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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 22 Collections and/or Records:

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, c1890

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2383
Scope and Contents

Letter, [n.d], London, Hubert Parry to Sophie Weisse. Explaining that Parry is unable to give Tovey lessons, and informing Miss. Weisse that Tovey does not need extra lessons anyway as he has natural talent. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1890
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 01 December 1894

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L375
Scope and Contents

Letter, 1 December 1894, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Discussion of Tovey's progress in classical scholarship, and his anxiety over balancing music scholarship and classical scholarship. Holograph signed.

Dates: 01 December 1894
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 24 February 1897

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L449
Scope and Contents

Letter, 24 February 1897, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Anxiety over the pressures of Oxford life and doubting his skills of composition. Typescript copy.

Dates: 24 February 1897
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

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

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L494
Scope and Contents

Letter, 14 May 1898, Littlehampton, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey's progress at Oxford and details of a bad copy of a quintet by Tovey. Typescript copy of L495.

Dates: 14 May 1898
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

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

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L495
Scope and Contents

Letter, 14 May 1898, Littlehampton, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey's progress at Oxford and details of a bad copy of a quintet by Tovey. Holograph incomplete.

Dates: 14 May 1898
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1899

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L527
Scope and Contents

Letter, [1899], London, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of study at the British Library, piano fingering technique and programme notes. Holograph signed, with annotations in pencil on first leaf.

Dates: c1899
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 07 June 1924

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L679
Scope and Contents

Letter, 7 June 1924, Liverpool, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of the Reid orchestra and details of the arts course in music at Edinburgh University. Holograph signed.

Dates: 07 June 1924
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Unknown, c1896

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2759
Scope and Contents

Letter, [1896], Berkshire, Unknown to Sophie Weisse. Discussion of what songs to use to illustrate a lecture, suggesting the aria from Jephtha. Typescript copy incomplete.

Dates: c1896
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Note to Sophie Weisse from James Higgs, 01 June 1891

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2220
Scope and Contents

Note, 1 June 1891, James Higgs To Sophie Weisse. Requesting that Miss. Weisse tell Tovey that Higgs is expecting good work from him. Ms. Transcript, by Sophie Weisse, written on the back of a signed part of a letter from James Higgs.

Dates: 01 June 1891
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, 05 June 1896

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1895
Scope and Contents

Postcard, 5 June 1896, Surrey, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Advising Tovey that Mary has a low voice. Holograph signed.

Dates: 05 June 1896
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Tovey Collection / Papers of Donald Francis Tovey / Correspondence

Filtered By

  • Subject: Instruction and Study X
  • Subject: Music X

Additional filters:

Subject
Instruction and Study 21
London (England) 11
Performance practice (Music) 11
Composition (Music) 5
Music Theory 5
∨ more
Littlehampton (England) 2
Music 2
Oxford Oxfordshire England 2
Social Interaction 2
Edinburgh -- Scotland 1
Englefield Green (England) 1
Haslemere 1
Marlow (Buckinghamshire, England) 1
Music History and criticism 1
Musical Criticism 1
Singing--Instruction and study 1
Wokingham (England) 1
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