to them in the application of the money. They diverted the bulk of it from the primary object to the further uses mentioned in Reid's will, and they fixed the professor's salary at £300, the minimum which he had named.

List of professors

Nigel Osborne Nigel Osborne (born 23 June 1948) is a British composer, teacher and aid worker. He served as Reid Professor of Music at the University of Edinburgh and has also taught at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover. He is known f ...

(1989–2012) *

Kenneth Leighton Kenneth Leighton (2 October 1929 – 24 August 1988) was a British composer and pianist. His compositions include church and choral music, pieces for piano, organ, cello, oboe and other instruments, chamber music, concertos, ...

(1970–1988) *

Sidney Newman Sidney Thomas Mayow Newman, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE, Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, FRSE (4 March 1906 – 22 September 1971) was a music scholar, academic, pianist and conductor."Prof Sidney Newman", ''The Tim ...

(1941–1970) *

Donald Tovey Sir Donald Francis Tovey (17 July 187510 July 1940) was a British musical analyst, musicologist, writer on music, composer, conductor and pianist. He had been best known for his '' Essays in Musical Analysis'' and his editions of works by Bach ...

(1914–1940) *

Frederick Niecks Frederick Niecks (3 February 184524 June 1924) was a German musical scholar and author who resided in Scotland for most of his life. He is best remembered for his biographies of Frédéric Chopin and Robert Schumann. Biography Friedrich Mat ...

(1891–1914) *

Herbert Oakeley Sir Herbert Stanley Oakeley, (22 July 1830 – 26 October 1903) was an English composer, most well known for his role as Professor of Music at the University of Edinburgh. Prior to his appointment to this role in 1865 he established his reputati ...

(1865–1891) * John Donaldson (1845–1865) * Henry Bishop (1841–1843) * John Thomson (1839–1841)

References

{{ReidSchoolofMusic Professorships at the University of Edinburgh Scottish music 1839 establishments in Scotland