REMINISCENCES OF SIR JOSEPH BARNBY. By One Who Knew Him.

Otago Witness, Issue 2199, 23 April 1896, Page 46

REMINISCENCES OF SIR JOSEPH BARNBY. By One Who Knew Him.

By the lamented death of Sir Joseph Barnby, Eogland has lost not only a talented musician, but a sterling and true-hearted man, who was ever ready to lend a sympathetic ear and a helping hand to anyone requiring sympathy or aid. At the Guildhall School of Music he was simply worshipped by the pupils, for although a strict disciplinarian, he was full of taot and kindness. And his work at the Guildhall was tremendously hard, seeing that* the number of pupila amounted to nearly 4000, and, as Sir Joseph once remarked to me with a smile, "Most of them are blest with parents, as I know to my cost"

Anxious mothers who desired to know | how their " Dear Luciana " was getting on with her music used simply to waylay Sir Joseph, and although his temper must have been sorely tried, he was invariably the embodiment of courtesy. M The hardest part of the business," he once said to me when discussing tbe point, "is that I am sometimes called upon to tell a poor woman, who has scraped money together to pay her daughter's fees, that her daughter can never become a musician, and that it is useless to look in that direction for an income. It is hard, very hard, but it would be cruel, tinder the circumstances, to hold out false hopes." A3 a conductor, Sir Joseph distinguished himself on many celebrated occasions. He invariably sought to get on the most friendly terms wilh his people. When be first took biß place at the conductor's desk at the ! Cardiff Festival, he said :— "1 am not an ogre. I realise how abso- ; lutely essential it is that I should not only gain your esteem and affection — let me say the esteem of the basses and the tenors, and the affection of tbe ladies." This little speech evoked great laughter and applause, and at once the conductor and his choir got on a most friendly footing, Sir Joseph passed a number of happy years at Eton, where he was precentor and musical director. Music, however, was not compulsory, and some of the boys could not understand why it was that they could not be instructed as to the best method of singing such classical ditties as " Tommy, make room for your uncle " or "We dont want to fight." Sail, in spite of all the difficulties in his way, Sir Joseph did wonders with the musical education of the Eton boys, and his departure was universally regretted by his pupils. Sir Joseph, who had a keen sense of humour, used to tell some amusing stories of bit sojourn at Eton.

There was one lad who imagined that he was a great oompoier, and accordingly wrote an oratorio called " David," in which there was a solo for the principal performer, entitled " Dome out, you cad, and fight." The " cad " of coarse was Goliath, the Philistine. The came lad composed a " Dead March," and dedicated it to a master who had annoyed him. The joke was that the master took the dedication as a compliment until Sir Joseph pointed out the satire $o him. There was nothing of the, pessimist about the late principal of the Guildhall School, and certainly never was there a musician more free from professional jealousy. On the contrary, he was always delighted to hear of the success of a colleague, and it is a curious fact that only on Sunday week before he died, he said : " I think it is a oity that, when poor Halle died, they didu't offer Frederic Cowen .the po9t of principal of the Royal Manchester College. Sir Joseph's renown as a composer of sacred music was very great, but of late his other work had taken up so much of his time that composition was almost oat of the question. His last composition was a carol-anthem, entitled " Hail to the Christ," which appeared iQ, tbe Christmas number of tbe Strand Musical Magazine, and has been sung iranumber of churches. In his home life Sir Joseph was most happy. He was passionately devoted to his wife and children, and, as he onoe said, he was essentially an optimisst, tskir-g a^cheerful vibw of life. / " Another sacret of any success I have attained," he added, " is the fact that I have taken an intense interest in whatever I have had in hand, without looking forward to the pecuniary result." Those who knew the dead musician best

will best be able to appreciate how true these words were. The death of the distinguised musician was very sadden. It was announced on the bills of the London evening papers of Tuesday, January 28, That very day was published No. 8 of Woman's Life, containing an article entitled "Au Afternoon with Lady Barnby," and that morning's post brought a most kindly letter from Lady Barnby, saying, how pleased she was to read the little chat.