Barber Adagio for Strings

This week we explore one of the most popular, and most misunderstood, pieces of the 20th century. Barber's Adagio has been called "The Saddest Music Ever Written," and yet portraying sadness was never Barber's intention in writing the piece. It also might surprise you to find out that the Barber Adagio was originally a part of a 3 movement string quartet. We'll talk about all of these contradictions while trying to understand just what makes this piece so moving, powerful, and profound.