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 366 Collections and/or Records:

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c01 September 1901

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L560

Scope and Contents

Letter, [September 1901], Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for an invite to the Leeds festival. Holograph signed, with annotation in red ink by Miss. Weisse.

Dates: c01 September 1901

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, 24 January 1902

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L572

Scope and Contents

Letter, 24 January 1902, Berlin, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Describing the trouble Tovey had in buying a piano in Germany. Typescript copy, incomplete.

Dates: 24 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, 25 January 1902

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L573

Scope and Contents

Letter, 25 January 1902, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Details of a concert and Tovey's anger with Bechstein for giving him a poor piano. Typescript copy.

Dates: 25 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, c1905

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L595

Scope and Contents

Letter, [1905], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Expressing Tovey's feelings for Cleg. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1905

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, c1897

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L599

Scope and Contents

Letter, [1897], Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Outlining the qualities of Tovey's friend Kelly, news of being with Joachim in Berlin. Holograph incomplete, in pencil.

Dates: c1897

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, 23 August 1905

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L600

Scope and Contents

Letter, 23 August 1905, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Tovey expressing concern over Kelly supporting him financially. Holograph signed.

Dates: 23 August 1905

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, c25 December 1906

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L607

Scope and Contents

Letter, [25 December 1906], Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey's Christmas and his mothers illness. Typescript copy.

Dates: c25 December 1906

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, 01 February 1909

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L621

Scope and Contents

Letter, 1 February 1909, Hertfordshire Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Concerning Percy Such and Hausman's relationship and a series of concerts. Holograph signed.

Dates: 01 February 1909

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

Filtered By

Subject: Social Interaction X

University of Edinburgh Archive and Manuscript Collections

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

Dates

Biography

Found in 366 Collections and/or Records:

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c01 September 1901

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 24 January 1902

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 25 January 1902

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1905

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1897

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 23 August 1905

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c25 December 1906

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 01 February 1909

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