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John William Tuohy lives in Washington DC

Samuel Barber – Adagio for Strings


Since the 1938 recording, the Adagio for Strings has frequently been heard throughout the world, and it was one of the few American pieces to be played in the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
The Adagio for Strings has been performed on many public occasions, especially during times of mourning. It was:
Broadcast over radio at the announcement of Franklin D. Roosevelt's death
Broadcast on television at the announcement of John F. Kennedy's death
Played at the funeral of Albert Einstein
Played at the funeral of Princess Grace of Monaco
Broadcast on BBC Radio several times after the announcement of the death of Princess Diana
Performed at Last Night of the Proms in 2001 at the Royal Albert Hall to honor the memory of the victims of the September 11 attacks
Played during the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Vancouver; the fatal crash of the luger Nodar Kumaritashvili on the same day added to the performance's emotional affect.
Played at the state funeral of Canadian Jack Layton, the New Democratic Party Leader
Played in Trafalgar Square, on January 9, 2015, by an ensemble of 150 string players led by Thomas Gould of the Aurora Orchestra following the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo.
Played at the National University of Singapore for the state funeral of Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore on 29 March 2015
Played by the Brussels Philharmonic on March 25, 2016 in front of the Brussels Stock Exchange following the 2016 Brussels bombings earlier that week.
Played at the National University of Singapore for the state funeral of S. R. Nathan in Singapore on August 26, 2016
Played in Blonia Park in Kraków on July 29, 2016, as the background music for the 12th Station of the Stations of the Cross during World Youth Day 2016.
Played in Central Park in New York City on June 15, 2016, for the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting.
Played at the televised memorial in Manchester, England on May 23, 2017, for the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing.
Played at the digital European Concert by Berlin Philharmonie on May 1, 2020, for the victims of the Coronavirus victims.
Adagio for Strings is the final song on the 2010 Peter, Paul and Mary compilation album Peter Paul and Mary, With Symphony Orchestra. Mary Travers had requested that Adagio for Strings be played at her memorial service.
The Adagio for Strings was one of John F. Kennedy's favorite pieces of music. Jackie Kennedy arranged a concert the Monday after his death with the National Symphony Orchestra; they played to an empty hall. The concert was broadcast by radio.
 Barber knew about these memorial occasions. He did a radio interview about it with WQXR and said, "They always play that piece. I wish they'd play some of my other pieces."
In 2006 a recorded performance of this work by the London Symphony Orchestra was the highest-selling classical piece on iTunes.