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:

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1899

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L598

Scope and Contents

Postcard, [1899], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for sending letters and programmes. Holograph signed with black and white photograph of Joachim giving a lecture.

Dates: c1899

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 27 September 1908

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L614

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 27 September 1908, Skye, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Comment on the weather in Skye, and music to accompany Theseus coming out of the sea. Typescript copy.

Dates: 27 September 1908

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 08 September 1908

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L617

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 8 September 1908, Holmbury St. Mary, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Notes on what Tovey is doing and Tovey's view of French academics. Typescript copy.

Dates: 08 September 1908

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 24 August 1908

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L618

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 24 August 1908, Tobermory, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Note of weather. Typescript copy.

Dates: 24 August 1908

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 24 August 1908

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L619

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 24 August 1908, Oban, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. A word play on Oban and two lines of music. Typescript copy.

Dates: 24 August 1908

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 06 September 1910

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L626

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 6 September 1910, Holmbury St. Mary, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Eton, and a note on Wagner. Holograph signed.

Dates: 06 September 1910

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from [Von Reinhardt], 14 December 1909

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2757

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 14 December 1909, Diepholz, [Von Reinhardt] to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for her letter. Holograph.

Dates: 14 December 1909

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse fromSir Donald Francis Tovey, 09 October 1899

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L540

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 9 October 1899, Meiningen, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Informing Miss. Weisse of Tovey's companions and a note on Fritz Steinbach's conducting. Holograph signed, with black and white picture of Fritz Steinbach.

Dates: 09 October 1899

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

Telegram to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 03 April 1891

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1874

Scope and Contents

Telegram, 3 April 1891, Moffat, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Telling Tovey of his mothers plans and informing him to visit. Typescript copy.

Dates: 03 April 1891

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

Telegram to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 14 August 1893

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1887

Scope and Contents

Telegram, 14 August 1893, Lowestoft, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Informing Tovey hat his money has been sent off. Typescript copy.

Dates: 14 August 1893

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:

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1899

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 27 September 1908

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 08 September 1908

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 24 August 1908

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 24 August 1908

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 06 September 1910

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from [Von Reinhardt], 14 December 1909

Postcard to Sophie Weisse fromSir Donald Francis Tovey, 09 October 1899

Telegram to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 03 April 1891

Telegram to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 14 August 1893

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