Adagio for Strings Op.11 / String Quintet in F Major

There are many names for the slow movement in classical music- adagio, andante, and largo are some of the most popular. They all have the same function in the scheme of the entire composition. They are all a calm center amidst the raucous allegros, prestos, and scherzo. Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings op. 11 was written in 1936 and was part of the three-movement work String Quartet op. 11. Upon meeting with Barber, Arturo Toscanini recognized the incredible qualities of this middle slow movement, and suggested to Barber the orchestration of the movement as a standalone version. The work premiered in 1938 in New York City. The Adagio from Anton Bruckner’s String Quintet in F major follows the traditional role of an adagio, and is placed between a fast Scherzo and an animated Finale. When the work was premiered, all reviewers noted the Adagio specifically. Even his hardest critics wrote “The Adagio emanates light, light in thousands of colours and nuances- the refl