John Donaldson (music scholar)

John Donaldson (born 5 January 1789; died 12 August 1865) was a music scholar and educator from England.[1]

His father, John, was a well-known organ builder who worked in Newcastle and York. As a young man, he lived in Glasgow, where, after visiting Dublin to study J.B. Logier's teaching methods, he created a Logierian academy and a music warehouse in 1816. By the 1820s, he had qualified as an advocate and had discontinued teaching. Despite this, he was well-regarded as a pianist, and in 1822 he published a Sonata in G minor, which he dedicated to Clementi (1822), and he was fascinated by the science of acoustics.

According to The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, he initially expressed interest in the Reid Professorship of Music at the University of Edinburgh in 1838; according to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, he first applied for the position in 1841. He was eventually assigned to it in 1845, with the goal of revolutionising music education at the institution. He bought a big collection of scientific equipment and tools, started a lecture series, and conducted acoustic experiments. However, this was not without opposition from the trustees of Reid's bequest; he spent five years in court fighting for more allocations to fund teaching, equipment, and building space. He was successful, and the institution was forced to pay for a music room, which became the Reid School of Music. His health weakened as a result of the stress of the court processes, and he died in 1865.[2]

Instrument Collection

John Donaldson founded the musical instrument collection at the University of Edinburgh, some of which is on display at St Cecilia’s Hall. The instruments he collected include:

Buccin Trombone

Buccin Trombone [3]

Trombones with dragon's-head bells were popular in early-nineteenth-century bands in France, Belgium, and Italy.

Mute Violin

Mute Violin [4]

A full-sized violin in dimensions and outline, but lacking a soundboard and back, allowing the player to practise without disturbing others.

Tayaw (Box Fiddle) [5]

This intricately carved instrument is similar in shape to a violin, but is played vertically, like many other string instruments found throughout Asia. Possibly the ‘Indian violin’ purchased by Professor John Donaldson This intricately carved instrument resembles a violin in shape but is played vertically, as are many other string instruments found throughout Asia. This 'Indian violin' bought by Professor John Donaldson.

Side Drum [6]

The tension of the head is controlled by a single T-shaped handle that turns a metal shaft with two screw threads in opposite directions. These pull evenly on the rope, which tensions the skin via the various pulleys. Professor John Donaldson commissioned it for musical and acoustical teaching and research.

Kit [7]

A boat shaped instrument, made to fit into a player's pocket when not being used.

Picco Pipe [8]

This instrument, as was typical, there are two finger-holes and one thumbhole. Produce typical sound of the duct flutes.

Viola [9]

A small-bodied viola. The string length of this instrument is virtually identical to that of the modern violin, although the body is of noticeably bigger dimensions. This instrument is an ‘alto’ rather than a ‘tenor’ violin, more suited for higher viola parts. One of the first instruments bought by Professor John Donaldson.

Violin Without Sides [10]

The violin as we know it today originated in Italy in the mid-16th century. Makers continued to experiment with various shapes and structures until the end of the century. These two instruments have a different shape than a modern violin and no ribs, which are the sides that normally separate the front from the back. The front and back join at the edges like a clamshell here. This instrument, unlike the open-bodied mute violin, has a soundboard and a back but no ribs.

Euphonicon [11]

This instrument resembles a harp, but the exposed strings were never played with fingers. It is a type of upright piano that resembles a harp by not concealing its strings behind a wood case.

Yueqin (Moon Lute)

Yueqin (`Moon Lute') [12]

The moon guitar, also known as the yuequin or yue quin, is a traditional Chinese string instrument. The yue quin is a silk-stringed lute that was invented in China during the Jin Dynasty.

Hurdy Gurdy [13]

The hurdy gurdy is operated by turning the large wheel with the right hand and stopping the string with the keys by the left hand. It has much in common with the bagpipe, both employing drones, which increase the sonority available to a solo player but restrict the ability to play in different keys.

Paiban (Wooden Clappers) [14]

These clappers are used to provide background rhythms to traditional Chinese storytellers as they recite poetry and stories. Although this is an old tradition, the effect is strikingly like today’s rap.

Orchestral Horn [15]

This horn is playable as both a natural and valved instrument as the valves are on a removable section of tubing: a more chromatic piece of music would be played using the valves, but if the piece called mainly for the natural harmonics, the valves could be removed. Such ‘convertible’ horns were used both orchestrally and in bands, including the first brass bands of the 1830s and 1840s.

Ḍholak Or Ḍholkī (Drum) [16]

This drum is an indispensable component of south Indian Carnatic classical performance. In these performances, the drummer plays very intricate patterns to accompany vocalists and instrumental players.

Tabla Or Dāyā̃ ("Right"-Hand Drum Of A Tabla Set) [17]

Possibly purchased by Professor John Donaldson for the Music Classroom Museum in the mid-19th century.

Apparatus

John Donaldson and his assistant John Dalgleish worked hard at developing a wide range of teaching aids and apparatus, some of which are still in use today.[1]

Savart's Wheel[18]

Savart's Wheel, an arrangement in which a giant hand-cranked wheel drives smaller cog wheels at high speed to show the generation of sounds at specific frequencies.

John Donaldson’s Four organ pipes[19]

Standing waves are commonly associated with the German physicist August Kundt, but his description of his experiment was not published until 1866, a year after Donaldson's death. According to clear evidence, Donaldson was using his equipment ten years before Kundt's publication.

Donaldson’s Apparatus for Demonstrating String Pitch[20]

One of the pieces that has survived (albeit in a damaged state) is a piece of equipment used to demonstrate how string tension and weight impact pitch. We have a copy of a letter from Donaldson to a Dr Bell in 1850, outlining these variables in detail and certainly having used such a demonstration machine for the purpose, which dates from the destitute years before the lawsuit.

References
  1. Parks, R (2003). John Donaldson and Reid Concert Hall. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments. pp. 1–2. ISBN 0907635474.
  2. Field, Christopher D.S. (2001). "Donaldson, John". Grove Music Online. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.47526. ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  3. ""Buccin trombone, nominal pitch: B♭"". collections.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  4. ""Mute violin"". collections.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  5. ""Tayaw (Box fiddle)"". collections.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  6. ""Side drum"". collections.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  7. ""Kit"". collections.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  8. ""Picco pipe, nominal pitch: C"". collections.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  9. ""Viola."". collections.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  10. ""Violin without sides"". collections.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  11. ""Euphonicon (upright piano)"". collections.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  12. ""Yueqin ('Moon lute')"". collections.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  13. ""Hurdy gurdy"". collections.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  14. ""Paiban (Wooden clappers)"". collections.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  15. ""Orchestral horn"". collections.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  16. ""Ḍholak or Ḍholkī (drum)"". collections.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  17. ""Tabla or dāyā̃ ("right"-hand drum of a tabla set)"". collections.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  18. "Donaldson, John (1789/90–1865), composer and musicologist". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/7801. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 2022-03-23. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  19. "Donaldson, John (1789/90–1865), composer and musicologist". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/7801. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 2022-03-23. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  20. "Donaldson, John (1789/90–1865), composer and musicologist". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/7801. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 2022-03-23. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

Further reading
  • C. D. S. Field, "John Donaldson and the teaching of acoustics at the University of Edinburgh in the mid-nineteenth century", Proceedings of the Institute of Acoustics, vol. 19, no. 5 (1997), pp. 509–520.
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