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Sir Joseph, Barnby,
English musical composer and conductor, son of Thomas Barnby, an
organist, was born at York on the 12th of August 1838. He was a
chorister at York minster from the age of seven, was educated at
the Royal Academy of Music under Cipriani Potter and Charles Lucas. |
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In 1856, it was announced
that a Mendelssohn prize had been inaugurated, and Joseph was tempted
to become a candidate. When the examinations were over it was discovered
that, of the nineteen applicants, he was tied with one other young
musician for first award, the other student being Arthur Seymour
Sullivan. A second test was inaugurated to decide between these
two applicants; from this, Arthur Sullivan emerged the victor. |
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In 1862, Joseph was appointed organist of St
Andrew's, Wells Street, London, where he raised the services to
a high degree of excellence. He was conductor of "Barnby's
Choir" from 1864, and in 1871 as successor to Gounod, was appointed
conductor of the Albert Hall Choral Society, a post he held till
his death. In 1875 he was precentor and director of music at Eton,
and in 1892 became principal of the Guildhall School of Music, receiving
the honour of knighthood in July of that year. His works include
an oratorio Rebekah, Ps. xcvii., many services and anthems, and
two hundred and forty-six hymn-tunes (published in 1897 in one volume),
as well as some part-songs (among them the popular "Sweet and
Low"), and pieces for the organ. |
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As
a conductor he possessed the qualities as well as the defects of
the typical north-countryman; if he was wanting in the higher kind
of imagination or ideality, he infused into those who sang under
him something of his own rectitude and precision. He was largely
instrumental in stimulating the love for Gounod's sacred music among
the less educated part of the London public, although he displayed
little practical sympathy with opera. On the other hand, he organized
a remarkable concert performance of Parsifal at the Albert Hall
in London in 1884. He conducted the Cardiff Festivals of 1892 and
1895. He died in London on the 28th of January 1896, and after a
special service in St Paul's cathedral was buried in Norwood Cemetery.