Barber: Cello Concerto and Sonata

Featuring

Andrew Litton
Christian Poltéra
Kathryn Stott
Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
Samuel Barber

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Composer Biography

Samuel Barber, known for his "Adagio for Strings," almost became a professional singer and studied singing at the Curtis Institute of Music from age 14.

Cultural Impact

The "Adagio for Strings" gained popularity during World War II, becoming a natural choice for President Franklin D. Roosevelt's memorial service in 1945, and was later used in Oliver Stone's film "Platoon."

Critical Reception

Barber's Cello Concerto received a muted reception at its premiere but later earned the Fifth Annual Award of the New York City critics' circle for most exceptional new orchestral composition.

Instruments

Christian Poltéra performs on an Andreas Guarnerius cello from 1675 and a François Xavier Tourte bow from around 1820.

Composition History

Barber's "Adagio for Strings" originated as the slow movement of his First String Quartet, which he composed in the Italian Alps in 1936.

Composition History

Serge Koussevitsky, music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, commissioned Barber's Cello Concerto for cellist Raya Garbousova and even arranged Barber's discharge from the US Army Air Force so he could complete the work.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Barber was notable among American composers of his generation for his sustained lyrical impulse, graceful melodic writing, and a well-developed literary sense, as shown by his setting of Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach."