Samuel Barber (March 9, 1910 – January 23, 1981) American composer of orchestral, opera, choral, and piano music. He is one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century: music critic Donal Henahan stated that "Probably no other American composer has ever enjoyed such early, such persistent and such long-lasting acclaim. His Adagio for Strings (1936)has earned a p..