Adagio for Strings is a work for string orchestra, arranged by the American composer Samuel Barber from his first string quartet. For information about this work, see Adagio for Strings.

The Adagio for Strings is very popular and has been widely adapted for works of popular culture. This article is a listing of such adaptations.

Politics

Lt. Gen. Roméo Dallaire, Commander of UN forces in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide, called the piece "the purest expression in music of the suffering, mutilation, rape and murder of 800,000 Rwandans." <ref name=Dallaire> </ref>

The piece was played at the funerals of US Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, as well as at those of Princess Grace and Rainier III, Prince of Monaco .

Popular music

At the start of the final Beatles film, Let It Be, Paul McCartney plays a piano rendition of the piece.

The piece was used as a synth solo introduction to the song When A Blind Man Cries by Deep Purple on their live album Live at the Olympia '96.<ref> Deep Purple Classic Quotes</ref>

The piece was remade as the opening track on the William Orbit album Pieces in a Modern Style. This interpretation was later remixed by trance music DJ Ferry Corsten. It has also been remixed by freeform producer K Complex and has been performed live by freeform artist Alek Száhala.

An interpolation of the original is included in the trance track Skip Raiders feat. Jada - Another Day

It was also remixed by the classical crossover string quartet "bond" in their musical cd "Classified"

"Interlude" by the band Muse, is constructed using the same chord progressions except with a heavy fuzz guitar effect.

The piece was also redone by the Taliesin Orchestra in their album "Sacred."

Delerium's "Eternal Odyssey" also features the main melody.

The popular American rapper Sean Combs (aka Diddy) used the choral arrangement of the piece as the introduction to his song I'll Be Missing You, under spoken word. This is only present in the extended version of the song.

Adapted into a track with the same name by DJ Tiesto, off the album "Parade of the Athletes". It was on hearing Tiesto's version of the piece that led to him being asked to perform in the Opening Ceremony of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. The track was also played during the Opening Ceremony.

Sampled in a short track of the same name by Paul Oakenfold off Perfecto Fluoro.

Television

The piece is heard briefly in the South Park episode "Up the Down Steroid".

It appears towards the end of episode 203 of ER, when the character Luka starts praying (before what he thinks is his impending death). His prayers seem to work since the soldiers think he is a priest and fall to their knees beside him to pray.

It can also be heard in the Seinfeld episode "The Fatigues".

It can also be heard in The Simpsons episodes "Strong Arms of the Ma" and "Marge Gamer".

It also appeared in the October 11, 2006 episode of The Daily Show.

It was also used in the British comedy/drama series Butterflies

During the fake gun fight featured in the British comedy series Spaced.

It was also used briefly in the final scene of the English comedy Red Dwarf Season 8, Episode 8 entitled "Only the Good".

The piece was also used in the 18 February 2007 episode of BBC2's "Conspiracy Files" series of documentaries - this particular episode examined the various conspiracy theories relating to the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C.. It is particularly prominent at the end of the episode.

The piece was used in series two of UK comedy The Fast Show in a piece featuring "The Offroaders" who throughout the episode had been talking about the adventures of paintball. In a parody of "Platoon" they run from behind their wooden defence wall (with shouts of "paintball!!!" reverbating on the soundtrack), in black and white and slow motion, with Adagio For Strings playing in the background. This was one of the first examples of the Fast Show's ability to represent emotion amongst comedy.

The piece was played at the BBC's Last Night of the Proms shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, replacing the traditional exuberant finale. It was the first "Last Night" conducted by an American.<ref name=Proms> .</ref>

The "Adagio for Strings" was played at the televised prayer service held at Ground Zero about six weeks after 9/11.

During Nodame's hypnosis in "Nodame Cantabile", a Japanese television drama series.

Film

The Adagio is heard in The Elephant Man , El Norte , Scarface , The Scarlet Letter , S1m0ne , Reconstruction , Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny and SiCKO ; it is heard repeatedly in
Platoon , Lorenzo's Oil , and Amélie .<ref> Samuel Barber at the Internet Movie Database is a list of movies that have included Adagio for Strings on their soundtracks, some as an integral part of the film score, others as incidental background noise.</ref>

Ballet

The ballet, Adagio for Strings, choreographed for American Ballet Theatre by John Meehan to Barber's music of the same title, had its premiere at the Metropolitan Opera House on 8 April 1980.<ref name=ballet> </ref>

Video games

The song can be heard in a certain mission of Medal of Honor: Frontline

Agnus Dei, the choral version of Adagio for Strings, is heard both in the opening launch sequence and later in the third as well as the last mission of the PC strategy game Homeworld<ref> </ref>.

Drum corps

The Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps used Adagio for Strings as part of their 2000 show. They continue to use the chord progression of Adagio for Strings as a warm-up. It was also part of the Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps' 2005 championship show entitled Variations in B.

References