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, 01 October 1894

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2679

Scope and Contents

Letter, 1 October 1894, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Talk of Tovey's finances, Tovey's plans for vacation work and news of Tovey's composition work. Photocopy of Holograph signed.

Dates: 01 October 1894

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, 14 October 1894

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2681

Scope and Contents

Letter, 14 October 1894, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Informing Miss. Weisse that all Tovey's furniture has arrived, requesting that Miss Weisse send Tovey's tennis racket so he can play. Photocopy of Holograph signed.

Dates: 14 October 1894

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, c1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2686

Scope and Contents

Letter, [n.d], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of a lesson with Parry, expressing his families unhappiness at Tovey's leaving, . Photocopy of Holograph signed.

Dates: c1895

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, c1894

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2687

Scope and Contents

Letter, [n.d], Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Deciding which works by which composers to play at a performance. Photocopy of Holograph signed.

Dates: c1894

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, c1894

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2688

Scope and Contents

Letter, [n.d], Worplesdon, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Describing Parry's view of Tovey's composition, and the revisions Tovey must make. Photocopy of Holograph signed.

Dates: c1894

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, 18 October 1893

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2690

Scope and Contents

Letter, 18 October 1893, Wokingham, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of a rehearsal of works by Beethoven and Brahms. Photocopy of Holograph signed.

Dates: 18 October 1893

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 October 1893

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2691

Scope and Contents

Letter, [1 October 1893], Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Outlining a concert programme. Photocopy of Holograph signed.

Dates: 01 October 1893

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, 30 September 1893

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2692

Scope and Contents

Letter, 30 September 1893, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Asking Miss. Weisse what sort of boots Tovey should have. Photocopy of Holograph signed.

Dates: 30 September 1893

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, c1900

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2694

Scope and Contents

Letter, Hartree, [n.d], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for sending Tovey a book by Danreuther on ornamentation, and a discussion of the work. Photocopy of Holograph signed.

Dates: c1900

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 1893

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2695

Scope and Contents

Letter, 1 August 1893, Lowestoft, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of Tovey's time in Lowestoft with his father and their meeting with Mrs. Arnold. Photocopy of Holograph signed.

Dates: 01 August 1893

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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