BARNETT, JOHN (1802-1890), English musical composer, son of a Prussian named Bernhard Beer, who changed his name on settling in England as a jeweller, was born at Bedford, July 15, 5802, and at the age of II sang on the Lyceum stage in London. In 1834 he published a collection of his songs, Lyrical Illustrations of the Modern Poets. His Mountain Sylph—the musical drama with which his name is chiefly connected—was well received at the Lyceum on Aug. 25, 1834; it was followed by Fair Rosamund in 1837, and, after an interval spent in study at Frankfurt, by Farinelli in 1839. After an unsuccessful attempt to establish opera at the St. James's theatre (1839) Barnett settled as a singing-master at Cheltenham. He died on April 16, 1890.
His nephew, JOHN FRANCIS BARNETT (1837-1916), Son of John's brother, Joseph Alfred, also a professor of music, was an accomplished pianist, and also a composer. His most important work, an oratorio, The Raising of Lazarus, was written in 1873, and produced at Hereford in 1876. .