Adagio for String (from Op.11) for violin and piano by Samuel Barber
Arranged by Jerry Lanning. Published by Schirmer
Samuel Barber (1910-81) was an American composer known for his lyrical neoromantic music. Though he used 20th century techniques, he was strongly informed by music of the past, included by Brahms, Mozart, Beethoven, and composers of the Baroque and Renaissance eras. He wrote in all classical genres and collaborated on operas with his colleague and life partner, Gian Carlo Menotti.
Barber's short String Quartet, Op.11 (1936) is perhaps best known for its extraordinary, middle movement, famous in its orchestral transcription as "Adagio for Strings". "Adagio for Strings" is a remarkably profound expression of ineffable beauty, deep sorrow, and cosmic yearning, packaged in neo-Renaissance polyphony. This beloved masterpiece is arranged here for violin and piano. Intermediate-advanced level, Grade 4.