Samuel Barber - Biographical Sketch

Barber, Samuel Osmond II (composer); 1910-1981.  Born 9 March in
West Chester, PA, 1st of 2 children, to Samuel Le Roy and
Marguerite McLeod Beatty.  Died 23 January in New York City. 
Formal music studies at the new Curtis Institute of Music in
Philadelphia from 1924-32. Barber studied composition with Rosero
Scalero; piano with George Boyle and later with Isabelle
Vengerova; conducting with Fritz Reiner; and singing (baritone)
with Emilio Edoardo de Gorgorza. Barber received a Joseph A.
Bearns prize in 1928 for the Violin Sonata, and another in 1933
for the overture to "The School for Scandal". Two Pulitzer
Traveling Scholarships to study in Rome were awarded in 1935 and
1936. Barber was elected to the National Institute of Arts and
Letters in 1941 and to the American Academy of Arts and Letters
in 1958.  His opera Vanessa, and the Concerto for Piano and
Orchestra received Pulitzer Prizes in 1958 and 1962.  From
1939-42 Barber briefly taught at the Curtis Institute.
     Samuel Barber's earliest influences were his Aunt Louise
Homer, a successful contralto with the Metropolitan Opera, and
his Uncle Sidney Homer, a composer. Barber's lifelong friendship
with Gian-Carlo Menotti brought about a most important
collaboration--Vanessa--along with a few other works. Other
important collaborations resulted in the Concerto for Violoncello
and Orchestra, Op. 22 (with Raya Garbousova), the ballet "Medea,"
Op. 23 (with Martha Graham), "Knoxville: Summer of 1915," Op. 26
(with Eleanor Steber), the Sonata for Piano, Op. 26 (with
Vladimir Horowitz), and the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Op.
38 (with John Browning). Menotti and Barber introduced themselves
to Arturo Toscanini who then conducted the 1938 premieres of 
"Essay for Orchestra", Op. 12 and "Adagio for Strings", Op. 11 over a
live NBC radio broadcast. Up to the failure of the opera "Antony
and Cleopatra" (1966), commissioned for the opening of the new
Metropolitan Opera house at Lincoln Center, Barber was considered
one of the most popular serious music composers of his time. The
Italian "bel canto" style, long flowing lyrical melodies, lush
orchestration, and conservative romantic harmonies are
characteristic of his music.

4/95 - TS