Bartholomew wrote English words for Méhul's 'Joseph' (by command of the Queen); Spohr's 'Jessonda'; Costa's 'Eli,' 'Naaman,' and 'The Dream'; and Mrs. Bartholomew's 'The Nativity,' etc. For the last few years of his life he was confined to his room by paralysis of the lower limbs.
[ G. ]
BARTLEMAN, James, was born Sept. 19, 1769, probably at Westminster, and educated under Dr. Cooke in the choristers' school of Westminster Abbey. He soon showed voice and capacity far beyond his fellow pupils, and became a great favourite with his master. His voice while it remained a soprano was remarkable for strength and fine quality of tone. He distinguished himself as a boy-singer by his refined and expressive rendering of Dr. Greene's solo anthem, 'Acquaint thyself with God.' He was greatly patronised by Sir John Hawkins, in whose family he was a frequent visitor (see Miss Hawkins's 'Anecdotes'). In 1788 his name appears for the first time as a bass chorister, at the Concerts of Ancient Music, where he remained till 1791, when he quitted it to assume the post of first solo bass at the newly established Vocal Concerts. In 1795 he returned to the Ancient Concerts, and immediately took the station which, till compelled by ill health, he never quitted, of principal bass singer in the first concert of the metropolis. Before Bartleman's time only one bass solo of Purcell's had been heard at these concerts—that of the Cold Genius in the 'Frost Scene' of 'King Arthur.' It is to him we are indebted for making us acquainted with those magnificent monuments of the giant of English composers, 'Let the dreadful Engines,' 'Thy Genius, lo!' 'Ye twice ten hundred Deities,' 'Hark, my Daridcar.' In the short course of one season he revived them all, and continued to sing them with unabated applause until he sang no more. Bartleman's execution was that of his time and school, and confined chiefly to written divisions; his own ornaments were few, simple, and chaste, and always in strict keeping with the feeling of the air in which they were introduced. The latter years of his life were embittered by disease which he vainly struggled against. He died April 15, 1821, and was buried in the cloisters of Westminster. His epitaph is by Dean Ireland. He formed a large and valuable musical library, which was sold by auction by White of Storey's Gate, shortly after his death. (Harmonicon, 1830; Books of Ancient Concerts; Private Sources.)
[ E. F. R. ]
BARTLETT, John, an English musician of the early part of the 17th century. He published a work entitled 'A Book of Ayres, with a Triplicitie of Musicke, whereof the First Part is for the Lute or Orpharion, and Viole de Gamba, and 4 Parts to Sing: the Second Part is for 2 Trebles, to sing to the Lute and Viole: The Third Part is for the Lute and one Voyce, and the Viole di Gamba,' 1606. It is dedicated to the 'Right Honourable his singular good Lord and Maister, Sir Edward Seymore.' Bartlett took his degree as Mus. Bac. at Oxford in 1610. (Wood, Athenæ Oxon.; Rimbault, Bib. Mad.)
[ E. F. R. ]
BARTOLINI, Vincenzio, a very good second soprano, appeared in London, 1782, in 'Il Convito,' a comic opera by Bertoni. In the next season he took part in 'L' Olimpiade,' a pasticcio; and in 1784 he sang in Anfossi's 'Issipile' and 'Due Gemelle,' and the 'Demofoonte' of Bertoni. He sang also in the Commemoration of Handel in Westminster Abbey that year, and in 1786 we find him still in London, performing in Tarchi's 'Virginia.' He was singing with success at Cassel in 1792.
[ J. M. ]
BARYTON, also Viola di Bardone or BORDONE. Bordone is the Italian for 'drone,' and Leopold Mozart, in his 'Violin-School,' contends that the tone of this instrument, owing probably to the vibration of the sympathetic metal-strings, was suggestive of the hum of the bee.
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The Baryton, a stringed instrument not unlike the viola da gamba, played with a bow, was in use up to the end of the 18th century, but owing probably to its complicated mechanism and to the weakness of its tone, which rendered it unfit for use in orchestral playing, is now entirely obsolete. Its neck was very broad, hollowed out, and open at the back. It was usually mounted with six or seven catgut strings, stretched over the finger-board, and played on with the bow; while the metal strings, varying in number from nine to twenty-four, and running underneath the fingerboard, were pinched with the thumb of the left hand, and acted at the same time as sympathetic strings. The catgut strings were tuned as follows:—
