Power Of Music In Samuel Barber's Adagio For Violin

Improved Essays
Music surrounds us and has an influence over much of what we encounter in our everyday lives. Music is more than just what you hear in concert halls or on the classic radio stations, it is in background of much of what we do. It can be playing in the stores we shop in and influence what we buy, embellish TV advertisements, and enhances movie scenes. It has the power to influence the moods of those who listen and can change the atmosphere of an entire room. This outstanding power of music is shown in the piece, Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings. Although this piece is popular in concert halls, it has also greatly influenced the atmosphere created in its appearance in the soundtracks of 20 movies as well as expressing the moods of populations …show more content…
This undoubtedly was to due the music accompanying it. The music accompanying this particular scene, the death of a prominent character, is Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings. This is considered by many to be the saddest song of all time. In 2004, the BBC’s Today program voted it the “saddest classical” work ever, ahead of “Dido’s Lament from Dido and Aeneas” (1) , a song listened to many times in this class’s lectures. Through more research it is was found that this song was also played during the T.V. announcement of both JFK and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s deaths as well as performed at Last Night of the Proms in 2001 in memory of the victims of 9/11 (2). In each of these well-known events and movies, this piece of music was able to provoke a very strong and emotional response to those who listened. The combination of tempo, meter, timbre, form, and many other musical aspects to the piece contribute to this strong and seemingly similar melancholy response shared by all who hear it. These musical concepts and their effect are analyzed during its appearance in Oliver Stone’s Platoon’s

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    When Watt uses cuts and abrupt transitions when Nick remembers his Dad after he found out he was diagnosed with cancer and how he reacted to it. it shows the similarities and contrasts of Nick and his father and gives the viewer thoughts on Nickʼs fear of death. Nickʼs dad tryʼs to stay positive and it gives Nick thoughts on whether or not he should react the same way. The abrupt transitions build intensity in the viewer and also build suspense.…

    • 741 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Unit One of Kristine Forney, Andrew Dell’Antonio and Joseph Machlis’ book, The Enjoyment of Music, we discuss a ton of different things. In the beginning of unit one, the authors write about melody, rhythm and meter, harmony, and the organization of musical sounds. Near the end of the unit the authors begin to write about musical texture, music styles, and music functions. The last topic discussed in unit one is sacred music in the middle ages. This unit provides us with insight on the basics of music and gives us a brief history on music during the middle ages.…

    • 773 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Analysis Essay by Michael Justice For my analysis I will be talking about a piece called A Violent Encounter composed by Kow Otani. This piece of music is actually apart of the official soundtrack for a game called Shadow of the Colossus. This is an orchestral piece with some vocal accompaniment in the form of a choir.…

    • 620 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A Day to Remember. (2010). You Be Tails, I 'll Be Sonic. On What Separates Me From You [CD] Ocala, FL: Victory. • ‘You Be Tails, I 'll Be Sonic’ has fast paced versus, slowing down at the chorus.…

    • 1264 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    At their core, the mere concept of musical films is utter genius; seamlessly combining cinema and song, two of the most formidable, emotionally stirring art forms, is a recipe with colossal creative potential. From the inception of musical film with the Alan Crosland directed 1927 motion picture “The Jazz Singer”, to modern box office triumphs such as 2016’s “La La Land”, and 2017’s “The Greatest Showman”, the genre has resonated phenomenally with its audience -- seldom fading out of fashion’s spotlight, consistently producing waves of extravagant displays of story, song, and dance. Regardless of the countless advantages they may hold, similarly to any other high profile genre of art, the musical’s fame and fortune has regrettably spawned numerous…

    • 204 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Walk The Line Critique

    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The music makes the movie happy, giving it an exciting and positive feeling apart for some parts of the movie. The movie’s music is one of the key things that got the audience's attention. “Johnny…

    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Throughout the work, Wagner implements multiple musical techniques to make his composition “click”. From the start, the listener is called to action with shrill trills and glissandos in the high strings and woodwinds, creating a sense of heightening anxiety. Conversely, when the main motive sounds, Wagner utilizes French horns, trombones, and trumpets to convey the entrance of the heroes. In doing this, Wagner shows the sweeping effects orchestration can have: “…instruments [can] create a mood and sway the emotions.” (Wright 106).…

    • 1237 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In the narrative above, the presence of music has a noticeable impact on the way the narrative itself is perceived. By combining all the elements of the piece October by Whitacre, the story is intensified in the way that it brings each aspect of the narrative into life. As the piece begins, the audience can experience the warmth that is brings. The same warmth is present at the beginning of the narrative. Without the presence of music, this narrative would have been simply ordinary, most individuals would not be able to devote their attention to it.…

    • 1088 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Jaws Sound Analysis

    • 1338 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Jaws has been memorable since its release in 1975, but most of its success is due to the magic of editing, which helped hide mechanical defects of production while heightening suspense, and its iconic music, both of which cemented Jaws’ position as a blockbuster. Though the concept of the titular creature becomes obvious shortly after the film beings, the crazily large man eating shark remains mostly unseen throughout the film. Unfortunately, the technology was not available to construct a large realistic shark, so rather than come off looking absurdly unrealistic, the choice was made to leave the image of the shark up to the editors, who were left with horrible raw footage of a floating barge, and transformed it into something the viewers were genuinely afraid of.…

    • 1338 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”, citizens live without individuality, intelligence, and emotions, all of which can be connected to the absence of playable music. In the real world, everyone is affected by music that they listen to or create themselves, but it is truly underestimated. People have the distinguished ability to express their individuality through the varying types of music in the world and how they react to it. Being a musician can challenge someone’s mental and physical abilities and, if they accept the challenge, can make them more intelligent and capable members of society. Music can also cater to one’s differing emotions and help them to understand their feelings and coping methods.…

    • 1044 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Film music, both original scores and soundtracks, manifest new modes and codes that juxtapose those that exist within unadulterated music. The modes and codes that dictate film music, much like the other forms of media within this essay, are driven by the necessity to reinforce the pre-existing narrative. Claudia Gorbman analyses the modes and codes that dictate the narrative supporting nature of film within her article, Narrative Film Music. This journal article is an excerpt from her book, Unheard Melodies: Narrative Film Music which has been published by Yales French Studies. Individuals studying or researching into methods for enhancing film narratives as well as within other forms of media are the preeminent audience for this particular…

    • 1645 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Seeds Of Death Analysis

    • 1632 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Music is a relatively absent feature in this documentary until its closing. Quick-paced tunes are present to cement the strongest points at the film’s summation. Emotional appeals to urge the audience to join the cause is supported by calmer, peaceful melodies. The use of these sounds grabs the audience’s attention during the end to call them to…

    • 1632 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Music is said to be the “universal language of mankind;” it reaches across cultural and language barriers in a way that cannot be done with ordinary languages such as English or Spanish. Music impacts people on personal and social levels. On a personal level music can improve one 's emotions and health. This can facilitate social impacts such as bringing unity and understanding to other people’s emotions. The vitally important impacts that music has on people can occur through listening to music, singing or even playing an instrument.…

    • 1257 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    What is Music? When words fail, music speaks. Music is an unavoidable part in everyone’s life. Whether its music you play by personal choice or music you hear in supermarkets or on the radio in the car.…

    • 784 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Music is a popular and powerful tool. Many of us use music for many reasons, whether it be to relax, escape from current unpleasant circumstances, or if we are in a bad mood and are looking to shake that feeling- music is the first alternative to picking up our spirits. Maybe there is a big exam that you have to study for but just can’t get your mind to focus, once you put on some classical music-somehow, you find yourself very in-tuned with your books and able to retain the information better than you did a few minutes earlier. If you have ever heard a pregnant woman talk about how they play music to their unborn child, it is because music can actually help stimulate the babies brain activity from the womb. In this essay I will be explaining…

    • 1163 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays