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 56 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 25 June 1898
Letter, 25 June 1898, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Explaining his actions to Miss. Weisse and chastising her for hers. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 10 July 1898
Letter, 10 July 1898, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for parcels and informing her of concert parts needed. Typescript copy.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c01 September 1901
Letter, [September 1901], Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for an invite to the Leeds festival. Holograph signed, with annotation in red ink by Miss. Weisse.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 14 April 1919
Letter, 14 April 1919, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey's Aunt Anna and of Tovey. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1897
Letter, 1897, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Explaining a misunderstanding between Miss. Weisse and Tovey's father, and suggesting that they both can play a part in developing Tovey's reading skills. Typescript copy.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 14 October 1894
Letter, 14 October 1894, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Informing Miss. Weisse that all Tovey's furniture has arrived, requesting that Miss Weisse send Tovey's tennis racket so he can play. Photocopy of Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 04 February 1898
Letter, 4 February 1898, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Describing the experience of playing with Kruse, details of a performance and of Oxford life. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1895
Letter, 1895, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for the present of some scores and notes on the scores. Photocopy of Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1895
Letter, 1895, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for sending presents, details of a concert given by Paderewski, criticising a piano, Tovey's studying plans, and other news. Photocopy of Holograph signed.
Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 24 February 1895
Postcard, 24 February 1895, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Arranging to meet at a concert. Holograph signed.
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- Surrey (England) 13
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- Performances 6
- Concert Programs 5
- Instrumentation and Orchestration 3
- Family 2
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- Societies and Clubs 2
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- Music Theory 1
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