American composer and musician, born in Pennsylvania, Barber was a graduate of the Curtis Institute, Philadelphia, where he studied piano, conducting, singing and composition.

He won a Pullitzer scholarship in 1935 and the American Academy’s Prix de Rome in 1936 allowing him to study in Rome.

He is best known for his famous Adagio for Strings, the slow movement extracted from his String Quartet of 1936.

He taught briefly at the Curtis Institute, but soon withdrew, sharing a house with his former fellow student Menotti.

He is firmly placed within a tradition that is both Romantic and European, although not without contemporary influences.

Barber wrote three operas, Vanessa, with a libretto by Menotti, A Hand of Bridge, for four singers and chamber orchestra, and Anthony and Cleopatra, with a libretto by Zeffirelli.

His two ballet scores are Medea and Souvenirs.

The Adagio for Strings was arranged for string orchestra from the slow movement of Barber's string quartet of 1936 and played in this form by the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Toscanini in New York two years later, in a programme that included his first Essay.

Other orchestral compositions include an overture, The School for Scandal, which won him an award in 1933, concertos for violin, for cello and for piano, a Capricorn Concerto for solo wind instruments and two symphonies.

Barber's songs include his setting of Matthew Arnold's Dover Beach for baritone and string quartet: Summer of 915 and Hermit Songs, settings of Irish texts from the 13th to 18th centuries.

Choral works include an arrangement of the Adagio as an Agnus Dei, Prayers of Kierkegaard and the 1971 Neruda setting The Lovers, for baritone, chorus and orchestra.

In addition to the String Quartet, Barber wrote sonatas for violin and for cello.

Barber's Piano Sonata touches in passing on twelve-note technique, although generally tonal in conception.

Other compositions for piano are Excursions, four pieces, and Nocturne, a homage to the originator of the form, John Field.