Samuel Barber
Samuel Barber's scores favour long melodic lines and traditional harmony over mid-century experiment. His catalogue ranges from the Adagio for Strings and its choral Agnus Dei to French art songs and an early Cello Sonata of strong, clear ideas.
The Cello Sonata in C minor opens with force before settling into honest, songful writing that sits naturally under the bow. Mélodies Passagères shows the same vocal instinct in French settings, while Agnus Dei carries the Adagio's long arch into unaccompanied choir. Much of his output was written for the voice; instrumental works keep that singing line even when the harmony darkens after 1940.
Samuel Barber is featured on the following titles
Barber & Debussy
David Berlin’s debut recital gathers gems of the 20th-century cello repertoire. The Barber and Debussy sonatas stand among the instrument’s masterpieces, while Bloch, Falla and Granados complete a programme long favoured in the recital room.