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- Samuel Barber
Adagio for Strings (for string orchestra) (1938)
- G Schirmer Inc (World)
- str
- 8 min
- 4th April 2025, Theatro Municipal, São Paulo, Brazil
- 5th April 2025, Theatro Municipal, São Paulo, Brazil
Programme Note
Samuel Barber's musical potential was recognized at an early age and cultivated with lessons in piano, voice, and composition. These led to studies at the Curtis Institute, two subsequent years in Italy upon winning the 1935 Prix de Rome, and a steady succession of commissions, appointments, and awards.
While much of Barber's recognition stems from his works for voice, his most famous composition remains the Adagio for Strings, transcribed for string orchestra from the second movement of his String Quartet.
Premiered in 1938 by the NBC Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Arturo Toscanini, Adagio for Strings soon became Barber's most-performed piece. His characteristic melodic ease is shown in serene simplicity as the work progresses through almost reverent material to its lush, graceful climax.
While much of Barber's recognition stems from his works for voice, his most famous composition remains the Adagio for Strings, transcribed for string orchestra from the second movement of his String Quartet.
Premiered in 1938 by the NBC Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Arturo Toscanini, Adagio for Strings soon became Barber's most-performed piece. His characteristic melodic ease is shown in serene simplicity as the work progresses through almost reverent material to its lush, graceful climax.
Media
Adagio for Strings, Op. 11
Features
- Catalogue Classics: Samuel Barber – Adagio for Strings
- Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber is one of the best-known and most beloved concert works of all time. Derived from the middle movement of his String Quartet, Op. 11, it was premiered in 1938 by Arturo Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra. As the US struggled to emerge from the Great Depression and the prospect of war in Europe loomed, Adagio for Strings provided its audiences with a space to access their emotions, through radio broadcasts and performances across the Americas.