John Barnett

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John Barnett (1802—1890), English composer, son of a Prussian named Bernhard Beer, who changed his name on settling in England as a jeweller, was born at Bedford, and at the age of eleven sang on the Lyceum 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 chiefly connected--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 even wrote some instrumental works like three string quartets and a violin sonata. He died on the 16th of April 1890.

Although The Mountain Sylph is all but forgotten, it survives in the parody version by W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan - the Savoy Opera, Iolanthe.

Barnett wrote several songs for the theatre with the actor, playwright and theatre manager John Baldwin Buckstone.

One of his daughter's Clara Kathleen Barnett became a noted singer and composer.

His nephew John Francis Barnett (1837-1916) was also a composer.