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, c1901

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L559

Scope and Contents

Letter, [1901], Arran, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Details of Tovey's variations at the end of a piano quartet and notes on his composition. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1901

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, c01 September 1901

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L560

Scope and Contents

Letter, [September 1901], Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for an invite to the Leeds festival. Holograph signed, with annotation in red ink by Miss. Weisse.

Dates: c01 September 1901

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, 23 December 1901

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L570

Scope and Contents

Letter, 23 December 1901, Bonn, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of the nursing Tovey is receiving, his health and concern for ' the Princess '. Holograph incomplete.

Dates: 23 December 1901

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, c14 January 1902

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L571

Scope and Contents

Letter, [14 January 1902], Berlin, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of the musical atmosphere of Vienna and Birthday wishes to Miss. Weisse. Holograph signed.

Dates: c14 January 1902

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, 24 January 1902

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L572

Scope and Contents

Letter, 24 January 1902, Berlin, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Describing the trouble Tovey had in buying a piano in Germany. Typescript copy, incomplete.

Dates: 24 January 1902

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, 25 January 1902

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L573

Scope and Contents

Letter, 25 January 1902, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Details of a concert and Tovey's anger with Bechstein for giving him a poor piano. Typescript copy.

Dates: 25 January 1902

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, c1902

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L574

Scope and Contents

Letter, [1902], Berlin, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of Tovey's time in Germany, comparison of English and German manners, outlining Joachim's criticism of his composition . Holograph signed, with stamped envelope.

Dates: c1902

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, c1902

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L575

Scope and Contents

Dates: c1902

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, 15 July 1902

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L577

Scope and Contents

Letter, 15 July 1902, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. List of works Tovey has sent to Mr. Shipley and Mr. Such. Typescript copy.

Dates: 15 July 1902

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, c1901

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L578

Scope and Contents

Letter, [1903], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Discussion of how much Tovey should charge for a performance. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1901

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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