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 82 Collections and/or Records:
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 23 October 1895
Letter, 23 October 1895, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Recommending a music text book, apologising for neglecting Miss Weisse and description of a performance by Borwick. Holograph signed, with envelope.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 10 November 1895
Letter, 10 November 1895, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Tovey describing concerts he has performed in and explaining his feelings of inadequacy compared to other Balliol scholars. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 12 February 1896
Letter, 12 February 1896, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Discussion of musical scoring, details of a concert. Holograph signed, incomplete.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1893
Letter, [January 1893], [Surrey], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Expressing concern over being offered ten pounds as payment for performing to friends, and notes on Tovey's cat Jeannie. Holograph signed, incomplete, with annotation in red ink by Sophie Weisse.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 19 May 1897
Letter, 19 May 1897, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Praising a concert both had attended, thanking Miss. Weisse for a cheque, and news from Oxford. Holograph signed, with duplicate typescript copy, [3]p. 26 x 21cm.
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, 20 June 1897
Letter, 20 June 1897, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Information on Tovey's progress at Balliol, description of a performance and outlining future plans. Holograph signed, with duplicate typescript copy, 26 x 21cm.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 05 August 1897
Letter, 5 August 1897, Bayreuth, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of music Tovey has heard in Bayreuth, including Wagner's, 'Ring', and music by Mozart, informing Miss. Weisse of Tovey's purchase of a book of Rhine legends. Holograph signed, with two duplicate typescript copies, [2]p. 26 x 20cm..
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 27 January 1897
Letter, 27 January 1897, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Details, including programme and time, of a concert that Tovey is involved in. Holograph signed.
Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 13 March 1898
Letter, 13 March 1898, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of a concert performance by Paderewski. Typescript copy.
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