John Barnett

John Barnett

John Barnett (July 15 180216 April 1890) was an English composer and writer on music.

Life

Barnett was the eldest son of a Prussian Jew named Bernhard Beer, who changed his surname on settling in England as a jeweller. According to some he was a cousin of the composer Giacomo Meyerbeer. Barnett was born at Bedford, and at the age of eleven sang at the Lyceum Theatre stage in London. His good voice led to his being given a musical education, and he soon began writing songs and lighter pieces for the stage.

In 1834 he published a collection of "Lyrical Illustrations of the Modern Poets". His "Mountain Sylph" - with which his name is nowadays most associated - received a warm welcome when produced at the Lyceum on August 25, 1834, as the first modern English opera - that is, it was completely sung, with no spoken passages. It was followed by "Fair Rosamund" in 1837, and "Farinelli" in 1839. Disappointed with his reception as a composer, Barnett retired to the country. He had a large connection as a singing-master at Cheltenham, and published "Systems and Singing-masters" (1842) and "School for the Voice" (1844). Barnett wrote several songs for the theatre with the actor, playwright and theatre manager John Baldwin Buckstone, and also some instrumental works, including three string quartets and a violin sonata.

One of his daughters Clara Kathleen Barnett became a singer and composer. His nephew John Francis Barnett (1837-1916) was also a composer.

Although "The Mountain Sylph" is all but forgotten, it inspired parts of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan's Savoy Opera, "Iolanthe".

References

* Oxford Dictionary of National Biography


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • John barnett (rugby) — Pour les articles homonymes, voir John Barnett et Barnett. John Barnett est un joueur de rugby à XV et de rugby à XIII australien. John Barnett était un joueur pionnier au plus haut niveau. Il est sélectionné en équipe d Australie de rugby à XV… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • John Barnett Humphreys — Jr. (* 1787 in London; † ?) war ein Ingenieur und Schiffbauer und ein Pionier der Dampfschifffahrt in Deutschland. Er war der Sohn eines in Hamburg lebenden schottischen Kaufmanns. Seine genauen Lebensdaten sind nicht überliefert bzw. nicht… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • John Barnett (rugby) — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Barnett. Infobox Rugbyman John Barnett …   Wikipédia en Français

  • John Barnett (rugby) — Infobox Rugby biography name=John Barnett birthname=John Thomas Barnett nickname = Jumbo/Jack/Bowser dateofbirth=18 January 1886 placeofbirth = Sydney, NSW height= weight= ru position= Lock ru amateurclubs=Newtown RUFC Lithgow RU ru amateuryears …   Wikipedia

  • Charles John Barnett — For other people of the same name, see Charlie Barnett. Charles John Barnett Consul, Warsaw, Poland In office 31 May 1833 – c1840/1841 Consul General, Egypt In office 11 …   Wikipedia

  • BARNETT, JOHN — (1802–1890), composer. Barnett was born in Bedford, England. His father Bernhard Beer, a cousin of Giacomo Meyerbeer, had changed his name to Barnett upon settling in England. John Barnett was a prolific composer for the London stage. In his… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • John Humphreys — ist der Name folgender Personen: John Humphreys (Tricktechniker) (* 1955), US amerikanischer Tricktechniker John Barnett Humphreys (1787–??), Ingenieur und Schiffbauer, ein Pionier der Dampfschifffahrt in Deutschland John Leslie Humphreys… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • John Rambo (Hochspringer) — John Barnett Rambo (* 9. August 1943 in Atlanta, Texas) ist ein ehemaliger US amerikanischer Leichtathlet. Er gewann bei den Olympischen Sommerspielen 1964 mit einer Höhe von 2,16 Metern eine Bronzemedaille im Hochsprung. Drei Jahre nach Tokio… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Barnett — Although this famous surname is of early Anglo Saxon pre 7th Century origins, its longevity in Ireland is such, and its spread through the country so embracing, that it may also be regarded as Irish in its own right. Found in the spellings of… …   Surnames reference

  • Barnett — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Barnett peut désigner : Patronyme Barnett est un nom de famille notamment porté par : Angus Barnett (?), acteur américain ; John Barnett… …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”