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:

The Tovey Collection

Fonds

Identifier: Coll-411

Scope and Contents 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...

Dates: Majority of material found within 1887-1977

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections

Three letters signed from Sophie Weisse to Louis Fleury, 5 June, 28 June, 13 July 1910

File — Box CLX-A-1702

Identifier: Coll-1848/21-0018

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of three letters, in French, from the Scottish music teacher, Sophie Weisse (1852-1945) to the French flautist Louis Fleury (1878-1926). Composed in June-July 1910 in Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. The letters discuss concert plans, including a performance by Weisse’s close friend and protegé, Donald Tovey. One letter mentions Tovey’s great admiration of Fleury’s playing.

Dates: 5 June, 28 June, 13 July 1910

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Smaller acquisitions collection

University of Edinburgh Archive and Manuscript Collections