Adagio for String (1936). Samuel Barber /quotes/

As we sit ourselves at the bar, I sense something familiar about the frantically paced, booming electronic dance music.  It dawns on me that it is – or at least was in the distant past – Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber.  Turning in his grave, no doubt. Hemlock's Diary.

El final y el epílogo son, una vez más, el colmo de la transgresión, y no pueden dejar indiferente a nadie, y lo mismo puede decirse de la música, con el "Adagio" de Samuel Barber omnipresente y una irreverente utilización del "Happy Together" de los Turtles en uno de los momentos clave. eurocero

the vocal version of adagio for strings by samuel barber. my favourite floating lullaby. “cottonstar”

lots of laughs, lots of drama, and unbelievable percussion ensemble concerts, as well as a version of Barber's Adagio played by 4 marimbas (part of one of those final recitals)...  The Adventures of Lowa

i've been neglecting my cds since the advent of the ipod, but i asked mom to bring me a bunch of my old ones. listening to them makes me a bit nostalgic; it's encountering pieces of your old self in the music. every morning i listen to samuel barber's "adagio for strings." it's a good way to start the day :) egyptiansally

In the lecture we were talking about how sound and soundtrack affects the images on-screen. Teresa played us the beginning of Apocalypse Now as an example. She played it with the original Doors track, as normal, then she played it in silence, then she played it with Barber's Adagio for Strings, then she played it with some Prodigy-esque music nd it was awful! The Adagio for Strings one was very powerful, but it still wasn't the same without Jim Morrison's haunting voice over the beginning. glb201

Comments

[e]

the choral version is one of the most haunting sounds on this earth, and in one stroke acts as a memorial of all sorrow of war and tragedy, lamenting and seeking healing at the same time

[e hannan]

the choral version is one of the most haunting sounds on this earth, and in one stroke acts as a memorial of all sorrow of war and tragedy, lamenting and seeking healing at the same time

[ppilotti]

i did not realise that samuel barber has been popular until i read all these comment about his Adagio.
the key to penetrate to the hearts of the people is that it begins with atonal code, creating tension by it. without giving resolution as the listner is yearing to resolution the tone moves on to anothr dissonance, the tenstion intensifies and the listener is in suspense. it goes on like that until the highest summit. then we are descended, but at the same time we are again starts yearning. that is the key of the work. it is surprising thatit works with dance music as well as funeral and wedding march.