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:

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 21 March 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L383

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 21 March 1895, Surrey, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. List of scores Tovey requires. Holograph signed.

Dates: 21 March 1895

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 24 February 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L387

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 24 February 1895, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Arranging to meet at a concert. Holograph signed.

Dates: 24 February 1895

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 06 March 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L388

Scope and Contents

Postcard, [6 March 1895], Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Apologising for not writing and requesting a ' Field Nocturnes'. Holograph signed.

Dates: 06 March 1895

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 22 February 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L400

Scope and Contents

Postcard, [22 February 1895], Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Informing Miss Weisse of the development of a composition. Holograph signed.

Dates: 22 February 1895

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 22 February 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L401

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 22 February 1895, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Thanking Miss Weisse for a box of apples. Holograph signed.

Dates: 22 February 1895

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 21 February 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L402

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 21 February 1895, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Requesting that Miss Weisse send a telegram authorising that Tovey concentrate solely on one area of work. Holograph signed, with two telegrams, with envelope.

Dates: 21 February 1895

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 11 February 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L405

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 11 February 1895, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Notes on Tovey's brother's visit to Balliol and Tovey's future engagements. Holograph signed.

Dates: 11 February 1895

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 23 July 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L414

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 23 July 1895, Lairg, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Asking Miss Weisse to send money and a Brahms score. Holograph signed.

Dates: 23 July 1895

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 01 August 1897

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L467

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 1 August 1897, Bayreuth, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Description of concerts Tovey has attended in Bayreuth, discussion of Wagner's music. Holograph signed, with duplicate typescript copy, 26 x 20cm.

Dates: 01 August 1897

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

Postcard to Sophie Weisse from Sir Donald Francis Tovey, 12 May 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L2683

Scope and Contents

Postcard, 12 May 1895, Oxford, Donald Tovey to Sophie Weisse. Indicating the timing of several works and informing Miss. Weisse that Brahms has accepted honorary membership of the musical club. Photocopy of Holograph signed.

Dates: 12 May 1895

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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