Adagio For Strings - Arrangements

Arrangements

G. Schirmer has published several alternate arrangements for Adagio for Strings. They include:

• Solo organ (1949) – William Strickland
• Clarinet choir (1964) – Lucien Cailliet
• Woodwind band (1967) – John O'Reilly
• Agnus Dei (1967) – Samuel Barber – Latin text setting of "Agnus Dei" (Lamb of God) for chorus with optional organ or piano accompaniment

Strickland, while assistant organist at St Bartholomew's Church in New York, had been impressed by Toscanini's recording of the work and had submitted his own arrangement for organ to Schirmers. After making contact with Barber at a musical soirée in 1939, his transcription received a lukewarm response from the composer. Strickland, subsequently appointed wartime director of music at Fort Myer in Virginia, became a champion of Barber's new compositions and remained in correspondence. In 1945 Barber wrote to Strickland, expressing his dissatisfaction with previously proposed organ arrangements; he encouraged him to discuss and prepare his own version for publication.

Schirmers have had several organ arrangements submitted of my "Adagio for Strings" and many inquiries as to whether it exists for organ. I have always turned them down, as, I know little about the organ, I am sure your arrangement would be best. Have you got the one you did before, if not, would you be willing to make it anew? If so, will you ever be in N.Y. on leave, so I could discuss it with you and hear it? If it is done at all, I should like it done as well as possible, and this by you. They would pay you a flat fee for the arrangement, although I don't suppose it will be very much. However, that is their affair. Let me know what you think about it.

Strickland, having kept the piece, sent his organ arrangement to G. Schirmer, who eventually published it in 1949.