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vivaldirules · 12-12-2008, 09:22 AM

Adagio in G: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz4dpbk8YBs

I had grown up being told that it was a piece originally written by baroque composer Tomaso Alibinoni and arranged from the fragments that had been found in the ruins of the WWII firebombing of Dresden among the ashes of the rest of his works. According to Wikipedia, this piece was actually written entirely in 1958 by Remo Giazotto who had claimed to have arranged it from the fragments that were sent to him. But apparently the fragments have never been seen and presumably never existed.

No matter. When someone says a piece of music is haunting, I instantly think of this.

One more tidbit. In 1992 in Sarajevo, cellist Vedran Smajlović played this piece for 22 days to honor the 22 people who had been killed while standing in a bread line during the seige. As I recall hearing at the time he did so out in the open on street corners in the war torn city. He said he chose the piece because it was the most beautiful one he knew. (This year, a bestselling book was released about him but it was done without his knowledge or consent and he has openly expressed outrage about it.)

12-12-2008, 09:22 AM	#702
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	Adagio in G: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz4dpbk8YBs I had grown up being told that it was a piece originally written by baroque composer Tomaso Alibinoni and arranged from the fragments that had been found in the ruins of the WWII firebombing of Dresden among the ashes of the rest of his works. According to Wikipedia, this piece was actually written entirely in 1958 by Remo Giazotto who had claimed to have arranged it from the fragments that were sent to him. But apparently the fragments have never been seen and presumably never existed. No matter. When someone says a piece of music is haunting, I instantly think of this. One more tidbit. In 1992 in Sarajevo, cellist Vedran Smajlović played this piece for 22 days to honor the 22 people who had been killed while standing in a bread line during the seige. As I recall hearing at the time he did so out in the open on street corners in the war torn city. He said he chose the piece because it was the most beautiful one he knew. (This year, a bestselling book was released about him but it was done without his knowledge or consent and he has openly expressed outrage about it.)