The papers include a wide range of material ranging from notes and drafts of lectures to accounts and administrative material, drafts of broadcasts to photographs and diaries, and cuttings and reviews. There is also correspondence between Tovey and Weisse, Tovey and Joachim, and Tovey and Speyer. There are also other miscellaneous papers and material.
Alongside Tovey's own papers are those of his biographer Mary Grierson, who appears to have added to the original collection while using it for her research. There are also records of the Reid Orchestra continuing beyond Tovey's period into to that of Sidney Newman, who succeeded Tovey as Reid Professor.
Some material in the collection may have been added by staff within the Reid Muic Library and/or Faculty.