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 Unknown, c 26 March 1900

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2754

Scope and Contents

Letter, 26 March [n.y], London, Unknown to Sophie Weisse. Enclosing a fee for a concert performance by Tovey of his own work, and praising the music. Holograph incomplete.

Dates: c 26 March 1900

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Unknown, c1896

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2759

Scope and Contents

Letter, [1896], Berkshire, Unknown to Sophie Weisse. Discussion of what songs to use to illustrate a lecture, suggesting the aria from Jephtha. Typescript copy incomplete.

Dates: c1896

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

Letter to [Sophie Weisse] from Unknown, c1920

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2023

Scope and Contents

Letter, [n.d], Woking, Unknown to [Sophie Weisse]. Description of the performance of a quintet, praising the first two movements and critical of the third. Holograph incomplete.

Dates: c1920

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Vernon Russell, 20 August 1919

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2442

Scope and Contents

Letter, 20 August 1919, London, Vernon Russell to Sophie Weisse. Enclosing a card of a recommended copyist. Holograph signed.

Dates: 20 August 1919

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Vernon Russell, 13 July 1920

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2443

Scope and Contents

Letter, 13 July 1920, Eastbourne, Vernon Russell to Sophie Weisse. Accepting an invitation to Tovey's Birthday party. Holograph signed.

Dates: 13 July 1920

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Walter Parratt, c 08 February 1900

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2344

Scope and Contents

Letter, 8 February [n.y], Windsor, Walter Parratt to Sophie Weisse. Concerning Tovey and the Nettleship scholarship to Balliol, Oxford. Holograph signed.

Dates: c 08 February 1900

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from Walter Willson Cobbett, 22 February 1925

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1019

Scope and Contents

Letter, 22 February 1925, London, W. W. Cobbett to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss Weisse for her letter, praise for the music of Haydn. Holograph signed.

Dates: 22 February 1925

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from William Alexander Curtis, 26 July 1940

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2106

Scope and Contents

Letter, 26 July 1940, Edinburgh, William Curtis to Sophie Weisse. Offering Miss. Weisse sympathy over the death of Tovey. Holograph signed.

Dates: 26 July 1940

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from William Strecker, 28 June 1910

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2481

Scope and Contents

Letter, 28 June 1910, London, William Strecker to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss. Weisse for sending tickets, agreeing to attend Tovey's birthday celebrations and commenting on Percy Such. Holograph signed.

Dates: 28 June 1910

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

Letter to Sophie Weisse from William Strecker, 11 November 1910

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2482

Scope and Contents

Letter, 11 November 1910, London, William Strecker to Sophie Weisse. Concerning the translation, printing and imprint of singing books. Typescript signed.

Dates: 11 November 1910

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:

Additional filters: