The Adagio of Samuel Barber

Book excerpt: It is probably safe to contend that the reception history of Adagio for Strings (1934) by American composer Samuel Barber (1910-1981) is unmatched. It has, of course, achieved canonical status in the three versions prepared by its composer--for string quartet, string orchestra, and mixed chorus. In addition, its broad appeal to classical music lovers as well as to members of the general public has resulted in an array of transcriptions and arrangements. But what becomes ultimately compelling is the spectrum of social contexts where this music is heard and been enthusiastically embraced: in the discotheque and on the modern dance stage, at the movie theater and on television, during memorial services and demonstrations of patriotism, at rock concerts and the circus, in therapy sessions and scientific research, at figure-skating competitions and other sporting events, at weddings and funerals, and on the Internet. In 2011 over 29,000 hits for Adagio for Strings could be found on YouTube alone. There are fascinating connections to poetry and fiction, paintings and sculpture, ring tones and crossword puzzles. Wayne Wentzel's study of this beloved work represents the most exhaustive consideration to date. He not only provides a well documented account of its birth and infancy but its adolescence--when it moved beyond the expected concert setting--and its maturity--when it became a pervasive feature of Western culture in both its cultivated and popular realms. Musical analysis and references to a host of testimonials and assessments are bolstered by discographical and bibliographical reports. Professor Wentzel concludes the volume with thoughtful speculation on the meaning of Barber's masterpiece and wrestles with inevitable and yet controversial questions: Is it American? Is it sad? Is it gay? And, after more that seventy-five years, is it trite?--Publisher description.