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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 52 Collections and/or Records:

Postcard to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 26 August 1911

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1900
Scope and Contents

Postcard, 26 August 1911, Stuttgart, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Description of Miss.Weisse's accommodation and travels. Holograph signed, stamped, date from postmark.

Dates: 26 August 1911

Postcard to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 02 August 1921

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1902
Scope and Contents

Postcard, 2 August 1921, Bern, Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. Travel plans for Tovey to get to Zurich from Stuttgart. Holograph signed, date as postmark.

Dates: 02 August 1921

Postcard to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Sophie Weisse, 18 September 1922

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1909
Scope and Contents

Postcard, 18 September 1922, Karlsruhle Baden , Sophie Weisse to Donald Tovey. News of Miss. Weisse's travel plans. Holograph signed, On a colour postcard of Bad Nauheim.

Dates: 18 September 1922

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 10 October 1899

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L539
Scope and Contents

Postcard, 10 October 1899, Meiningen, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss Weisse for a bank note and describing the concerts Tovey has seen at Meiningen. Holograph signed, with black and white photographs of Eugene d' Albert, Hermine d'Albert - Fink, Dr. Felix Kraus, Adrienne Osborne, Ejnar Forchammer and Leonard Borwick.

Dates: 10 October 1899

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 17 December 1900

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L552
Scope and Contents

Postcard, 17 December 1900, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Informing Miss. Weisse of Tovey's voyage to Ostende from Dover. Holograph signed, with colour picture of the boat ' Prince Albert '.

Dates: 17 December 1900

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 22 August 1908

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L613
Scope and Contents

Postcard, 22 August 1908, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of Loch Swen and music to accompany Greek mythology. Typescript copy.

Dates: 22 August 1908

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1911

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L632
Scope and Contents

Postcard, [1911], Vienna, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Tovey's travels, and of Busch and Mandyczewski, and a description of Bruckner's 9th Symphony. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1911

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, c1912

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L634
Scope and Contents

Postcard, [1912], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Praising a performance of the Beethoven Mass and news of his visit. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1912

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 19 January 1916

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L647
Scope and Contents

Postcard, 19 January 1916, Amsterdam, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of a successful concert in Amsterdam and details of Tovey's travels. Holograph signed.

Dates: 19 January 1916

Filtered By

  • Subject: Voyages and Travel X

Additional filters:

Subject
Social Interaction 16
Surrey (England) 7
Performances 5
Composition (Music) 4
London (England) 4