Born on March 9, 1910, American composer Samuel Osborne Barber II became one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century before his death on January 23, 1981.  Having won the Pulitzer Prize for Music twice for the opera Vanessa (1956-1957) and Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1962), his Adagio for Strings (1936) has earned its permanent place in the repertory of orchestras.

Adagio for Strings  was written as the second movement of Barber’s String Quartet, Opus 11.  This arrangement was completed in 1936 and performed for the first on November 5, 1938 by Arturo Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra.   For its passion and pathos, Aloha Promises Forever rates this composition a 10 out of 10.

You may listen to Adagio For Strings  here: