Agnus Dei (Barber) Agnus Dei (Barber) Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) is a choral composition in one movement by Samuel Barber, his own arrangement of his "Adagio for Strings" (1936). In 1967, he set the Latin words of the liturgical Agnus Dei, a part of the Mass, for mixed chorus with optional organ or piano accompaniment. The music, in B-flat minor, has a duration of about eight minutes. Barber's "Adagio for Strings" began as the second movement of his String Quartet, Op. 11, composed in 1936. At the request of Arturo Toscanini, he arranged it for string orchestra, and in January 1938 sent
Missa L'homme armé (Palestrina) fimus mass gave new life to work. In the Sanctus, the tenor sings the L'homme armé melody beginning on F; on the jubilant text "Hosanna," the note values are diminished such that the structural function is hidden. Agnus Dei I continues to rise to the climax which is pitched 'G'. Agnus Dei II begins as if the cantus firmus is present on "A," but proceeds to a freely composed trio. Agnus Dei III places the now-familiar tune in extremely long notes sung by the highest voice. Beginning on "A", an indication instructing the soprano to "sing without ceasing" is present,