The “Adagio for Strings” was written by American composer Samuel Barber when he was in his 20s. With a tense melodic line and taut harmonies, the composition is considered by many to be the most popular of all 20th-century orchestral works.
Played at the funerals of John F. Kennedy, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Princess Di, Princess Grace, and Rainier III Prince of Monaco; it has also moved millions – in the movies Platoon and Elephant Man.
BUT … what did Barber himself say?!
Apparently Barber found inspiration for the music from a description of a small stream growing in size to a full flowing river.
Some comments: “You never are in any doubt about what this piece is about, says music historian Barbara Heyman, “There’s a kind of sadness and poetry about it … It has a melodic gesture that reaches an arch, like a big sigh… and then exhales and fades off into nothingness.” (Indeed, the BBC’s Radio 4 listeners, ever fond of league tables and otherwise pointless rankings, voted it the “saddest classical work ever”)
“It’s so well known now that I suppose it’s a whisker away from becoming a musical cliché. But still a beautiful work” (Unknown source)
Samuel Barber-adagio-for-strings
Taneyev
December 2, 2009 at 7:42 pmIt’s the famous adagio from his string quartet, one of the best american neo-romantic chamber pieces. All the quartet is worthwhile.
Tony
September 3, 2009 at 12:14 pmJust a small tit=bit, my Lyn is related to Samuel Barber on her American family line.
Jess
April 5, 2008 at 4:35 amThank you for endorsing my love of this piece!
As a relative newcomer to classical discovering the delights of more ‘heavyweight’ composers such as Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff etc. it seemed to me that my love of Barber’s Adagio for Strings was somewhat plebeian and cliche… Good to see elitism has not prevented recognition of the beauty of this piece. Amazing on good speakers with the lights off – still gives me goosebumps!
=)
PS. What a gem of a site – thank you!