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• 1 2025-06-25T19:52:43-04:00 "Adagio for Strings" by Samuel Barber, contributed by Hilary Chan (2025) 1 plain 2025-06-25T19:52:43-04:00
  
  Labelled the “unofficial national anthem of sorrow” or “the saddest music in the world,” Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings has long been a staple within funeral music. Originally the slow second movement of his first string quartet, he adapted this movement for full string orchestra – turning it into one of his best known works. This piece was first played in 1945 during President Roosevelt’s memorial service, followed by the funerals of other notable figures such as Albert Einstein. 
  
  I was first introduced to this work 6 years ago, when I performed this piece with the orchestra I was a part of in Canada's Royal Conservatory of Music. While some reviews may claim that this piece is “boring” or overrated,” at 13 years old I was immediately gripped by the arching melodic structure of the work. The way the voices weaved together and communicated with each other like a chant throughout the entire piece was so beautiful to me. I especially enjoyed the stepwise motion of the melodic line beginning around 5:12, leading up to the sustained climax and subsequent pause – almost as if there was a moment of silence. For me to this day, this stepwise progression really emphasizes the tension of the piece while still keeping things simple and honest, something many appreciate in music chosen to represent those who have passed. In its haunting stillness, Adagio for Strings does not merely grieve, but it remembers, echoing long after the final note fades.