Classical Music With Big Mike

From Britannica-Samuel Barber: “Samuel Barber, (born March 9, 1910, West Chester, PA, died January 23, 1981, New York, NY), American composer who is considered one of the most expressive representatives of the lyric and Romantic trends in 20th-century classical music.

“His [Samuel Barber] style was distinctive and modern but not experimental. He established his reputation with his overture to The School for Scandal in 1933.”

“Although many of Barber’s works make literary allusions, his music is not programmatic in the strict sense.”

In 1936 Barber composed his most beloved and famous “Adagio for Strings” which was the slow movement of his String Quartet in B minor, op. 11. While originally composed for a quartet, it is often played for String Orchestra. It is amazing beautiful and moving whether played by a string quartet or by an orchestra.

Also, from Brittanica-Samuel Barber: “Barber’s Symphony No. 1 (1936; rev. 1942) is in the Romantic tradition. In the Symphony No. 2, 1944; rev. 1947, commissioned by the U.S. Army Air Forces (which he had joined in 1943).”

“Barber also wrote a Violin Concerto (1941) and a Cello Concerto (1946). His Piano Sonata (1949) is a monument of 20th-century American piano music.

” … Barber’s Piano Concerto (1962) brought him new international success and another Pulitzer Prize. His opera Antony and Cleopatra inaugurated the new auditorium of the Metropolitan Opera Association at the Lincoln Center for The Performing Arts in 1966.”

Please turn up the volume and listen to some great compositions from the influential American composer of the 20th Century, Samuel Barber, on his 114th heavenly Birthday.

Samuel Barber: String Quartet in B minor, op. 11 [you will hear the famous, Adagio for Strings – Molto Adagio -8:39]:

Samuel Barber: Symphony #1:

Samuel Barber: Piano Sonata in E Flat minor:

Samuel Barber: Overture to the School for Scandal:

Happy Heavenly #114 Samuel Barber!