Sydney Watson (3 September 1903 – 17 February 1991) was an English church musician who was the organist of

Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the Anglican diocese of Oxford, which consists of the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. It is also the chapel of Christ Church, a college of the University of Oxford. This dual r ...

and conductor of the

Oxford Bach Choir The Oxford Bach Choir is an amateur choir based in Oxford, England. Founded by Basil Harwood in 1896 to further the music of J.S. Bach in Oxford, the Choir merged in 1905 with the Oxford Choral & Philharmonic Society, whose origins can be trace ...

from 1955 to 1970. Sydney Watson OBE 1982

Biography

Watson was born in Denton, Lancashire. He attended

Warwick School Warwick School is a selective, independent day and boarding school in Warwick, England in the public school tradition. Known until about 1900 as King's School, Warwick, it is believed to have been founded by Æthelflæd of Mercia in 914 AD ...

, before studying at the

Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music is a music school, conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the Undergraduate education, undergraduate to the Doctorate, doctoral level in a ...

(RCM) and

Keble College, Oxford Keble College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the University Museum and the University Parks. The college is bordered to the north by Keble Road, to th ...

, graduating with a BA in 1925, a B.Mus in 1926, an MA in 1928, and a D.Mus in 1932. He then took up a position at

Stowe School , motto_translation = I stand firm and I stand first , established = , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent school, day & boarding , religion = Church of England , president = , head_label = Headmaster ...

, Buckingham, followed by appointments as music master at

Radley College Radley College, formally St Peter's College, Radley, is a public school (independent boarding school for boys) near Radley, Oxfordshire, England, which was founded in 1847. The school covers including playing fields, a golf course, a lake, and ...

, Oxfordshire, organist at

New College, Oxford New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as its feeder school, New College is one of the oldest colleges at th ...

, from 1933 to 1938, and musical director at

Winchester College Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of the ...

, from 1938 until 1945. He moved to become precentor at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

, leaving in 1955 to take up a post as music lecturer at

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

, and organist of

—posts he held until 1970. He was professor of organ at the RCM from 1946 to 1971, and conducted the

between 1955 and 1970. In 1965 he conducted the first performance of

Walton Walton may refer to: People * Walton (given name) * Walton (surname) * Susana, Lady Walton (1926–2010), Argentine writer Places Canada * Walton, Nova Scotia, a community ** Walton River (Nova Scotia) *Walton, Ontario, a hamlet United Kingdo ...

's ''The Twelve'', and in 1967 directed what was probably the first liturgical performance of Taverner's ''Missa Corona Spinea'' for 400 years. He composed an evening service, ''Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in E'', which is regularly sung in the evening liturgy of the Anglican Church, and while at Winchester composed the hymn tune "Morestead". He was appointed an OBE in 1970 for his services to music. A private and undated recording exists of Sydney Watson conducting Sir Arnold Bax' ''Concertante for Piano (Left Hand) and Orchestra'' with Douglas Fox as soloist and an orchestra called the Oxford Orchestral Society.

References

Academics of the Royal College of Music Alumni of Keble College, Oxford Alumni of the Royal College of Music English classical organists British male organists Fellows of Christ Church, Oxford Officers of the Order of the British Empire Organists of New College, Oxford Organists of Christ Church, Oxford 1903 births 1991 deaths 20th-century classical musicians 20th-century English musicians 20th-century organists 20th-century British male musicians Male classical organists {{organist-stub