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About This Track
“Adagio for Strings” was written by American composer Samuel Barber. It is Barber’s best-known composition although it was not one of his Pulitzer Prize winners. The Adagio is a re-arrangement of the slow second movement of Barber’s “String Quarter, Op. 11.”
Barber was only 26 when the Adagio was performed, in 1938, by Arturo Toscanini’s famed NBC Symphony Orchestra. At the end of the first rehearsal, Toscanini remarked, “Simple & beautiful!” This was especially amazing because he rarely conducted pieces by American composers. At first, Barber knew none of this and was angry with Toscanini who had returned the score to Barber without comment. Only later, did Barber realize this had occurred because Toscanini had already memorized the score!
In 1965, Barber rewrote the score for an 8-person choir as part of his religious work “Agnus Dei.”
The work has been part of many famous performances besides Toscanini’s:
1. It was played during the funerals of Princess Grace & Alfred Einstein.
2. It was played in Britain’s Royal Albert Hall during a 2001 tribute to the 9-11 victims.
3. It was played on national radio as part of the announcement of President Franklin Roosevelt’s death.
Barber was only 26 when the Adagio was performed, in 1938, by Arturo Toscanini’s famed NBC Symphony Orchestra. At the end of the first rehearsal, Toscanini remarked, “Simple & beautiful!” This was especially amazing because he rarely conducted pieces by American composers. At first, Barber knew none of this and was angry with Toscanini who had returned the score to Barber without comment. Only later, did Barber realize this had occurred because Toscanini had already memorized the score!
In 1965, Barber rewrote the score for an 8-person choir as part of his religious work “Agnus Dei.”
The work has been part of many famous performances besides Toscanini’s:
1. It was played during the funerals of Princess Grace & Alfred Einstein.
2. It was played in Britain’s Royal Albert Hall during a 2001 tribute to the 9-11 victims.
3. It was played on national radio as part of the announcement of President Franklin Roosevelt’s death.
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Play Samuel Barber RadioWith: Ralph Vaughan Williams, Benjamin Britten, Sir Edward Elgar, Gabriel Fauré and more…
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Albums featuring this track
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ALBINONI / BARBER / HANDEL (UK)
Various Artists
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Shouts
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MackTheKnifeAU2 wrote:
Kharak is burning :(
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MarianneAudrey wrote:
Covered in charcoal in my studio wearing nothing but my slippers...
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IndefiniteCure wrote:
makes me cry almost every time!
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fancykatya wrote:
I love this it gives me chills like no other classical recording manages to do~
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pottine wrote:
Sublime, quelle émotion
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Malkamillian wrote:
this makes me think of Willem Defoe in slow-motion.
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sandymtz wrote:
this is sooo nice =0)
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Adrianbarrett wrote:
And Platoon.
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elizabethbryson wrote:
Poignant and compelling piece of music (which was also brilliantly used in the soundtrack for, The Elephant Man).
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ulirex wrote:
sounds so beautiful!
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NitaD1 wrote:
Builds up to leave you breathless
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gutlesswonder wrote:
I remember when this was performed at The Last Night Of The Proms (famous UK orchestral music event for those unfamiliar!) with an American conductor after the events of 9/11. Cried my eyes out!
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AlreadyInMyHead wrote:
This piece is just transcendent. It's so incredibly beautiful and uplifting. I can't help but be drawn into a deep meditative state while listening to this.
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atomicseven wrote:
Whew! Brilliant!
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itsnotoveryet27 wrote:
music in perfection
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michael_paige wrote:
My God!
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Im2Jazzy4U wrote:
the ultimate gift...to leave something of value and beauty behind...
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sandymtz wrote:
so captivating!
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kibeley wrote:
Kills.
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Christien67 wrote:
Tears are just falling down when i listen to this , it makes my heart cry .... this is one of the most emotionally powerful pieces of music I know
Track Stats
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168,612 Listeners
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Recent Activity
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