Background
Henry Cood Watson was born in London, the son of John Watson, a musician associated with the Covent Garden Theatre. Like his sisters, who were prominent in oratorio, Watson learned to sing as a child, and when he was about nine years of age he made his début as one of the fairies in "Oberon" at the opera. His teachers were his father, William H. Kearns, and Edward J. Loder, a musician who later married Watson's sister. When his voice broke at adolescence he shipped for a voyage of the Mediterranean, but on his return he settled down to the serious study of music. He also wrote poetry, and did some other literary work.
Career
In 1841 he came to New York, carrying with him letters of introduction to William Cullen Bryant, George P. Morris, Park Benjamin, 1809-1864, and Horace Greeley. Benjamin immediately engaged him as music critic for a paper he was then editing, the New World. In 1843 Watson founded a magazine of his own, the Musical Chronicle, which later became the American Musical Times. In 1845 he was associated with Charles F. Briggs and Edgar Allan Poe in establishing the short-lived Broadway Journal, and he also contributed to various magazines, among them the Albion, and the New Mirror. In 1855 he became an editor of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, and in April 1864 appeared the first issue of his own journal, Watson's Weekly Art Journal which he edited until 1870. In June 1868 it became the American Art Journal. From 1863 to 1867 he acted as music critic for the New York Tribune. In addition to his critical and literary work Watson was active as a musician during his entire New York career. He composed many published songs and pieces, and he delivered a number of lectures at the Vocal Institute. In 1852 he published A Familiar Chat About Musical Instruments. He was associated with William Vincent Wallace in organizing the Mendelssohn Concert at Castle Garden, and he wrote the libretto for Wallace's opera, "Lurline. " In 1842 he was one of the group that founded the Philharmonic Society of New York. He was also one of the organizers of the American Musical Fund Association, and of the Vocal Society which later became the Mendelssohn Union. Watson died in New York City at the home of his sister.
Personality
Quotes from others about the person
John Savage is quoted as having said that when Watson "wrote on musical art he wrote with consummate knowledge and with a deep sympathy for all that is most elevating, charming and correct in musical thought. As he was an able critic he was a conscientious one, and strove sometimes to achieve by generosity that which could not be encouraged by severity".
