John Barnett facts for kids
John Barnett (born July 15, 1802 – died April 16, 1890) was an English composer and writer about music. He is best known for his opera The Mountain Sylph, which was very popular in its time.
A Musician's Life
John Barnett was born in Bedford, England. His father, Bernhard Beer, was from Prussia and changed his last name to Barnett when he moved to England to become a jeweller. Some people believe John Barnett was a cousin of the famous composer Giacomo Meyerbeer.
When John was just eleven years old, he sang on stage at the Lyceum Theatre in London. Because he had such a good voice, he received a special music education. Soon, he started writing songs and lighter pieces for the stage.
In 1834, he released a collection of songs called Lyrical Illustrations of the Modern Poets. His most famous opera, The Mountain Sylph, opened at the Lyceum Theatre on August 25, 1834. It was a huge success, performed over 100 times! Many people considered it the first modern English opera.
After The Mountain Sylph, he wrote two more operas: Fair Rosamond in 1837 and Farinelli in 1839. His younger brother, Charles Zachary Barnett, wrote the stories (called librettos) for these operas. However, neither of these operas became as popular as The Mountain Sylph.
Feeling a bit disappointed, Barnett decided to move away from the city. He became a well-known singing teacher in Cheltenham. He also wrote books about singing, including Systems and Singing-masters (1842) and School for the Voice (1844). Barnett also wrote several songs for plays with the actor and playwright John Baldwin Buckstone. He also composed some instrumental music, like three string quartets and a violin sonata.
One of his light music pieces is called Spare Moments, written in 1859 for the Concertina and Piano.
Family Connections
John Barnett's family had many talented musicians. His daughter, Clara Kathleen Barnett, became a singer and composer. Another daughter, who was a goddaughter of the famous composer Franz Liszt, married the writer R. E. Francillon. His nephew, John Francis Barnett (1837–1916), was also a composer.
Even though The Mountain Sylph is not often performed today, it inspired parts of the famous 1882 Savoy Opera, Iolanthe, by Gilbert and Sullivan.
