This is Barbara writing, not Craig or Richard.
It may not seem like it but….
“Adagio for Strings” by American composer Samuel Barber has been called “the
saddest piece of music ever written.”
It’s the piece of classical music that was played at the funerals of Princess Diana,
John F. Kennedy and Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
It has been featured in the movie “Platoon” and “The Elephant Man.”
I recently learned that there are pop music renditions such as when the British
musician William Orbitt remixed it, and in 2003 when the Dutch DJ Tiesto did a
version. (Frankly, I gave up trying to listen to these.)
Maybe this song will appear again as a lament for the losses of Covid.
You will hear the Adagio on Palm Sunday as the background for the reading of the
Passion. I was privileged to do this pairing several years ago with Sonya Sutton,
our interim organist. This time, Richard will be at the organ. It will close our
service and lead us into Holy Week with stunning force.
You’ll see us in church.
Barbara
