
Known for his mournful "Adagio for Strings," Samuel Barber was never quite fashionable. This acclaimed film is a probing exploration of his music and melancholia. Performance, oral history, musicology, and biography combine to explore the life and music of one of America’s greatest composers. Features Thomas Hampson, Leonard Slatkin, Marin Alsop and many more of the world's leading experts on Barber's music, with tributes from composers Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Virgil Thomson and William Schuman. The film was broadcast on PBS, and screened at nine film festivals internationally, with three best-of awards. It was named a Recording of the Year 2017 by MusicWeb International.
Directed by H. Paul Moon, Samuel Barber: Absolute Beauty leans on a strong ensemble — Thomas Hampson, Leonard Slatkin, Marin Alsop — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about music titles of 2017.
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