| Biography | John Francis Barnett was an English composer, pianist and teacher.
Barnett became noticed as a composer with his Symphony in A minor (1864), and followed this with a number of large-scale works: his cantatas The Ancient Mariner and Paradise and the Peri were first performed at the 1867 and 1870 Birmingham Festivals respectively, whilst his oratorio The Raising of Lazarus was first performed at a New Philharmonic Society concert in 1873, being repeated at the 1876 Three Choirs Festival held that year in Hereford. During this period, Barnett also composed several other orchestral and instrumental works. Although major commissions became fewer, he secured a first performance of his cantata The Building of the Ship at the 1880 Leeds Festival and his last major composition, the cantata The Eve of St Agnes, was given at a concert of the London Choral Society in 1913. During his lifetime, Barnett's most popular work was The Ancient Mariner which received nine performances during the 188687 season and was still being heard (once) during the 192627 season. |