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 154 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 11 November 1900
Letter, 11 November 1900, Surrey, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Encouraging Tovey to practise his piano playing and develop a depth of tone and shades. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Alfred James Hipkins, 16 March 1900
Letter, 16 March 1900, London, A. J. Hipkins to Sophie Weisse. Praising a work by Tovey and agreeing to promote and support Tovey. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Antonia Speyer, 27 March 1908
Letter, 27 March 1908, Hertfordshire, Antonia Speyer to Sophie Weisse. Expressing gratitude for Miss. Weisse's kindness and Tovey's encouragement musically. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from C. Haydin Coffin, 16 December 1906
Letter, 16 December 1906, London, C. Haydin Coffin to Sophie Weisse. Accepting Miss. Weisse's kind offer of fifty pounds. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Clara Gould, 16 June 1926
Letter, 16 June 1926, California, Clara Gould to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for sending a photograph of John Tovey, informing Miss. Weisse of her travels and her continuing financial support of Tovey. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Edward Lyttelton, c 09 March 1900
Letter, 9 March [n.y], Eton, E Lyttelton to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for her letter and news that Lyttelton wishes to sing for Miss. Weisse and Tovey. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from F. Warre Cornish, 24 October 1915
Letter, 24 October 1915, Windsor, F. Warre Cornish to Sophie Weisse. News of F. W. Cornish, praising the playing of Tovey and Henschel. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Harold H. Joachim, 25 November 1908
Letter, 25 November 1908, Oxford, Harold H. Joachim to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse and Tovey their kindness, and allowing Harold Joachim to hear wonderful music. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Hilaire Belloc, 08 July 1911
Letter, 8 July 1911, Sussex, Hilaire Belloc to Sophie Weisse. Suggesting that Tovey put music to Belloc's children's verses. Typescript signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from James Higgs, 16 November 1889
Letter, 16 November 1889, London, James Higgs to Sophie Weisse. Commenting on a pupils, [Tovey's] progress. Holograph signed.
Additional filters:
- Subject
- Composition (Music) 71
- Social Interaction 43
- Performance practice (Music) 32
- London (England) 24
- Instruction and Study 21
- Music Theory 21
- Music 20
- Guildford (England) 16
- Oxford Oxfordshire England 16
- Surrey (England) 16
- Musical Criticism 13
- Music Publishing 10
- Performances 10
- Instrumentation and Orchestration 9
- Voyages and Travel 8
- Englefield Green (England) 7
- Eton (England) 7
- Edinburgh -- Scotland 5
- Hartree 5
- Concert Programs 4
- Family 4
- Music History and criticism 4
- Opera | The Bride of Dionysus 4
- Academic Writing 3
- Haslemere 3
- Lippe (Germany) 3
- Professional Interaction 3
- Worplesdon (England) 3
- Arran Buteshire Scotland 2
- Bad Nauheim (Germany) 2
- Berlin (Germany) 2
- Biggar (Scotland) 2
- Book Reviews 2
- Cambridge (England) 2
- England -- Surrey -- Holmbury St Mary 2
- Ill Health 2
- Littlehampton (England) 2
- Manuscript Preparation (Authorship) 2
- Music patronage 2
- Oban Kilmore and Kilbride (parish) Argyllshire Scotland 2
- Paris (France) 2
- Windsor (Berkshire, England) 2
- Wokingham (England) 2
- Aachen (Germany) 1
- Biography 1
- Chamber Orchestra 1
- Choral Music 1
- Copyright -- Royalties 1
- Correspondence 1
- Dorking (England) 1
- Du¨sseldorf (Germany) 1
- Examinations 1
- Finance, Personal 1
- Gifts 1
- Horsham (West Sussex, England) 1
- Liverpool Merseyside England 1
- Marlow (Buckinghamshire, England) 1
- Moffat (Scotland) 1
- Music festivals 1
- Music | 20th century 1
- Musicians 1
- Piano 1
- Poetry 1
- Professional Recognition 1
- Publications 1
- Santa Barbara (California, United States) 1
- Scotland -- Argyllshire -- Morvern 1
- Scotland -- Inverness-shire -- Isle of Skye -- Portree 1
- Shenley (England) 1
- Singing--Instruction and study 1
- Translations 1
- Wixenford 1
- women musicians 1 + ∧ less