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 692 Collections and/or Records:

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 27 November 1897

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L411

Scope and Contents

Letter, 27 September 1897, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of Journey to and visit to Mr. Watts at Limnerslease. Holograph signed, with duplicate typescript copy, incomplete, [1]p. 26 x 20cm.

Dates: 27 November 1897

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, 07 July 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L412

Scope and Contents

Letter, 7 July 1895, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Outlining Tovey's plans and apologising for breaking an engagement at 'The Hipkins'. Holograph signed, with stamped envelope.

Dates: 07 July 1895

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, 20 July 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L413

Scope and Contents

Letter, 20 July 1895, Lairg, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of Tovey's tour of Scotland. Holograph signed, with stamped envelope.

Dates: 20 July 1895

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 1897

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L466

Scope and Contents

Letter, 1 August 1897, Bayreuth, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of journey to Bayreuth, and problems of language difference. Holograph signed, with two duplicate typescript copies, 26 x 20cm.

Dates: 01 August 1897

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 1897

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L468

Scope and Contents

Letter, 3 August 1897, Maintz, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of journey to Bayreuth via the Rhine. Typescript copy.

Dates: 01 August 1897

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, 05 August 1897

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L469

Scope and Contents

Letter, 5 August 1897, Bayreuth, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of music Tovey has heard in Bayreuth, including Wagner's, 'Ring', and music by Mozart, informing Miss. Weisse of Tovey's purchase of a book of Rhine legends. Holograph signed, with two duplicate typescript copies, [2]p. 26 x 20cm..

Dates: 05 August 1897

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, 04 October 1897

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L472

Scope and Contents

Letter, 4 October 1897, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse and outlining plans for his concerto and reading. Typescript copy.

Dates: 04 October 1897

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, 17 October 1897

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L473

Scope and Contents

Letter, 17 October 1897, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of the start of term at Balliol, and plan to donate a copy of 'The Handel society's ed. of "The ways of Zion do mourn" to the Oxford musical club. Holograph signed, with a duplicate typescript copy, [2]p. 25 x 20cm.

Dates: 17 October 1897

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, c1897

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L474

Scope and Contents

Letter, [n.d], Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Wishing Miss. Weisse a happy birthday, and news of Tovey's college vacation. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1897

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, 20 October 1897

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L475

Scope and Contents

Letter, 20 October 1897, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Birthday greetings, and description of Tovey's studies. Holograph signed, with duplicate typescript copy, incomplete, [1]p. 26 x 20cm.

Dates: 20 October 1897

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

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

Dates

Biography

Found in 692 Collections and/or Records:

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