For many, it was its use in the film Platoon. For others, it was William Orbit’s Pieces in a Modern Style project. But very few of us can claim to have first experienced Barber’s Adagio for Strings in ...

This story is part of American Anthem, a yearlong series on songs that rouse, unite, celebrate and call to action. Find more at NPR.org/Anthem. Samuel Barber's Adagio ...

The film: This intense drama examines the fight between good and evil among an American infantry platoon in the jungles of Vietnam and is hailed as one of the greatest war films ever made.

How did Samuel Barber's stirring, lush work for strings — music that has become America's semi-official music of mourning — morph into a... From Funerals To Festivals, The Curious Journey Of The ...