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, 27 April 1920

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L657

Scope and Contents

Letter, 27 April 1920, Kent, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Recommending a doctor to Miss. Weisse, news of the Busch family, development of opera score. Holograph signed.

Dates: 27 April 1920

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, 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

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 August 1922

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L661

Scope and Contents

Letter, 1 August 1922, London, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Requesting that Miss. Weisse send Tovey a couple of dress shirts, news of his host Sir William McCormick. Holograph signed.

Dates: 01 August 1922

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, 06 August 1923

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L672

Scope and Contents

Letter, 6 August 1923, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Explaining a mix up in Salzburg, where Tovey's place had been taken by another pianist. Holograph signed in pencil.

Dates: 06 August 1923

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Hubert Charles Parry, 14 May 1897

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2384

Scope and Contents

Letter, 14 May 1897, London, Hubert Charles Parry to Sophie Weisse. Expressing pleasure at hearing News of Tovey's development. Holograph signed.

Dates: 14 May 1897

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Thomas Spring-Rice, 28 October 1907

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2474

Scope and Contents

Letter, 28 October 1907, London, T. A. Spring Rice to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for her hospitality, requesting that Tovey give a lesson to a friend of Spring Rice and news of Spring Rice's engagements. Holograph signed.

Dates: 28 October 1907

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Unknown, 03 October 1909

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2752

Scope and Contents

Letter, 3 October 1909, Cambridge, Unknown to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey. Holograph unfinished.

Dates: 03 October 1909

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Unknown, c 22 February 1900

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2753

Scope and Contents

Letter, 22 February [n.y], London, Unknown to Sophie Weisse. Inviting Miss. Weisse and Tovey to stay. Holograph incomplete.

Dates: c 22 February 1900

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Vernon Russell, 13 July 1920

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2443

Scope and Contents

Letter, 13 July 1920, Eastbourne, Vernon Russell to Sophie Weisse. Accepting an invitation to Tovey's Birthday party. Holograph signed.

Dates: 13 July 1920

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Walter Willson Cobbett, 22 February 1925

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1019

Scope and Contents

Letter, 22 February 1925, London, W. W. Cobbett to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss Weisse for her letter, praise for the music of Haydn. Holograph signed.

Dates: 22 February 1925

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, 27 April 1920

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1922

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 01 August 1922

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 06 August 1923

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Hubert Charles Parry, 14 May 1897

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Thomas Spring-Rice, 28 October 1907

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Unknown, 03 October 1909

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Unknown, c 22 February 1900

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Vernon Russell, 13 July 1920

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Walter Willson Cobbett, 22 February 1925

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