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 82 Collections and/or Records:
Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 01 August 1897
Postcard, 1 August 1897, Bayreuth, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of concerts Tovey has attended in Bayreuth, discussion of Wagner's music. Holograph signed, with duplicate typescript copy, 26 x 20cm.
Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 10 October 1899
Postcard, 10 October 1899, Meiningen, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss Weisse for a bank note and describing the concerts Tovey has seen at Meiningen. Holograph signed, with black and white photographs of Eugene d' Albert, Hermine d'Albert - Fink, Dr. Felix Kraus, Adrienne Osborne, Ejnar Forchammer and Leonard Borwick.
Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 11 October 1899
Postcard, 11 October 1899, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of performance of Fidelio. Holograph signed, with black and white photograph of the Joachim Quartet.
Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 07 September 1905
Postcard, 7 September 1905, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Talk about concerts in Florence. Holograph signed.
Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 16 January 1911
Postcard, 16 January 1911, Maintz, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of the performance of acts 1 and 2. Holograph signed.
Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 12 January 1911
Postcard, 12 January 1911, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of a performance of Sprach Lavieygamp. Holograph signed.
Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1912
Postcard, [1912], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Praising a performance of the Beethoven Mass and news of his visit. Holograph signed.
Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 19 January 1916
Postcard, 19 January 1916, Amsterdam, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of a successful concert in Amsterdam and details of Tovey's travels. Holograph signed.
Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 01 November 1919
Postcard, 1 November 1919, Edinburgh, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Note of first success of first Reid concert, praising Fanny Davies performance, and Tovey's address in Birmingham. Holograph signed.
Postcard to Sophie Weisse fromSir Donald Francis Tovey, 09 October 1899
Postcard, 9 October 1899, Meiningen, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Informing Miss. Weisse of Tovey's companions and a note on Fritz Steinbach's conducting. Holograph signed, with black and white picture of Fritz Steinbach.
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