20th century and todaySamuel Barber
Samuel Barber was born in Pennsylvania, in the United States.
Samuel Barber’s life
The big moments of this life, and what was happening in the world at the same time.
A life at a glance
- 1910👶 Birth
Born in West Chester on 9 March
- 1918🌍 Meanwhile
End of the First World War
- 1919❤️ Private lifeage 9
At 9, writes to his mother: ‘I was meant to be a composer’
- 1924📚 Trainingage 14
Enters the brand-new Curtis Institute at 14; meets Gian Carlo Menotti there
- 1931🎼 Workage 21
The School for Scandal overture
- 1935🎩 Careerage 25
American Prix de Rome
- 1936🎼 Workage 26
String Quartet Op. 11, source of the Adagio
- 1938🎼 Workage 28
Toscanini premieres the Adagio for Strings on the radio
- 1948🌍 Meanwhile
The long-playing record (LP) goes on sale
- 1958🎩 Careerage 48
Pulitzer Prize for his opera Vanessa
- 1961🌍 Meanwhile
Yuri Gagarin, first human in space
- 1964🌍 Meanwhile
Robert Moog presents his synthesizer
- 1981🕯️ Deathage 71
Dies in New York on 23 January
Listen to the music
Press the big button to listen. Close your eyes: how does it make you feel?
Samuel Barber’s music is still recent: it belongs to its creators and their families. Ask a grown-up to play it for you on the radio or at a concert!
Once upon a time…
Samuel Barber was born in Pennsylvania, in the United States. At nine he wrote to his mum: “I was not meant to be an athlete, I was meant to be a composer!” And he was right!
At fourteen he entered a great music school, where he learned composition, piano and singing. He had a beautiful voice.
He wrote a string quartet whose slow movement is so beautiful and sad that a great conductor asked him to make a version for orchestra: the Adagio for Strings, one of the most moving pieces of music in the world, heard in many films.
He won the Pulitzer Prize twice, a great American award.
Samuel Barber’s instruments
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