George Vern Barnett
Encyclopedia
George Vern Barnett was an Australian organist, choir master and accompanist. He was an important figure in the musical and cultural life of Sydney
for many years in the early twentieth century.
, a suburb of Melbourne
, Victoria
. He was the son of George Vern Barnett, a dental surgeon, and his wife Margaret Sophia (née Woodward). The Barnetts lived in England and India before moving to Sydney in 1897.
Barnett studied music under Edward Sykes and Edward Goll and became prominent on the Sydney musical scene as 'the boy wonder pianist'. Due to poor health he was rejected for service in World War I, but expressed his patriotism by writing a popular song entitled 'War 1914'. He was choir master and organist at Sydney churches including Petersham Congregational Church (1913–1919), St Andrew's Summer Hill (1919–1922), and St Peter's Neutral Bay (1922–1932) and gave performances on the Sydney Town Hall Grand Organ
from the age of eighteen.
As an organist, Barnett was held in the highest regard. His expertise was such that he was often asked to advise on and test new and rebuilt organs throughout New South Wales
. He was organist and choirmaster at the new St Stephen's Presbyterian Church, Macquarie Street, Sydney, following its reconstruction in 1932. It was considered that he had one of the best libraries of organ music in Australia, which after his death was donated to the Organ Music Society of Sydney.
Barnett was also celebrated as an accompanist. He worked with many great overseas and local artists including Andrew Black, Henri Verbrugghen
, Florence Austral
, Elsa Stralia
and Dame Nellie Melba
. Melba was so impressed that she wanted him to go back to England as her permanent accompanist, but he preferred to stay in Australia. Newspaper reviewers frequently made special note of his contribution to performances with comments such as 'a great deal of the success of the performance was due to the fine work of G. Vern Barnett at the piano' and 'Mr G. Vern Barnett likewise did his part of the work with consummate taste and feeling, and gave the requisite help to the melodies without any attempt to secure undue prominence for himself, although his accomplishments in this capacity are undeniable'.
In the 1920s Barnett embraced the new medium of radio, becoming the official pianist at radio station 2BL in 1925 and the station's musical director from 1927. In 1932, on the formation of the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC), the station became part of their network, and Barnett also became leader of the Broadcasters Instrumental Trio and director of the Broadcasters Dinner Orchestra. He continued as musical adviser and performer after relinquishing the musical director post in 1936.
's choral work The Rio Grande. Within a week he succeeded in collecting some 80 singers from whom 60 were selected. Under his baton the Sydney Radio Choir went on to give the first performances in Australia of works by composers such as Percy Grainger
, Granville Bantock
, Gustav Holst
and Sir Charles Villiers Stanford
. Other successful performances of major works were Rossini's and Pergolesi
's settings of the Stabat Mater
, Gounod
's Gallia, An Australian Symphony by Lindley Evans
and the first performance of Alfred Hill
's setting of the Third Psalm.
Barnett was deputy conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Society of Sydney from 1915 to 1926 and 1936 to 1939, and conductor from 1939 to 1946. He also prepared choirs for visiting conductors such as Sir Malcolm Sargent
, Sir Hamilton Harty
, and Sir Richard Runciman Terry
. Sargent in particular expressed his appreciation and admiration for Barnett's preparation of a 250-voice choir in three weeks for a performance of Verdi's Requiem in 1936. The choristers were drawn from the Sydney Radio Choir, Conservatorium Select Choir, Royal Philharmonic Society, Sydney Male Choir and Hurlstone Park Choral Society. Sargent considered the choir 'very fine indeed', adding that 'I would be glad to have it at my disposal in any part of the world'.
Throughout his career, Barnett was invited to adjudicate at vocal and choral competitions and Eisteddfods around Australia and New Zealand, including the prestigious The Sun Aria competition. He also taught piano and voice at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music
for many years, and was at various times pianist of the Royal Apollo Club, organist and accompanist of the Welsh Choral Society, the Madrigal Society, and the Presbyterian Combined Choirs.
Barnett married Doris Kathleen Trevor-Jones (née Gartrell) on 20 October 1920. They had three children, Andrew
, Brian and Judith, and lived in Chatswood
on Sydney's North Shore. Barnett died suddenly on 15 April 1946 in Goulburn, New South Wales
, where he had just completed adjudicating at the Goulburn Eisteddfod. His widow was also a pianist, music teacher and in her younger days a performer. She was the musical director of the Chatswood-Artarmon Music Club in the late 1940s and early 1950s. She died in 1987.
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
for many years in the early twentieth century.
Early life and career
Barnett, usually known as Vern, was born in CarltonCarlton, Victoria
Carlton is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne...
, a suburb of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. He was the son of George Vern Barnett, a dental surgeon, and his wife Margaret Sophia (née Woodward). The Barnetts lived in England and India before moving to Sydney in 1897.
Barnett studied music under Edward Sykes and Edward Goll and became prominent on the Sydney musical scene as 'the boy wonder pianist'. Due to poor health he was rejected for service in World War I, but expressed his patriotism by writing a popular song entitled 'War 1914'. He was choir master and organist at Sydney churches including Petersham Congregational Church (1913–1919), St Andrew's Summer Hill (1919–1922), and St Peter's Neutral Bay (1922–1932) and gave performances on the Sydney Town Hall Grand Organ
Sydney Town Hall Grand Organ
The Sydney Town Hall Grand Organ is a large pipe organ built by English firm William Hill & Son in 1890. It is located in the Centennial Hall of Sydney Town Hall in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
from the age of eighteen.
As an organist, Barnett was held in the highest regard. His expertise was such that he was often asked to advise on and test new and rebuilt organs throughout New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. He was organist and choirmaster at the new St Stephen's Presbyterian Church, Macquarie Street, Sydney, following its reconstruction in 1932. It was considered that he had one of the best libraries of organ music in Australia, which after his death was donated to the Organ Music Society of Sydney.
Barnett was also celebrated as an accompanist. He worked with many great overseas and local artists including Andrew Black, Henri Verbrugghen
Henri Verbrugghen
Henri Verbrugghen was a Belgian musician, who directed orchestras in England, Scotland, Australia and the United States....
, Florence Austral
Florence Austral
Florence Austral was an Australian operatic soprano renowned for her interpretation of the most demanding Wagnerian female roles, although she never gained the opportunity to appear at the Bayreuth Festival or the New York Metropolitan Opera.She was born Florence Mary Wilson, but adopted the...
, Elsa Stralia
Elsa Stralia
Elsa Stralia was an Australian soprano with an international reputation in Europe and America. She was born Elsie Mary Fischer.-Biography:After appearing in Sydney, she studied in Milan and London...
and Dame Nellie Melba
Nellie Melba
Dame Nellie Melba GBE , born Helen "Nellie" Porter Mitchell, was an Australian operatic soprano. She became one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian Era and the early 20th century...
. Melba was so impressed that she wanted him to go back to England as her permanent accompanist, but he preferred to stay in Australia. Newspaper reviewers frequently made special note of his contribution to performances with comments such as 'a great deal of the success of the performance was due to the fine work of G. Vern Barnett at the piano' and 'Mr G. Vern Barnett likewise did his part of the work with consummate taste and feeling, and gave the requisite help to the melodies without any attempt to secure undue prominence for himself, although his accomplishments in this capacity are undeniable'.
In the 1920s Barnett embraced the new medium of radio, becoming the official pianist at radio station 2BL in 1925 and the station's musical director from 1927. In 1932, on the formation of the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC), the station became part of their network, and Barnett also became leader of the Broadcasters Instrumental Trio and director of the Broadcasters Dinner Orchestra. He continued as musical adviser and performer after relinquishing the musical director post in 1936.
Later years
In 1932 under the auspices of the ABC, Barnett established the Sydney Radio Choir and remained its conductor for 6 years. This arose from the decision to perform on national radio Constant LambertConstant Lambert
Leonard Constant Lambert was a British composer and conductor.-Early life:Lambert, the son of Russian-born Australian painter George Lambert, was educated at Christ's Hospital and the Royal College of Music...
's choral work The Rio Grande. Within a week he succeeded in collecting some 80 singers from whom 60 were selected. Under his baton the Sydney Radio Choir went on to give the first performances in Australia of works by composers such as Percy Grainger
Percy Grainger
George Percy Aldridge Grainger , known as Percy Grainger, was an Australian-born composer, arranger and pianist. In the course of a long and innovative career he played a prominent role in the revival of interest in British folk music in the early years of the 20th century. He also made many...
, Granville Bantock
Granville Bantock
Sir Granville Bantock was a British composer of classical music.-Biography:Granville Ransome Bantock was born in London. His father was a Scottish doctor. He was intended by his parents for the Indian Civil Service but was drawn into the musical world. His first teacher was Dr Gordon Saunders at...
, Gustav Holst
Gustav Holst
Gustav Theodore Holst was an English composer. He is most famous for his orchestral suite The Planets....
and Sir Charles Villiers Stanford
Charles Villiers Stanford
Sir Charles Villiers Stanford was an Irish composer who was particularly notable for his choral music. He was professor at the Royal College of Music and University of Cambridge.- Life :...
. Other successful performances of major works were Rossini's and Pergolesi
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi was an Italian composer, violinist and organist.-Biography:Born at Iesi, Pergolesi studied music there under a local musician, Francesco Santini, before going to Naples in 1725, where he studied under Gaetano Greco and Francesco Feo among others...
's settings of the Stabat Mater
Stabat Mater
Stabat Mater is a 13th-century Roman Catholic hymn to Mary. It has been variously attributed to the Franciscan Jacopone da Todi and to Innocent III...
, Gounod
Charles Gounod
Charles-François Gounod was a French composer, known for his Ave Maria as well as his operas Faust and Roméo et Juliette.-Biography:...
's Gallia, An Australian Symphony by Lindley Evans
Lindley Evans
Lindley Evans CMG was a South African-born Australian composer, pianist and teacher. He is best known for his collaboration with Frank Hutchens in a famous piano duet which lasted 41 years, and as the ABC's "Mr Melody Man" for 30 years.Harry Lindley Evans was born in Cape Town in 1895, to English...
and the first performance of Alfred Hill
Alfred Hill
Alfred Francis Hill CMG OBE was an Australian/New Zealand composer, conductor and teacher.-Biography:Alfred Hill was born in Melbourne in 1869. His year of birth is shown in many sources as 1870, but this has now been disproven. He spent most of his early life in New Zealand...
's setting of the Third Psalm.
Barnett was deputy conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Society of Sydney from 1915 to 1926 and 1936 to 1939, and conductor from 1939 to 1946. He also prepared choirs for visiting conductors such as Sir Malcolm Sargent
Malcolm Sargent
Sir Harold Malcolm Watts Sargent was an English conductor, organist and composer widely regarded as Britain's leading conductor of choral works...
, Sir Hamilton Harty
Hamilton Harty
Sir Hamilton Harty was an Irish and British composer, conductor, pianist and organist. In his capacity as a conductor, he was particularly noted as an interpreter of the music of Berlioz and he was much respected as a piano accompanist of exceptional prowess...
, and Sir Richard Runciman Terry
Richard Runciman Terry
Sir Richard Runciman Terry was an English organist, choir director and musicologist. He is noted for his pioneering revival of Tudor liturgical music. He is often credited as R. R. Terry or simply R...
. Sargent in particular expressed his appreciation and admiration for Barnett's preparation of a 250-voice choir in three weeks for a performance of Verdi's Requiem in 1936. The choristers were drawn from the Sydney Radio Choir, Conservatorium Select Choir, Royal Philharmonic Society, Sydney Male Choir and Hurlstone Park Choral Society. Sargent considered the choir 'very fine indeed', adding that 'I would be glad to have it at my disposal in any part of the world'.
Throughout his career, Barnett was invited to adjudicate at vocal and choral competitions and Eisteddfods around Australia and New Zealand, including the prestigious The Sun Aria competition. He also taught piano and voice at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
The Sydney Conservatorium of Music is one of the oldest and most prestigious music schools in Australia...
for many years, and was at various times pianist of the Royal Apollo Club, organist and accompanist of the Welsh Choral Society, the Madrigal Society, and the Presbyterian Combined Choirs.
Barnett married Doris Kathleen Trevor-Jones (née Gartrell) on 20 October 1920. They had three children, Andrew
Andrew Vern-Barnett
Andrew Elgar Vern-Barnett MBE AM was the pioneer in Australia of the care and treatment of autistic children.Andrew Elgar Vern-Barnett was born in Sydney on 30 March 1923. He was the son of George Vern Barnett, organist and choir master, and his wife Doris Kathleen...
, Brian and Judith, and lived in Chatswood
Chatswood, New South Wales
Chatswood is a suburb on the North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Chatswood is located 10 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Willoughby. Chatswood West is a separate suburb...
on Sydney's North Shore. Barnett died suddenly on 15 April 1946 in Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people...
, where he had just completed adjudicating at the Goulburn Eisteddfod. His widow was also a pianist, music teacher and in her younger days a performer. She was the musical director of the Chatswood-Artarmon Music Club in the late 1940s and early 1950s. She died in 1987.