Weisse, Sophie, 1852-1945 (Scottish music teacher)
Person
Dates
- Existence: 1852-1945
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 71 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 14 April 1908
Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L612
Scope and Contents
Letter, 14 April 1908, Paris, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey's visit, the progress of his B minor trio, details of a music examination. Holograph incomplete.
Dates:
14 April 1908
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c01 April 1913
Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L638
Scope and Contents
Letter, [April 1913], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Describing some time to be spent 'making music' with the Rontgens, development of Tovey's compositions, and of time spent at the Trevelyan's house. Holograph signed.
Dates:
c01 April 1913
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 18 December 1920
Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L644
Scope and Contents
Letter, 18 December 1920, Edinburgh, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Details of music scores and Ms. Tovey has and news of correcting proofs of Bride of Dionysus. Holograph incomplete.
Dates:
18 December 1920
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 06 August 1918
Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L649
Scope and Contents
Letter, 6 August 1918, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Requesting that Miss. Weisse send Tovey's sympony and two violin sonatas to him. Holograph signed.
Dates:
06 August 1918
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 25 September 1919
Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L653
Scope and Contents
Letter, 25 September 1919, Edinburgh, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for sending a table, news of Tovey's composition, comment on interesting visit 'South', and news of Mrs. Tovey. Holograph signed, written on University of Edinburgh headed notepaper.
Dates:
25 September 1919
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1919
Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L656
Scope and Contents
Letter, [1919], Edinburgh, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Details of trying to contact Beecham to look at Tovey's composition. Holograph signed, written on University of Edinburgh headed paper.
Dates:
c1919
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
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c01 May 1922
Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L663
Scope and Contents
Letter, [May 1922], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Plans for the schooling of Tovey's son and developments in Tovey's composition. Holograph signed.
Dates:
c01 May 1922
Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 21 March 1895
Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L383
Scope and Contents
Postcard, 21 March 1895, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. List of scores Tovey requires. Holograph signed.
Dates:
21 March 1895
Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 22 February 1895
Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L400
Scope and Contents
Postcard, [22 February 1895], Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Informing Miss Weisse of the development of a composition. Holograph signed.
Dates:
22 February 1895