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Samuel Osborne Barber (March 9, 1910–January 23, 1981) was an American composer of classical music, best known for his 
Adagio for Strings.
He was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania and began to compose at the age of seven. He studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia before becoming a fellow of the American Academy in Rome in 1935. The following year he wrote his String Quartet in B minor, the second movement of which he would arrange, at Arturo Toscanini’s suggestion, for string orchestra as Adagio for Strings, and again for mixed chorus as Agnus Dei.
He tended to avoid the experimentalism of some other American composers of his generation, preferring relatively traditional harmonies and forms until late in his life. Most of his work is lushly melodic and has often been described as neo-romantic, though some of his later works, notably the Third Essay and the Dance of Vengeance, display a masterful use of percussive effects, modernism, and neo-Stravinskian effects.
His songs, accompanied by piano or orchestra, are among the most popular 20th-century songs in the classical repertoire. They include a setting of Matthew Arnold’s Dover Beach, originally written for string quartet and baritone, the Hermit Songs on anonymous Irish texts of the 8th to 13th centuries, and Knoxville: Summer of 1915, written for the soprano Eleanor Steber and based on an autobiographical text by James Agee, the introductory portion of his novel A Death in the Family. Barber possessed a good baritone voice and, for a while, considered becoming a professional singer. He made a few recordings, including his own Dover Beach.
Adagio for Strings.He was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania and began to compose at the age of seven. He studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia before becoming a fellow of the American Academy in Rome in 1935. The following year he wrote his String Quartet in B minor, the second movement of which he would arrange, at Arturo Toscanini’s suggestion, for string orchestra as Adagio for Strings, and again for mixed chorus as Agnus Dei.
He tended to avoid the experimentalism of some other American composers of his generation, preferring relatively traditional harmonies and forms until late in his life. Most of his work is lushly melodic and has often been described as neo-romantic, though some of his later works, notably the Third Essay and the Dance of Vengeance, display a masterful use of percussive effects, modernism, and neo-Stravinskian effects.
His songs, accompanied by piano or orchestra, are among the most popular 20th-century songs in the classical repertoire. They include a setting of Matthew Arnold’s Dover Beach, originally written for string quartet and baritone, the Hermit Songs on anonymous Irish texts of the 8th to 13th centuries, and Knoxville: Summer of 1915, written for the soprano Eleanor Steber and based on an autobiographical text by James Agee, the introductory portion of his novel A Death in the Family. Barber possessed a good baritone voice and, for a while, considered becoming a professional singer. He made a few recordings, including his own Dover Beach.
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Top Tracks
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Adagio for Strings
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Adagio for Strings, Op. 11
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Adagio for Strings (Platoon)
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Second Essay for Orchestra, Op. 17
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Love Song: Tempo di valse, Allegretto
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II. Andante
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Shoutbox
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IrisInsurge wrote:
his Agnus Dei is so beautiful..eh...
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JENYAAVA wrote:
Да, гений! Без сомнения!
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gEEEERa wrote:
Symphony No. 1 FTW
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deadgrave wrote:
Adagio for Strings wooooooow
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prt wrote:
Талант!
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OSaCanUC wrote:
Hey! Care to join the new "American Classical Music" group, honoring American composers and their music." Check it out and join if you like! :o)
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Prog_Metal_Nerd wrote:
I wonder how many of you who've heard Adagio For Strings have heard a lot of his other music. For me the second movement of the Violin Concerto is more moving than Adagio for Strings.
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Killing_Dawn wrote:
'Adagio For Strings' has got to be the most stunningly beautiful composition that I have ever heard. The sound is as hauntingly gorgeous as music can possibly get.
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HeavyWave wrote:
"On tour" :D
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KZ wrote:
one of the greatest composers of all time
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pornogothic wrote:
I dare to suggest his piano sonata could challenge even Liszt's sonata h-moll.
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tilleul_finland wrote:
is on tour :)
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faceofanother wrote:
i am absolutely in love with knoxville: summer of 1915
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themajesti wrote:
Magnificently made...
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nihilismexe wrote:
Sincerely, my most favorite composer.
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Mattyknows wrote:
The way "Adagio for Strings" is used in the film "Platoon" is phenomenal.
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serda1925 wrote:
je peux dire que c'est un chef d'oeuvre...
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serda1925 wrote:
"Adagio for Strings" is wonderful...so touching
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luvnpeace69 wrote:
heard this playey by the london chamber orchestra live, i shed a tear!
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Fabbe_ wrote:
yeah right..
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Events
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Jan
31
O Ano de 1910
Casa da Música, Porto, Portugal
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| 1 attendee
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Mar
26
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France
Cité de la Musique, Paris, France
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| 3 attendees
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woodstein1, AbsintheGreen66 and farr2sirius added Samuel Barber to their libraries. 3 hours ago
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