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Weisse, Sophie, 1852-1945 (Scottish music teacher)

 Person

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 10 Collections and/or Records:

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1895

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2678
Scope and Contents

Letter, 1895, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for sending presents, details of a concert given by Paderewski, criticising a piano, Tovey's studying plans, and other news. Photocopy of Holograph signed.

Dates: c1895

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1897

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2736
Scope and Contents

Letter, 1897, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Explaining a misunderstanding between Miss. Weisse and Tovey's father, and suggesting that they both can play a part in developing Tovey's reading skills. Typescript copy.

Dates: c1897

letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1895

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L434
Scope and Contents

letter, [1895], Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Details of life at Balliol college, Oxford. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1895

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 04 July 1897

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L460
Scope and Contents

Letter, 4 July 1897, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Discussing essays in Roman history, a forthcoming concert, informing of an invitation to Bayreuth by Maurice Baring. Holograph signed, With duplicate typescript copy, 26 x 21cm.

Dates: 04 July 1897

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 17 October 1897

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L473
Scope and Contents

Letter, 17 October 1897, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of the start of term at Balliol, and plan to donate a copy of 'The Handel society's ed. of "The ways of Zion do mourn" to the Oxford musical club. Holograph signed, with a duplicate typescript copy, [2]p. 25 x 20cm.

Dates: 17 October 1897

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 20 October 1897

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L475
Scope and Contents

Letter, 20 October 1897, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Birthday greetings, and description of Tovey's studies. Holograph signed, with duplicate typescript copy, incomplete, [1]p. 26 x 20cm.

Dates: 20 October 1897

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 27 March 1898

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L488
Scope and Contents

Letter, 27 March 1898, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Notes on academic progress and thanking Miss. Weisse for an invitation. Holograph signed, with typescript copy, [2]p. 25 x 20cm..

Dates: 27 March 1898

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 14 June 1898

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L500
Scope and Contents

Letter, 14 June 1898, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey's progress at Oxford and news of his contemporaries. Typescript copy of L501.

Dates: 14 June 1898

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 14 June 1898

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L501
Scope and Contents

Letter, 14 June 1898, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey's progress at Oxford and news of his contemporaries. Holograph signed.

Dates: 14 June 1898

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 14 October 1895

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/l420
Scope and Contents

Postcard, 14 October 1895, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of life at Oxford. Holograph signed.

Dates: 14 October 1895

Filtered By

  • Subject: Oxford Oxfordshire England X
  • Subject: Social Interaction X
  • Subject: Instruction and Study X

Additional filters:

Subject
Concert Programs 2
Musical Criticism 1
Societies and Clubs 1
Surrey (England) 1