Adagio for Strings Adagio for Strings Adagio for Strings is a work by Samuel Barber, arguably his best known, arranged for string orchestra from the second movement of his String Quartet, Op. 11. Barber finished the arrangement in 1936, the same year that he wrote the quartet. It was performed for the first time on November 5, 1938, by Arturo Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra in a radio broadcast from NBC Studio 8H. Toscanini also played the piece on his South American tour with the NBC Symphony in 1940. Its reception was generally positive, with Alexander J. Morin writing that "Adagio for
Classical Gas in 2003, after being featured in the film "Cheaper by the Dozen", which starred Williams's "Smothers Brothers" protégé, Steve Martin. Lisa Simpson on the animated series "The Simpsons" did a brief run-through of "Classical Gas". One of the showrunners, Al Jean, said he met composer Mason Williams, who told him how happy he was that they used it in the show. Classical Gas "Classical Gas" is an instrumental musical piece composed and originally performed by Mason Williams with instrumental backing by members of the Wrecking Crew. Originally released in 1968 on the album "The Mason Williams Phonograph Record", it has