The organ’s ability to hold a note indefinitely (with no decay) is perfect for the Adagio’s long, suspended phrases. While a string section’s bow can run out, an organ’s wind supply is infinite.
: Community forums like MusicaSacra discuss alternate arrangements, such as the one by Koerber, noting its suitability for church services. barber adagio for strings organ pdf
was written while Barber was a fellow at the American Academy in Rome, at the age of only 26. Its legendary status was cemented when Arturo Toscanini The organ’s ability to hold a note indefinitely