A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Edinburgh Professorship of Music

by George Grove

EDINBURGH PROFESSORSHIP OF MUSIC. Founded by General John Reid, who died in 1807, leaving funds in the hands of trustees for various purposes, amongst others for endowing a chair of music in the University, and founding a concert to be given annually on his birthday, Feb. 13, in which a march and minuet of his composition should be included 'to show the taste for music about the middle of the hist century, and to keep his name in remembrance.' The Professorship was founded in Dec. 1839, and Mr. John Thomson was the first professor. He was succeeded in 1841 by Sir H. R. Bishop; in 1844 by Henry Hugo Pierson; in 1845 by ^[1]John Donaldson: and in 1865 by Herbert (now Sir Herbert) S. Oakeley. The portion of the Reid bequest set apart for musical purposes is £28,500, the annual revenue from which is divided as follows:—professor, £420; assistant, £200; class expenses, £100; expenses of the Concert, £300. A sum of £3,000 was bequeathed in 1871 by Signor Theophile Bucher to be applied to bursaries or scholarships; but this will not come into operation till the death of an annuitant. The class fee for the session is 3 guineas. The duties of the professor consist in lectures and organ performances on an organ built by Hill of London at the instance ol Professor Donaldson, and placed in the Class Rooms at Park Place, which were constructed at a cost of £10,000, including the organ. The Concert takes place at the Music Hall.

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1. There was a severe contest for the Chair on this occasion; and Sterndale Bennett was among the candidates. Besides the organ mentioned in the text Professor Donaldson furnished the lecture-room with some excellent acoustical apparatus.