Mar. 9, 2010
March 9 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of American composer Samuel Barber. Barber's melodically generous and lyrical, romantic music has been in and out of favor with academicians and critics as musical fashions have changed, but it has never been out of fashion with the public. While he is especially remembered for his vocal music, he wrote and excelled in virtually every musical genre -- orchestral, concerto, keyboard, chamber, opera, ballet, and choral. His best known work, Adagio for Strings, is one of the most beloved pieces of 20th century classical music. It has become associated with mourning so much that it has been described with accuracy by Barber's biographer as our national funeral music. It has been played at funerals and memorials for heads of state, royalty, and public figures, most recently at the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics, to honor the athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili who was killed before the games began. Classical Corner will feature a retrospective on the life and work of Barber later this month. Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra -- Barber: Adagio for Strings