List of compositions by Samuel Barber

This is a list of compositions by Samuel Barber sorted by genre, opus number, date of composition, and title.

Genre Opus Date Title Scoring Notes
Opera 32 1956–1957, 1964 Vanessa for 7 character soloists, chorus, orchestra 4 acts; revised 1964 to 3 acts; libretto by Gian Carlo Menotti
Opera 35 1959 A Hand of Bridge for 4 character soloists & chamber orchestra 1 act; libretto by Gian Carlo Menotti
Opera 40 1966, 1975 Antony and Cleopatra for 31 character soloists, chorus, orchestra 3 acts; original version libretto by Franco Zeffirelli using the text of the play by William Shakespeare; revised 1975 version libretto by Gian Carlo Menotti
Ballet 1946 Serpent Heart for dancers & ensemble: piccolo, flute, oboe, english horn, bassoon, clarinet, horn, piano, string quartet, double bass original stage version for Martha Graham; revised as Cave of the Heart; later extracted as orchestral suite Medea, Op. 23
Ballet 1947 Cave of the Heart for dancers & 13-instrument ensemble original stage version for Martha Graham; revised version of Serpent Heart; later extracted as orchestral suite Medea, Op. 23
Ballet 28 1955 Souvenirs for dancers & orchestra orchestration and choreographing of Souvenirs piano suite
Orchestral 1 1944 Serenade for string orchestra original for string quartet
Orchestral 5 1931 Overture to "The School for Scandal" for orchestra  
Orchestral 7 1933 Music for a Scene from Shelley for orchestra Tone Picture after Prometheus Unbound by Percy Bysshe Shelley[1]
Orchestral 9 1935–1936,
1942–1943
First Symphony (in One Movement) for orchestra  
Orchestral 11a 1936 Adagio for Strings for string orchestra adaptation of the slow movement of the String Quartet, Op. 11
Orchestral 12 1938 (First) Essay for Orchestra for orchestra  
Orchestral 17 1942 Second Essay for Orchestra for orchestra  
Orchestral 19 1944, 1947 Symphony No. 2 for orchestra movement II revised 1947 to replace the electronic tone generator with an E-flat clarinet; work withdrawn and destroyed 1964, except for movement II published with minor revisions as Night Flight; complete score discovered 1984, republished 1990
Orchestral 19a 1964 Night Flight, Tone Poem for orchestra revision of Symphony No. 2, Op. 19, movement II
Orchestral 1945 Horizon for chamber orchestra  
Orchestral 23 1947 Medea, Suite
  1. Parodos
  2. Choros - Medea and Jason
  3. The Young Princess - Jason
  4. Choros
  5. Medea
  6. Kantikos Agonias
  7. Exodos
for orchestra extracted and revised from ballet Serpent Heart/Cave of the Heart
Orchestral 23a 1955 Medea's Dance of Vengeance for orchestra originally titled Medea's Meditation and Dance of Vengeance, changed c.1980; revised extract from the suite Medea, Op. 23
Orchestral 1958 Intermezzo for orchestra from the opera Vanessa, Op. 32
Orchestral 37 1960 Die Natali, Chorale Preludes for Christmas for orchestra  
Orchestral 44 1971 A Fadograph of a Yestern Scene for orchestra Tone Picture after Finnegans Wake by James Joyce[2]
Orchestral 47 1978 Third Essay for Orchestra for orchestra  
Concert band 1943 Commando March for band  
Concert band 1943 Funeral March for band  
Concertante 14 1939–1940 Violin Concerto for violin and orchestra  
Concertante 21 1944 Capricorn Concerto for flute, oboe, trumpet and string orchestra  
Concertante 22 1945 Cello Concerto for cello and orchestra  
Concertante 36 1960 Toccata Festiva for organ and orchestra Composed for the inauguration of the Academy of Music's new organ funded by Mary Louise Curtis, who also commissioned this piece. The premiere was given in September 1960 by Paul Callaway on organ, and Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra.[3]
Concertante 38 1961–1962 Piano Concerto for piano and orchestra  
Concertante 48 1977–1978 Oboe Concerto for oboe and orchestra unfinished, only 2nd movement Canzonetta completed but not orchestrated; Canzonetta orchestrated for oboe and strings by Charles Turner and published in 1981 posthumously as "Opus 48"
Chamber music 1922 Gypsy Dance from The Rose Tree for violin and piano  
Chamber music 1 1928 Serenade for 2 violins, viola and cello also arranged for string orchestra (1944)
Chamber music 4 1928 Violin Sonata in F minor for violin and piano lost/destroyed, movement III (Allegro agitato) discovered 2006; won the 1929 Joseph H. Bearns Prize in Music at Columbia University
Chamber music 6 1932 Cello Sonata for cello and piano  
Chamber music 11 1936 String Quartet in B minor for 2 violins, viola and cello slow movement arranged for string orchestra as Adagio for Strings (1936)
Chamber music 1941 Commemorative March for violin, cello and piano  
Chamber music 1947 String Quartet in E major, second mvt. only for 2 violins, viola and cello commission from Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge; 17 extant manuscript pages of movement II.[4]
Chamber music 1954 Adventure for flute, clarinet, horn, African and oriental percussion instruments (2 players) and harp  
Chamber music 31 1956 Summer Music for Wind Quintet for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon  
Chamber music 1960s Chorale for Washington Cathedral for brass and timpani  
Chamber music 38a 1961 Canzone for flute or violin, and piano composer's arrangement of the Piano Concerto, Op. 38, movement II
Chamber music 1967 Mutations from Bach for brass and tympani  
Carillon 1931 Suite for carillon  
Organ 1925 To Longwood Gardens for organ  
Organ 1927 Prelude and Fugue in B minor for organ  
Organ 1936 Chorale for a New Organ for organ  
Organ 34 1959 "Wondrous Love", Variations on a Shape-Note Hymn for organ  
Organ 37 1960 Chorale Prelude on "Silent Night" from Die Natali for organ  
Piano 1917 Melody in F for piano  
Piano 1917 Sadness for piano  
Piano 1918 Largo for piano  
Piano 1918 War Song for piano  
Piano 1919 At Twilight for piano  
Piano 1919 Lullaby for piano  
Piano 1923–1924 3 Sketches
  1. Love Song
  2. To My Steinway
  3. Minuet
for piano  
Piano 1924 Fantasie (written in the style of Joseph Haydn) for 2 pianos
Piano 1925 Prelude to a Tragic Drama for piano  
Piano 1925–1926 Fresh from West Chester (Some Jazzing) for piano  
Piano 1926 Essay III for piano  
Piano 1931 Interlude No. 1 (Adagio for Jeanne) for piano  
Piano 1932 Interlude No. 2 for piano  
Piano 20 1944 Excursions for piano  
Piano 26 1948 Piano Sonata for piano  
Piano 28 1952 Souvenirs, Suite
  1. Waltz
  2. Schottische
  3. Pas de deux
  4. Two-Step
  5. Hesitation-Tango
  6. Galop
for piano 4-hands also arranged for piano solo; orchestrated and choreographed as ballet Souvenirs
Piano 28 1954 Souvenirs, Suite for piano arrangement of piano 4-hands suite
Piano 33 1959 Nocturne (Homage to John Field) for piano  
Piano 1960s After the Concert for piano
Piano 46 1977 Ballade for piano  
Choral 1930 Motetto on Words from the Book of Job for (double) mixed chorus a cappella biblical text from the Book of Job
Choral 8
1935–1936
1936
2 Choruses
  1. The Virgin Martyrs
  2. Let Down the Bars, O Death

1. for female chorus a cappella
2. for mixed chorus a cappella

1. words by Helen Waddell
2. words by Emily Dickinson
Choral 1937 Heaven-Haven choral adaptation of A Nun Takes the Veil from Op. 13; words by Gerard Manley Hopkins
Choral 1938 Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) for chorus and organ or piano ad libitum vocal adaptation of Adagio for Strings, Op. 11a
Choral 1938 God's Grandeur for double mixed chorus a cappella text by Gerard Manley Hopkins
Choral 1938 Sure on This Shining Night for mixed chorus and piano choral adaptation the song from Op. 13; words by James Agee
Choral 15 1940 A Stopwatch and an Ordnance Map for male chorus, kettledrums and brass words by Stephen Spender
Choral 43 1971 The Lovers for baritone, chorus and orchestra based on Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda
Choral 16 1939–1940 Reincarnations
  1. Mary Hynes
  2. Anthony O'Daly
  3. The Coolin (The Fair Haired One)
for mixed chorus words by Antoine Ó Raifteiri in translation by James Stephens
Choral 1953 The Monk and His Cat choral adaptation from Hermit Songs, Op. 29
Choral 30 1954 Prayers of Kierkegaard for soprano, chorus and orchestra words by Søren Kierkegaard
Choral 1957–1958 Under the Willow Tree for mixed chorus and piano choral adaptation from the opera Vanessa, Op. 32
Choral 1965 Chorale for Ascension Day (Easter Chorale) for mixed chorus, brass, timpani and organ (ad libitum) Op. 40 [sic]; words by Pack Browning
Choral 1966 2 Choruses from "Antony and Cleopatra"
  1. On the Death of Antony
  2. On the Death of Cleopatra

1. for female chorus and piano
2. for mixed chorus and piano
choral extracts from the opera Antony and Cleopatra
Choral 42 1968 2 Pieces
  1. Twelfth Night
  2. To Be Sung on the Water
for mixed chorus a cappella dedicated to Florence Kimball[5]
1. words by Laurie Lee
2. words by Louise Bogan
Vocal 1917 Sometime for voice and piano words by Eugene Field
Vocal 1918 In the Firelight for voice and piano
Vocal 1919 Isabel for voice and piano words by John Greenleaf Whittier
Vocal 1920? October-Weather for voice and piano
Vocal 1924 My Fairlyland for voice and piano words by Robert Thomas Kerlin
Vocal 1924 2 Poems of the Wind
  1. Little Children of the Wind
  2. Longing
for voice and piano words by Fiona Macleod
Vocal 1925 A Slumber Song of the Madonna for voice and piano words by Alfred Noyes
Vocal 1925 Fantasy in Purple for voice and piano words by Langston Hughes
Vocal 1925 2 Songs of Youth
  1. Invocation to Youth
  2. I Never Thought That Youth Would Go
for voice and piano
1. words by Laurence Binyon
2. words by Jessie B. Rittenhouse
Vocal 1926 Ask Me To Rest for voice and piano words by Edward Hicks Streeter Terry
Vocal 1926 Man for voice and piano words by Humbert Wolfe
Vocal 1926 Watchers for voice and piano words by Dean Cornwell (or Edgar Daniel Kramer)
Vocal 1926? Music, When Soft Voices Die for voice and piano words by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Vocal 1927 Mother, I Can Not Mind My Wheel for voice and piano words by Walter Savage Landor
Vocal 1927 Thy Love for voice and piano words by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Vocal 1927 There's Nae Lark for voice and piano words by Algernon Charles Swinburne
Vocal 2
1927
1928
1934
3 Songs
  1. The Daisies
  2. With Rue My Heart Is Laden
  3. Bessie Bobtail
for voice and piano
1. words by James Stephens
2. words by A. E. Housman
3. words by James Stephens
Vocal 3 1931 Dover Beach for baritone and string quartet words by Matthew Arnold
Vocal 1934 Love at the Door for voice and piano words by John Addington Symonds
Vocal 1934 Serenader for voice and piano words by George Dillon
Vocal 1935 Love's Caution for voice and piano words by W. H. Davies
Vocal 1935 Night Wanderers for voice and piano words by W. H. Davies
Vocal 1935 Of That So Sweet Imprisonment for voice and piano words by James Joyce
Vocal 1935 Strings in the Earth and Air for voice and piano words by James Joyce
Vocal 1936 Beggar's Song for voice and piano words by W. H. Davies
Vocal 10 1936 3 Songs
  1. Rain Has Fallen
  2. Sleep Now
  3. I Hear an Army
for voice and piano words by James Joyce

3. also orchestrated
Vocal 1937 In the Dark Pinewood for voice and piano words by James Joyce
Vocal 13 1937–1940
1937
1938
1938
1940
4 Songs
  1. A Nun Takes the Veil (Heaven-Haven)
  2. The Secrets of the Old
  3. Sure on This Shining Night
  4. Nocturne
for voice and piano
1. words by Gerard Manley Hopkins
2. words by W. B. Yeats
3. words by James Agee; also orchestrated
4. words by Frederic Prokosch; also orchestrated
Vocal 1940 Song for a New House for voice, piano, and flute with ad libitum cadenza composed for Mary Louise Curtis; text from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act V, scene i.[6]
Vocal 18
1942
1943
2 Songs
  1. The Queen's Face on the Summery Coin
  2. Monks and Raisins
for voice and piano
1. words by Robert Horan
2. words by Jose Garcia Villa
Vocal 24 1947 Knoxville: Summer of 1915 for soprano and orchestra words by James Agee
Vocal 25 1947 Nuvoletta for voice and piano words by James Joyce
Vocal 27 1950–1951 Mélodies passagères
  1. Puisque tout passe
  2. Un cygne
  3. Tombeau dans un parc
  4. Le clocher chante
  5. Départ
for voice and piano words by Rainer Maria Rilke
Vocal 29 1953 Hermit Songs
  1. At Saint Patrick's Purgatory
  2. Church Bells at Night
  3. St. Ita's Vision
  4. The Heavenly Banquet
  5. The Crucifixion
  6. Sea-Snatch
  7. Promiscuity
  8. The Monk and His Cat
  9. The Praises of God
  10. The Desire for Hermitage
for voice and piano poems translated from anonymous Irish texts of the 8th to 13th centuries
Vocal 39 1962 Andromache's Farewell for soprano and orchestra text from The Trojan Women by Euripides, translated by John Patrick Creagh
Vocal 41 1968–1969 Despite and Still
  1. A Last Song
  2. My Lizard (Wish for a Young Love)
  3. In the Wilderness
  4. Solitary Hotel
  5. Despite and Still
for voice and piano
1. words by Robert Graves
2. words by Theodore Roethke
3. words by Robert Graves
4. words by James Joyce
5. words by Robert Graves
Vocal 45 1972 3 Songs
  1. Now I Have Fed and Eaten Up the Rose
  2. A Green Lowland of Pianos
  3. O Boundless, Boundless Evening
for voice and piano
1. words by James Joyce, translation of a poem by Gottfried Keller
2. words by Czesław Miłosz
3. words by Christopher Middleton

References

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  1. ^ Finkelstein, Sidney (1991). Music of Samuel Barber (CD booklet). New York, New York: Vanguard Classics.
  2. ^ Kennicott, Philip (1990). Samuel Barber: Medea, Third Essay, Fadogoraph of a Yestern Scene (CD booklet). Westbury, New York: Koch International Classics.
  3. ^ "Toccata Festiva (Samuel Barber)". LA Phil. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  4. ^ Heyman, Barbara B. "The Chamber Music of Samuel Barber" (PDF). Chamber Music America. Chamber Music America. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  5. ^ Barbara B. Heyman (2012). Samuel Barber: A Thematic Catalogue of the Complete Works. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 439. ISBN 978-0-19-974464-0.
  6. ^ Heyman, Barbara B. "The Chamber Music of Samuel Barber" (PDF). Chamber Music America. Chamber Music America. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
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