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 22 Collections and/or Records:

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 15 June 1898

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L502

Scope and Contents

Letter, 15 June 1898, Oxford Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Informing Miss. Weisse of a trip to Liverpool to visit V. M. Coutts Trotter. Holograph signed.

Dates: 15 June 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, c14 January 1902

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L571

Scope and Contents

Letter, [14 January 1902], Berlin, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of the musical atmosphere of Vienna and Birthday wishes to Miss. Weisse. Holograph signed.

Dates: c14 January 1902

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, 12 January 1904

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L579

Scope and Contents

Letter, 12 January 1904, London, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey's time in Germany, his awe of Joachim and his forthcoming schedule. Holograph signed.

Dates: 12 January 1904

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, 05 April 1913

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L639

Scope and Contents

Letter, 5 April 1913, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Tovey's arrival in Bonn, and news of the Busch family. Holograph unfinished.

Dates: 05 April 1913

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, c01 April 1914

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L641

Scope and Contents

Letter, [April 1914], Aachen, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of a birth in the Busch family, arranging to meet Miss. Weisse in Paris, and a story of musical traditions in Aachen. Holograph signed.

Dates: c01 April 1914

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, c1922

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L660

Scope and Contents

Letter, [1922], Dusseldorf, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of the Busch family, Tovey's symphony, details of a successful concert at Prague, news of Mr. and Mrs. Rontgen, . Holograph signed.

Dates: c1922

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

Postcard to Dr Mary Gardner Grierson from Sophie Weisse, 19 June 1926

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2583

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 19 June 1926, Sophie Weisse to Mary Grierson. Informing Grierson that Weisse feels wretched after making a mistake about train times. Holograph signed, on colour postcard of Eton College quadrangle.

Dates: 19 June 1926

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 27 October 1893

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L373

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 27 October 1893, Berkshire, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Notification of his arrival at Wokingham. Holograph signed.

Dates: 27 October 1893

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 10 October 1899

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L539

Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 10 October 1899

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 27 September 1908

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L614

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 27 September 1908, Skye, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Comment on the weather in Skye, and music to accompany Theseus coming out of the sea. Typescript copy.

Dates: 27 September 1908

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

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University of Edinburgh Archive and Manuscript Collections

Weisse, Sophie, 1852-1945 (Scottish music teacher)

Dates

Biography

Found in 22 Collections and/or Records:

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 15 June 1898

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c14 January 1902

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 12 January 1904

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 05 April 1913

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c01 April 1914

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1922

Postcard to Dr Mary Gardner Grierson from Sophie Weisse, 19 June 1926

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 27 October 1893

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 10 October 1899

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 27 September 1908

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