Adagio for Strings Samuel Barber 

Field Notes

I vividly recall sitting in the chorus room during my high school music appreciation class, where Mr. Durham—a talented landscape photographer with an eye for beauty—introduced us to Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. As I settled into my black plastic chair, surrounded by the stark, painted concrete block walls, I felt a wave of emotion wash over me, stirring something deep within that I couldn't quite articulate at the time.

Years later, I encountered that haunting piece again in Oliver Stone's Platoon, and it all came rushing back. I understand that classical music can sometimes feel daunting and detached for many, as if it exists in an entirely different realm. But honestly, if Barber's Adagio doesn’t resonate with you on some level, you might want to check your pulse—because it’s a piece that speaks to the heart like no other.