Skip to main content

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

 Person

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 Robert Calverley Trevelyan from Sophie Weisse, 07 December 1916

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2632
Scope and Contents

Letter, 7 December 1916, Surrey, Sophie Weisse to Robert Trevelyan. Arranging for Trevelyan to meet Mrs. Annie Brown who will have papers and the ms. Asking if Tovey plans to go to Holland soon. Holograph signed.

Dates: 07 December 1916

Letter to [Robert Calverley Trevelyan] from Sophie Weisse, c1935

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2635
Scope and Contents

Letter, [n.d], Surrey, Sophie Weisse to [Robert Trevelyan]. Discussion of a grave of a composer and news that Lady Tovey has deposited Tovey ms. in a bank. Holograph incomplete.

Dates: c1935

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from B. Warre Cornish, c1916

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2090
Scope and Contents

Letter, [1916], London, B. Warre Cornish to Donald Tovey. Affectionately telling Miss. Weisse of family news. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1916

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Kate Friskin, 18 May 1924

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2166
Scope and Contents

Letter, 18 May 1924, Massachusetts, Kate Friskin to Donald Tovey. News of Friskin's address in New York, thanking Miss. Weisse for her letter and talk of Tovey. Holograph signed, with Kate Friskin's address card, 6 x 9cm.

Dates: 18 May 1924

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 20 February 1892

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2728
Scope and Contents

Letter, 20 February 1892, Biggar, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Advising Tovey to visit by Tuesday, news that Parry is waiting to receive work from Tovey. Typescript copy, incomplete.

Dates: 20 February 1892

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 19 February 1892

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2729
Scope and Contents

Letter, 19 February 1892, Biggar, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Advising Tovey to stay where he is as a member of Miss. Weisse's household has influenza. Typescript copy.

Dates: 19 February 1892

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 09 February 1892

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2730
Scope and Contents

Letter, 9 February 1892, Moffat, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Commenting on a letter from Tovey's ill aunt Jane, and concerned with a parcel from Tovey's mother and a letter to Mrs. Coward. Typescript copy.

Dates: 09 February 1892

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

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2731
Scope and Contents

Letter, 3 April 1891, Moffat, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Inviting Tovey to stay with Miss. Weisse. Typescript copy.

Dates: 03 April 1891

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 12 December 1893

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2732
Scope and Contents

Letter, 12 December 1893, Surrey, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Urging Tovey to write to Miss. Weisse and explain how he and 'Miss. Schumann' are. Typescript copy.

Dates: 12 December 1893

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 10 December 1893

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2733
Scope and Contents

Letter, 10 December 1893, Surrey, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Advising Tovey on what to eat and drink, informing him of which train to catch in order to arrive in good time to sit an exam. Typescript copy.

Dates: 10 December 1893

Filtered By

  • Subject: Social Interaction X

Additional filters:

Subject
Oxford Oxfordshire England 56
London (England) 49
Surrey (England) 31
Guildford (England) 25
Instruction and Study 25
∨ more
Performances 24
Concert Programs 22
Composition (Music) 21
Englefield Green (England) 21
Edinburgh -- Scotland 20
Ill Health 18
Family 16
Voyages and Travel 16
Hartree 12
Instrumentation and Orchestration 11
Music 8
Performance practice (Music) 8
Cambridge (England) 7
Eton (England) 7
Travel 6
Woking (England) 6
Worplesdon (England) 6
Biggar (Scotland) 5
Condolence Notes 5
Lowestoft (England) 5
Biography 4
Littlehampton (England) 4
Music Theory 4
Musical Criticism 4
Professional Recognition 4
Scholarships 4
Shenley (England) 4
Societies and Clubs 4
Windsor (Berkshire, England) 4
Academic Writing 3
Arran Buteshire Scotland 3
Bad Nauheim (Germany) 3
Berlin (Germany) 3
Book Reviews 3
Bungay (England) 3
Dorking (England) 3
England -- Northamptonshire -- Weston 3
England -- Surrey -- Holmbury St Mary 3
Fairfield 3
Lippe (Germany) 3
Meiningen (Germany) 3
Careers Advice 2
Haslemere 2
Memorials 2
Moffat (Scotland) 2
Opera | The Bride of Dionysus 2
Paris (France) 2
Trumpington (England) 2
Aachen (Germany) 1
Amsterdam (Netherlands) 1
Andover (Massachusetts) 1
Appointment to Office 1
Book donations 1
Bristol (England) 1
Canstatt 1
Chamber Orchestra 1
Charlottenburg (Berlin, Germany) 1
Chester (England) 1
Chislehurst (England) 1
Conducting 1
Degrees, Academic 1
Diepholz (Germany) 1
Du¨sseldorf (Germany) 1
England -- Berkshire -- Ascot 1
England -- East Sussex -- Eastbourne 1
England -- North Yorkshire -- Stonegrave 1
England -- Surrey -- Egham 1
England -- Warwickshire -- Rugby 1
England -- West Sussex -- Rustington 1
Family History 1
Finance, Personal 1
Gifts 1
Gloucester (England) 1
Job Offers 1
Lamps 1
Libraries 1
Manchester (England) 1
Manuscript Preparation (Authorship) 1
Music festivals 1
Music patronage 1
Musical pitch 1
Oban Kilmore and Kilbride (parish) Argyllshire Scotland 1
Paisley (Scotland) 1
Piano 1
Poetry 1
Proofreading 1
Publications 1
Royalty 1
Scotland -- Argyllshire -- parish -- Kilninian and Kilmore -- Isle of Mull -- Tobermory 1
Scotland -- East Lothian -- Longniddry 1
Scotland -- Inverness-shire -- Isle of Skye -- Portree 1
Stuttgart (Germany) 1
Switzerland 1
Universities and Colleges, Administration 1
+ ∧ less