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:

Telegram to Sophie Weisse from F. W Kelly, 18 December 1905

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2270

Scope and Contents

Telegram, 18 December 1905, Windsor, F. W Kelly to Sophie Weisse. Reads ' Am driving over arrive about one Kelly'. Ms. Transcript, annotated in pencil by Miss. Weisse.

Dates: 18 December 1905

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

Telegram to Sophie Weisse from J Douglas H Dickson, 25 July 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2670

Scope and Contents

Telegram, 25 July 1895, Surrey. Douglas Dickson to Sophie Weisse. 'Donald here quite well'. Transcript.

Dates: 25 July 1895

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

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

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

Telegram to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 21 March 1896

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2761

Scope and Contents

Telegram, 21 March 1896, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. ' Sorry cannot come till Monday Donald'. Typescript copy.

Dates: 21 March 1896

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

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

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

Telegram to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 28 February 1902

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L576

Scope and Contents

Telegram, 28 February 1902, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Informing Miss. Weisse that Tovey has received a wire. Typescript copy.

Dates: 28 February 1902

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:

Telegram to Sophie Weisse from F. W Kelly, 18 December 1905

Telegram to Sophie Weisse from J Douglas H Dickson, 25 July 1895

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

Telegram to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 21 March 1896

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

Telegram to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 28 February 1902

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