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

Person

Staff Only

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 692 Collections and/or Records:

Postcard to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 08 August 1921

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1901

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 8 August 1921, Bad Nauheim, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Expressing Miss. Weisse's belief in Tovey's work in Edinburgh. Holograph signed, stamped, date from postmark.

Dates: 08 August 1921

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Postcard to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 02 August 1921

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1902

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 2 August 1921, Bern, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Travel plans for Tovey to get to Zurich from Stuttgart. Holograph signed, date as postmark.

Dates: 02 August 1921

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Postcard to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 18 September 1922

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1909

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 18 September 1922, Karlsruhle Baden , Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. News of Miss. Weisse's travel plans. Holograph signed, On a colour postcard of Bad Nauheim.

Dates: 18 September 1922

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Postcard to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 28 February 1923

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1910

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 28 February 1923, Edinburgh, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Informing Tovey that Miss. Weisse is not well enough to go to a rectorial address, but will attend a luncheon . Holograph signed.

Dates: 28 February 1923

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Postcard to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 13 December 1923

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1915

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 13 December 1923, Edinburgh, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Inviting Tovey to sort out pictures at George Square. Holograph signed.

Dates: 13 December 1923

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Postcard to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, c1900

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1930

Scope and Contents

Postcard, [n.d], Surrey, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Asking Tovey if anything is wrong, after Mr. Forbes has suggested Tovey is working too hard. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1900

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Alexandra [Keuchell], 18 January 1909

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2758

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 18 January 1909, Charlottenburg, Alexandra [Keuchell] to Sophie Weisse. Inviting Miss. Weisse to visit. Holograph signed.

Dates: 18 January 1909

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1893

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2682

Scope and Contents

Postcard, [1893], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Informing Miss. Weisse that Tovey has arrived safely, and news of Eugenie Schumann. Photocopy of Holograph signed.

Dates: c1893

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 12 May 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2683

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 12 May 1895, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Indicating the timing of several works and informing Miss. Weisse that Brahms has accepted honorary membership of the musical club. Photocopy of Holograph signed.

Dates: 12 May 1895

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2689

Scope and Contents

Postcard, [n.d], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. List of items of clothing Tovey has, and informing Miss. Weisse that he is taking Chopin preludes as a substitute for another work. Photocopy of Holograph signed.

Dates: c1895

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

University of Edinburgh Archive and Manuscript Collections

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

Dates

Biography

Found in 692 Collections and/or Records:

Postcard to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 08 August 1921

Postcard to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 02 August 1921

Postcard to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 18 September 1922

Postcard to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 28 February 1923

Postcard to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 13 December 1923

Postcard to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, c1900

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Alexandra [Keuchell], 18 January 1909

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1893

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 12 May 1895

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1895

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