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, c01 September 1922

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L669

Scope and Contents

Letter, [September 1922], Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Criticism of Dickens and news of Tovey's illness. Holograph signed.

Dates: c01 September 1922

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, 28 July 1923

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L671

Scope and Contents

Letter, 28 July 1923, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of a new project Tovey has been asked to work on with Fidelio F. Finke. Holograph signed.

Dates: 28 July 1923

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, 06 August 1923

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L672

Scope and Contents

Letter, 6 August 1923, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Explaining a mix up in Salzburg, where Tovey's place had been taken by another pianist. Holograph signed in pencil.

Dates: 06 August 1923

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 August 1923

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L673

Scope and Contents

Letter, August 1923, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Informing Miss. Weisse of the treatment for Tovey's skin condition and the price of treatment, news of Swoboda, . Holograph signed in pencil, incomplete.

Dates: c01 August 1923

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, 09 November 1923

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L674

Scope and Contents

Letter, 9 November 1923, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Dates of forthcoming Reid concerts, criticism of ' The Golden Legend' and news of the Moor duplex piano. Holograph signed.

Dates: 09 November 1923

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, c1924

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L675

Scope and Contents

Letter, [1924], Boston, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Tovey's impressions of America, especially Santa Barbara, Tovey's anger at the people who have been against him. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1924

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, c1920

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L676

Scope and Contents

Letter, [n.d], New York, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Impressions of New York and news of Tovey's engagements there. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1920

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 June 1924

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L678

Scope and Contents

Letter, 5 June 1924, Edinburgh, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of Lord Murray's capable management of the Reid orchestra. Holograph signed.

Dates: 05 June 1924

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 June 1924

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L679

Scope and Contents

Letter, 7 June 1924, Liverpool, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. News of the Reid orchestra and details of the arts course in music at Edinburgh University. Holograph signed.

Dates: 07 June 1924

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Franics Tovey, c1890

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L389

Scope and Contents

Letter, [n.d], Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Commenting on a performance of Schubert's C major symphony. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1890

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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