Louisa M. Middleton

“ Henceforward he produced songs and ballads with surprising facility, some of the most melodious of them ('Rise, gentle Moon,' 'My Fatherland,' and others) being composed for the plays with music then in vogue. For the Lyceum, and especially for the Olympic, where Barnett was musical director in 1832, he composed a number of musical farces.
This inartistic employment wearied a musician of the calibre of Barnett, whose aim it became to wed music to poetry in true dramatic form, and whose ambition seems to have been to write a national English opera. ”

“ Before 1818 Barnett had composed a mass and published songs; of the latter, 'The Groves of Pomona,' a grand scena, was sung by Braham. In these early attempts Barnett's strength, of talent and vein of poetic feeling were at once recognised, and he was advised to cultivate the higher branches of his art (Quarterly Musical Magazine, 1821-8, passim) . His music to Wolfe's 'Not a Drum was heard,' had extraordinary merit; but he first won popularity through 'The Light Guitar,' sung by Madame Vestris. ”

“ Early studies under Horn and the chorus-master, Price, were now supplemented by lessons from Perez, organist to the Spanish embassy, Ferdinand Ries, Kalkbrenner, William Horsley, and, later, Schneider von Wartensee at Frankfort. ”