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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 96 Collections and/or Records:

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Wilma Halle, 18 March 1908

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2204
Scope and Contents

Letter, 18 March 1908, London, Wilma Halle to Sophie Weisse. Accepting an invitation to play with Tovey. Holograph signed.

Dates: 18 March 1908

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Wilma Halle, 25 December 1909

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2205
Scope and Contents

Letter, 25 December 1909, London, Wilma Halle to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for her kindness expressing a desire to play with Tovey for pleasure. Holograph signed.

Dates: 25 December 1909

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 01 August 1897

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L467
Scope and Contents

Postcard, 1 August 1897, Bayreuth, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of concerts Tovey has attended in Bayreuth, discussion of Wagner's music. Holograph signed, with duplicate typescript copy, 26 x 20cm.

Dates: 01 August 1897

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 11 September 1905

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L591
Scope and Contents

Postcard, 11 September 1905, London, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of visits to the Speyers and the Trevelyans. Holograph signed.

Dates: 11 September 1905

Telegram to Sophie Weisse from Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, 12 December 1890

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2359
Scope and Contents

Telegram, 12 December 1890, London, Hubert C. Parry to Sophie Weisse. Informing Miss. Weisse that it has been arranged for Tovey to visit Parry at eleven thirty. Holograph.

Dates: 12 December 1890

Telegram to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 26 July 1897

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L464
Scope and Contents

Telegram, 26 July 1897, London, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Details of cost of a ticket to Luxembourg. Typescript copy.

Dates: 26 July 1897

Filtered By

  • Subject: London (England) X

Additional filters:

Subject
Social Interaction 49
Instruction and Study 16
Performance practice (Music) 13
Performances 12
Professional Interaction 9