Weisse, Sophie, 1852-1945 (Scottish music teacher)
Dates
- Existence: 1852 - 1945
Biography
Sophie Weisse was born in Edinburgh in 1852 to a German father and Lithuanian mother. Little is known of her early life and education. In 1892, she founded the all-girls school of Northlands in Surrey, which she ran for twenty-five years. Although Northlands was a school of general education, music was given a particularly prominent place in the curriculum, and musical celebrities were often invited to visit and perform. Weisse employed the young Donald Tovey as a pianist at the school’s concerts, which provided a launch for his career as a musician and composer. Weisse had discovered Tovey’s talent at the age of four and had managed all aspects of his education. She further supported his career by funding the publication of his works between 1903 and 1913. Weisse and Tovey maintained a lifelong relationship. When Tovey was appointed to Edinburgh University’s Reid Chair of Music in 1914, Weisse followed him to Edinburgh. As Reid Professor, Tovey bestowed on Weisse an honorary degree of Doctor of Music in 1936. Weisse died in Guildford in 1945.
Weisse was a major benefactor of the University of Edinburgh. On Tovey’s death in 1941, she gifted 18 Buccleuch Place to the University as 'The Tovey Memorial Rooms', with the intention that it be used for student study. She also gifted the University portraits of Tovey and herself by Philip de Laszlo and endowed the Tovey Memorial Prize as an annual award for the most promising undergraduate composer or performer in the Faculty of Music. Her collection of around 600 books and scores relating to Beethoven was purchased by the University in 1948.
Found in 18 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 20 February 1892
Letter, 20 February 1892, Biggar, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Advising Tovey to visit by Tuesday, news that Parry is waiting to receive work from Tovey. Typescript copy, incomplete.
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 19 February 1892
Letter, 19 February 1892, Biggar, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Advising Tovey to stay where he is as a member of Miss. Weisse's household has influenza. Typescript copy.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1900
Letter, Hartree, [n.d], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for sending Tovey a book by Danreuther on ornamentation, and a discussion of the work. Photocopy of Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 14 April 1893
Letter, 14 April 1893, Moffat, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey's writing and composing at Hartree. Photocopy of Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 04 September 1893
Letter, 4 September 1893, Biggar, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss Weisse for sending Tovey a treatise on Music by Dannreuther. Holograph signed, with stamped envelope.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 16 January 1895
Letter, 16 January 1895, Biggar, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Explaining the reason for his delay, and asking for advice from Parry via Miss Weisse. Holograph signed, with envelope.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 18 October 1898
Letter, 18 October 1898, Biggar, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Offering to escort Miss. Weisse ' down South '. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 18 October 1898
Letter, 18 October 1898, Biggar, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Offering to escort Miss. Weisse 'down South'. Typescript copy of L512.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 28 October 1898
Letter, 28 October 1898, Biggar, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Wishing ' Sister Mary ' well, and asking about Miss. Weisse's plans to return top Cambridge. Typescript copy.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 09 November 1898
Letter, 9 November 1898, Biggar, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Criticism of musical magazines and extracts. Holograph signed.
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