The middle movement of Samuel Barber’s String Quartet in B minor, Op. 11 (1935), later arranged by the composer for orchestra as Adagio for Strings, is “one of the most recognizable pieces of classical music in the world” (NPR). In a live socially-distanced chamber music performance, members of the ASO performed all three movements of Barber’s string quartet in its original form. Samuel Barber (1910—1981) was a child prodigy who began studying the piano from an early age and quickly began to compose—writing this string quartet when he was only in his mid-twenties. The American composer’s style is distinctive and modern, reflecting romantic trends in 20th-century classical music.

Violist Will Frampton introduces Barber’s string quartet to a live audience on August 9, 2020 at Washington Lake Park Amphitheater in Sewell, New Jersey.

Don’t miss a single offering, sign up for our email list.