Editing Adagio for Strings (section)

== Critical reception ==
Alexander J. Morin, author of ''Classical Music: The Listener's Companion'' (2001), said that the piece was "full of pathos and cathartic passion" and that it "rarely leaves a dry eye".<ref name="Third Ear?">
{{cite book
|title=Classical Music: Third Ear: The Essential Listening Companion
|last=Morin
|first=Alexander
|year=2001
|publisher=[[Hal Leonard Corporation|Backbeat Books]]
|isbn=0-87930-638-6
|page=[https://archive.org/details/classicalmusicli00mori/page/74 74]
|url-access=registration
|url=https://archive.org/details/classicalmusicli00mori/page/74
}}</ref> Reviewing the premiere performance in 1938, Olin Downes noted that with the piece, Barber "achieved something as perfect in mass and detail as his craftsmanship permits".<ref name="The Arts"/>

In an edition of ''A Conductor's Analysis of Selected Works'', John William Mueller devoted over 20 pages to ''Adagio for Strings''.<ref>
{{cite book
|last=Mueller
|first=John William
|title=A conductor's analysis of selected works
|year=1992
|publisher=John William Mueller
|pages=187–210
}}</ref> Wayne Clifford Wentzel, author of ''Samuel Barber: A Research and Information Guide (Composer Resource Manuals)'', said that it was a piece usually selected for a closing act because it was moderately famous. Roy Brewer, writer for [[AllMusic]], said that it was one of the most recognizable pieces of American concert music.<ref name="allmusic">
{{cite web
|url={{AllMusic|class=work|id=c41496|pure_url=yes}}
|title=''Adagio for Strings'' (or string quartet; arr. from 2nd mvt. of String Quartet), Op. 11
|website=Allmusic
|access-date=October 2, 2010
}}</ref>
The musicologist [[Bill McGlaughlin]] compares its role in American music to the role that [[Edward Elgar]]'s [[Enigma Variations#Variation IX (Adagio) "Nimrod"|"Nimrod"]] holds for the British.<ref>[[Bill McGlaughlin|McGlaughlin, Bill]]. Edward Elgar: Part 2 of 5. ''[[Exploring Music]]''. Originally aired April 6, 2004.</ref>

As part of a musical retrospective in 2000, [[NPR]] named ''Adagio for Strings'' one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century, calling it "standard repertoire for today's orchestras, and Barber's best-known work".<ref>{{cite web |title=NPR 100: Barber's 'Adagio for Strings' |url=https://www.npr.org/2000/03/13/1071551/barbers-iconic-adagio-for-strings |publisher=[[NPR]] |access-date=July 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415090350/https://www.npr.org/2000/03/13/1071551/barbers-iconic-adagio-for-strings |archive-date=April 15, 2022 |date=March 13, 2000 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The NPR 100 |url=https://legacy.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html |publisher=[[NPR]] |access-date=July 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703151833/https://legacy.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html |archive-date=July 3, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2019, NPR revisited the piece, with writer Anastasia Tsioulcas suggesting it arrived at "the right moment, when America was still hurting from the Great Depression and Europe was sliding into war." She continued by noting how young people reinterpret "America's semi-official music for mourning" as an expression of joy, using the example of Dutch DJ [[Tiësto]]'s remix of ''Adagio for Strings'' as a dance music anthem,<ref name="npr2019">https://www.npr.org/2019/02/13/694388226/samuel-barber-adagio-for-strings-tiesto-william-orbit-american-anthem</ref> which caught the attention of the [[Athens Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games|2004 Olympics Organizers in Athens]] (ATHOC) and is included on ''[[Parade of the Athletes]]'', Tiësto's retrospective mix of his live set performed during the opening ceremony.<ref>[https://medium.com/12edit/tiesto-parade-of-athletes-dac120244f44 Tiesto — Parade of Athletes. How Tijs Verwest turned out to be the DJ of the 2004 Olympics]</ref>

In 2004, listeners to the [[BBC Radio 4|BBC Radio]]'s ''[[Today (BBC Radio 4)|Today]]'' program voted ''Adagio for Strings'' the "saddest classical" work ever, ahead of "[[Dido's Lament]]" from ''[[Dido and Aeneas]]'' by [[Henry Purcell]], the Adagietto from [[Gustav Mahler]]'s [[Symphony No. 5 (Mahler)|5th symphony]], ''[[Metamorphosen]]'' by [[Richard Strauss]], and ''[[Gloomy Sunday]]'' as sung by [[Billie Holiday]].<ref>{{ cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/reports/arts/saddestmusic_20040506.shtml | title=Today: search for the world's saddest music | access-date=November 12, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{ cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/reports/arts/saddestmusic_vote.shtml | title=Saddest Music shortlist | access-date=November 12, 2011}}</ref>