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 21 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Minnie Wallace, c 03 August 1900
Letter, 3 August [n.y], Suffolk, Minnie Wallace to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for her parcel and news of John and his young friends. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 14 May 1893
Letter, 14 May 1893, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of the Tovey family and the garden at Worplesdon. Photocopy of Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 18 December 1891
Letter, 18 December 1891, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Detailed description of Tovey's lesson with Parry and Parry's comments on Tovey's compositions, news of Tovey's time at home with his family, and wishing Miss. Weisse a happy new year. Photocopy of holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 25 May 1897
Letter, 25 May 1897, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Tovey trying to sort out a misunderstanding between his father and Miss. Weisse and expressing anger that Tovey had not been chosen to play the piano at the Oxford club. Typescript copy.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1897
Letter, [1897], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Describing a meeting with a relative, Mary, and Tovey's advice to her concerning her singing career . Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c25 December 1906
Letter, [25 December 1906], Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey's Christmas and his mothers illness. Typescript copy.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 01 October 1920
Letter, 1 October 1920, Edinburgh, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey's wife and son and hopes for the future. Holograph signed, written on University of Edinburgh headed notepaper.
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, c1921
Letter, [January 1921], Edinburgh, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey's wife and son, hopes for the New Year. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c01 May 1922
Letter, [May 1922], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Plans for the schooling of Tovey's son and developments in Tovey's composition. Holograph signed.
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