View Full Version : Barber's Adagio For Strings
Cake or Death
21-05-2007, 23:20
Right Barber's Adagio For Strings, I just heard it on that power to the people doc about abondoned troops on the bbc tonite. is this one of the most haunting spine tingleing peices of music ever written and played.
It seems to be in almost every war related film/documentry especilaly at a very sad moment.
for those who dont know it, its probably most famous playing is in platoon when sgt elias (willim defoe)gets killed by the vc.
and for the younger people also remixed into one of the best dance tunes ever.
discuss
monobrow
21-05-2007, 23:24
William Orbit did quite a bit for forcing some classical onto the tranced out ones among us....
However, it is based on (but don't quote me on it.) angis dei (spelling probably toilet) which is some kind of sung prayer.
THAT my friend is the most chilling version of it. A choir basically singing the whole thing.
Right Barber's Adagio For Strings, I just heard it on that power to the people doc about abondoned troops on the bbc tonite. is this one of the most haunting spine tingleing peices of music ever written and played.
Agreed its a haunting theme, however Im more of a Bach man myself with classics like Jesu Joy of mans desiring and I love Prokofiev's masterpeice of " Dance of the Nights performed by the Kirov Orchestra.
Call me sad :PDT_Xtremez_08:
monobrow
21-05-2007, 23:44
Don't forget String Quartet in C-Sharp Minor Opus 131 by Beethoven.
It's in the episode of Band of Brothers where they find the concentration camp.
Thank you google!!!
mightyhunter
21-05-2007, 23:45
one of the few tunes that, genuinely, brings a tear to my eye:PDT_Xtremez_08:
Wing boy
21-05-2007, 23:49
Marvelous piece of music. I believe it's also in Gallipoli but just to top it off Barber was an airman. this is from wikipedia. I think he was a MSGT Airgunner
From his early to late twenties, Barber wrote a flurry of successful compositions, launching him into the spotlight of the classical music community. Many of his compositions were commissioned or first performed by such famous artists as Vladimir Horowitz, Eleanor Steber, Raya Garbousova, John Browning, Leontyne Price, Pierre Bernac, Francis Poulenc, and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. At the young age of 28, Barber's Adagio for Strings was performed by the NBC Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Arturo Toscanini. Barber was the first American composer to have a composition performed by Toscanini, launching him to international prominence. Barber served in the Army Air Corps in World War II, where he was commissioned to write his Second Symphony, a work he later suppressed (which was resurrected in a Vox recording by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra). He would go on to win a Pulitzer prize in 1963 for his Concerto for Piano and Orchestra.
Marvelous piece of music. I believe it's also in Gallipoli
I beleive you are refering to the music when Mel Gibson makes the frantic dash to deliver the message before the men go over the trench.
That was Jean Michael Jarre.
MontyPlumbs
21-05-2007, 23:53
I beleive you are refering to the music when Mel Gibson makes the frantic dash to deliver the message before the men go over the trench.
That was Jean Michael Jarre.
Excellent film Gallipoli, one of Gibsons best (I find his later films to be a bit self righteous if you know what I mean)
gemarriott
21-05-2007, 23:56
Barbers adaggio was voted top piece for 2 years by classic FM in their Easter poll.
Another haunting piece is Ashokan farewell, also fairly modern.
sh1t, voted for never heard of it, now I know what you're talking about.:PDT_Xtremez_09:
Nice.
monobrow
22-05-2007, 00:19
Don't forget String Quartet in C-Sharp Minor Opus 131 by Beethoven.
It's in the episode of Band of Brothers where they find the concentration camp.
Thank you google!!!Stupid quoting my own post, but found a clip on YouTube from that episode.
It's a very moving peice of music, and a rather moving episode.
wgBGf5I5OvA
katinthehat
22-05-2007, 00:24
It is Gallipoli the adagio is used - that is the first place I heard it - and it totally astounded me then - so much so, I went out and bought a copy - and as a teenager, that was unheard of!! Classical?? nah!!
Still - amazingly evocative piece, whenever it is used.
Wonky Tonka
22-05-2007, 00:41
Personally, I prefer Nimrod by Elgar.
Really moving piece of music.
They played it at Leuchars Airshow last year, as the Nimrod did a flypast in memory of the crew killed the week previously in the Afghanistan crash.
There weren't many dry eyes on the crowd-line.
Rest In Peace CXX Crew 3.
Gotta say music of tat ilk laced to scenes like the one in Platoon and Band of Brothers is a bit of a tear jerker.
Same goes for te music in The Deer Hunter and The Godfather. Its pretty amazing
It is Gallipoli the adagio is used - that is the first place I heard it - and it totally astounded me then - so much so, I went out and bought a copy - and as a teenager, that was unheard of!! Classical?? nah!!
Still - amazingly evocative piece, whenever it is used.
I must have overlooked it, but Jarre's music is also in the film...
Albinoni's Adagio in G minor is a far better work. An original baroque, as opposed to an American pretender.
It's still a great piece of music though.
D
gemarriott
22-05-2007, 09:07
Personally, I prefer Nimrod by Elgar.
Really moving piece of music.
They played it at Leuchars Airshow last year, as the Nimrod did a flypast in memory of the crew killed the week previously in the Afghanistan crash.
There weren't many dry eyes on the crowd-line.
Rest In Peace CXX Crew 3.
Talking music of a different class when you talk Nimrod and Elgar. It is the one single piece of music which always brings a tear to the eye of millions and evokes the act of remembrance. Perhaps because every year it is played around the world when poppies are being placed on war memorials but it is a marvellous piece of music.
Wing boy
22-05-2007, 09:18
I beleive you are refering to the music when Mel Gibson makes the frantic dash to deliver the message before the men go over the trench.
That was Jean Michael Jarre.
No mate, I was on about when the other guy does his "faster than a leopard" bit and runs towards the guns. I think it plays then. Not sure though
No mate, I was on about when the other guy does his "faster than a leopard" bit and runs towards the guns. I think it plays then. Not sure though
Ahh yes I know what your on about now, thats the end of the film. :PDT_Xtremez_28:
FootTapper
22-05-2007, 12:38
Personally, I prefer Nimrod by Elgar.
Really moving piece of music.
They played it at Leuchars Airshow last year, as the Nimrod did a flypast in memory of the crew killed the week previously in the Afghanistan crash.
There weren't many dry eyes on the crowd-line.
Rest In Peace CXX Crew 3.
Enigma Variations, and Nimrod in particular, have been my dad's favourite pieces of music for as long as I can remember. Sadly if I hear Nimrod at all even just on tv or an advert it makes me well up (which can be a little strange in the crew room...)
It was of course the perfect piece of music for the Nimrod flypast
RIP John Langton
katinthehat
22-05-2007, 13:08
I must have overlooked it, but Jarre's music is also in the film...
Actually MM - I stand corrected (dug the CD out....)
- it is NOT Barbers Adagio - it is Albinoni's - full track listing of soundtrack......
ADAGIO IN G MINOR FOR STRINGS & ORGAN"
Tomaso Albinoni
OXYGENE"
Jean Michel Jarre
"THE PEARL FISHERS"
Georges Bizet
"TALES FROM THE VIENNA WOODS - ROSES FROM THE SOUTH"
Johann Strauss
"CENTONE DI SONATA No. 3"
Niccolò Paganini
"IT'S A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY"
Judge & Williams
"AUSTRALIA WILL BE THERE"
Skipper Francis
So I apologise (not too big to admit when I am wrong!) - but there - sorted now - still a great piece of music!!!
HandbrakeHouse
22-05-2007, 15:45
Faure's Requiem is a choker, too. You can get a flavour on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Faure-Requiem-other-choral-music/dp/B0000031HB
shoutingwind
22-05-2007, 17:25
i think nimrod is a very haunting peice of music. i can remember the last two times i listened to it properly all the way through 1- lying inbetween the tent spines in BAS looking for shooting stars 2- XV179's memorial in salisbury cathedrail. everytime i hear it now i want to cry, same with the last post. I didn't realise the power of music on feelings and memory until i joined up. so many different songs remind me of dets, or people or things that have happened, some good and make me smile and some heart renchingly sad and i just want to sit crying.
mightyhunter
22-05-2007, 21:12
i think nimrod is a very haunting peice of music. i can remember the last two times i listened to it properly all the way through 1- lying inbetween the tent spines in BAS looking for shooting stars 2- XV179's memorial in salisbury cathedrail. everytime i hear it now i want to cry, same with the last post. I didn't realise the power of music on feelings and memory until i joined up. so many different songs remind me of dets, or people or things that have happened, some good and make me smile and some heart renchingly sad and i just want to sit crying.try here for a sample--> http://www.amadeusorchestra.co.uk/other/AmadeusOrchestra-Elgar-Nimrod.mp3
now i know the tune. there's a bit of a blank part at the beginning.
EDIT: it's just the recording. v. quiet at the start.
i think nimrod is a very haunting peice of music. i can remember the last two times i listened to it properly all the way through 1- lying inbetween the tent spines in BAS looking for shooting stars 2- XV179's memorial in salisbury cathedrail. everytime i hear it now i want to cry, same with the last post. I didn't realise the power of music on feelings and memory until i joined up. so many different songs remind me of dets, or people or things that have happened, some good and make me smile and some heart renchingly sad and i just want to sit crying.
The thread is about Barbers Adagio....... Don't get me started on Elgar...::(:
shoutingwind
23-05-2007, 21:00
sorry!
barber's music is haunting but very lovely and very lonely. makes me think of going away and of the people i love and my a/c flying into the sunset.
Sometimes i think good music can be overused and that diminishes the peice but the best pieces just keep going..... adagio is one of those
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