Agnus Dei (Samuel Barber) — SSAATB Choir Sheet Music
The iconic choral transcription of Adagio for Strings, arranged for SSAATB choir by Paul Lorenz — recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios
“Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi…” — When Samuel Barber transcribed his Adagio for Strings into the Latin prayer in 1967, he created what many consider the most devastating choral work of the twentieth century. From the hushed opening measures to the shattering climax, this is music that transforms concert halls into sanctuaries and audiences into witnesses. It is the sound of collective grief, performed at state funerals and Good Friday liturgies alike — and it demands a score worthy of its emotional weight.
This professional Agnus Dei sheet music PDF delivers precisely that. Arranged with meticulous attention to choral balance and dynamic contour, Paul Lorenz’s edition captures the full arc of Barber’s masterpiece in a performance-ready SSAATB score. Every phrase, every breath mark, every dynamic gradation has been crafted to serve ensembles that refuse to compromise — because when you stand before your choir and raise the baton on this work, nothing less than perfection will suffice.
Choose your “Agnus Dei” edition
Choir Arrangement
€39.90The complete SSAATB a cappella score — nine A4 pages, all six parts on one system, engraved at 600 DPI for the stand. One purchase covers your whole choir: for a 32-voice ensemble that is about €1.25 per singer, against €96–128 for a set of single-copy octavos.
- Instant PDF download
- Secure checkout
- Licensed for performance
Quality in detail
- MOLA-Compliant Engraving: 8.5mm staff size and 600 DPI resolution for crystal-clear reading at any distance — the same standard trusted by the London Symphony Orchestra.
- Intelligent Page Layouts: Optimized page turns and generous margins for annotations, ensuring seamless flow through Barber’s sustained legato passages.
- Rehearsal-Ready Notation: Measure numbers at every system with clearly marked rehearsal letters at the major structural landmarks of the work.
- Instant PDF Delivery: Download begins immediately after purchase — from checkout to the podium in seconds, not weeks.
- Fully Licensed Arrangement: Officially licensed through the publisher. Perform with complete legal confidence at any venue worldwide.
- One purchase, the whole choir: Download once and print a copy for every singer — no per-copy fee and no reordering. Single-copy octavos run €3–4 a head, so this edition pays for itself at about a dozen voices.
- Bespoke Customization Available: Need an alternative voicing or transposition? Contact us for tailored adjustments to suit your ensemble.
Agnus Dei (Samuel Barber) choir sheet music at a glance
| Work | Agnus Dei — Samuel Barber (1967), his own choral setting of the Adagio for Strings (1936) |
| Arrangement | A cappella SSAATB choir — six real parts, unaccompanied |
| Arranger | Paul Lorenz — arrangements recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road |
| Extent | 9 A4 pages — the complete choral score (Soprano I/II, Alto I/II, Tenor, Bass on one system) |
| Difficulty | Professional & advanced choirs; secure intonation through sustained chromatic writing |
| Format | High-resolution PDF — instant download, print- and tablet-ready (forScore, MobileSheets) |
| Licensing | Licensed arrangement; underlying work © G. Schirmer — standard PRO reporting (ASCAP/BMI/PRS/GEMA) |
| Copies | One purchase covers your whole choir — print a copy for every singer, no per-copy fee |
| Price | €39.90 — one file for the entire ensemble |
What it actually costs per singer
Choral octavos are sold one copy per singer, and those copies cannot legally be photocopied for the rest of the choir. This edition is bought once and printed as often as your ensemble needs.
| Choir size | Octavos at about €3.50 each | This edition |
|---|---|---|
| 12 singers | €42.00 | €39.90 |
| 24 singers | €84.00 | €39.90 |
| 32 singers | €112.00 | €39.90 |
| 48 singers | €168.00 | €39.90 |
At twelve voices it already costs less than a set of single copies — and unlike a set, it does not need reordering when your roster changes or the piece comes back into the programme.
Is this edition right for you?
Barber’s Agnus Dei is the piece you program when a concert or service needs its most profound moment of stillness — the choral equivalent of the Adagio’s unbearable climax. This edition is written for:
- cathedral, collegiate and chamber choirs with secure intonation
- remembrance and memorial services, Good Friday and Requiem programmes
- advanced university and semi-professional choral societies
- concerts pairing it with other a cappella sacred repertoire
The writing divides into six real parts (SSAATB) and lives or dies on tuning through its long chromatic ascent — plan for a choir comfortable holding sustained lines in tune. Need a reduced SATB voicing or a transposition for your ensemble? Paul Lorenz adapts it on request — just ask before you buy.
What you receive
- The complete SSAATB choral score — nine A4 pages, all six parts on one system
- 600 DPI engraving with bar numbers throughout, print- and tablet-ready (forScore, MobileSheets)
- A high-resolution PDF, delivered instantly and yours to keep — no rental
- An unlimited print licence for your choir — one purchase, a copy for every singer
Programming Agnus Dei
It belongs at the emotional centre of a programme, framed by silence on both sides — never as an opener, and never as a closer that has to send an audience back out into the world. Pace the long crescendo patiently: the whole work is a single slow arch to one fortissimo climax and back to a whisper, so hold your dynamic range in reserve and let the top of the phrase truly arrive. It pairs naturally with other a cappella sacred repertoire — and with the story behind the music, Barber’s own Adagio for Strings.
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Agnus Dei sheet music — frequently asked questions
What exactly is included in the download?
One PDF of nine A4 pages: the complete a cappella score for six-part choir, with Soprano I/II, Alto I/II, Tenor and Bass on one system throughout. It is engraved at 600 DPI and optimised for both screen reading and professional printing. As is normal in unaccompanied choral repertoire, your singers read from this full score rather than from separate voice booklets — everyone can see the whole texture, which is exactly what the tuning in this piece demands.
How many copies can I print for my choir?
One purchase covers your whole ensemble. Your purchase includes an unlimited print licence for the purchasing choir, so you download the PDF once and print a copy for every singer — there are no per-copy or per-chorister fees, and nothing to reorder before the next concert. Single-copy choral octavos typically run €3–4 each, so a choir of thirty-two pays roughly €96–128 for a set; this edition is €39.90 whatever your size, which is about €1.25 per singer.
Is there a free PDF of Barber's Agnus Dei?
Barber's Agnus Dei is under copyright — it is not public domain, and it will not be until well into the next century. What circulates free online is almost always an unauthorised scan of a printed octavo: no licence, and image quality that ranges from grey to unusable — skewed pages, filled-in noteheads, dynamics lost in the noise. Beyond the legal exposure at a concert or a recorded service, that is a poor thing to put in front of a choir on a piece whose entire difficulty is reading long sustained lines accurately. A licensed edition gives you clear provenance, clean and consistent engraving your singers can actually read on the stand, and one price for the entire choir.
What is the difficulty level of this arrangement?
This arrangement is designed for professional and advanced SSAATB choirs. The writing demands solid sight-reading abilities, confident intonation in chromatic passages, and experience with sustained legato singing in the Romantic tradition. It is suitable for cathedral choirs, university ensembles, and semi-professional choral societies.
Do I need a performance license for Barber’s Agnus Dei?
Your purchase includes a fully licensed arrangement by Paul Lorenz. The underlying composition by Samuel Barber remains under copyright administration by G. Schirmer. Standard performance reporting to your local performing rights organization (ASCAP, BMI, or PRS) applies for public performances, as with any copyrighted work. Your venue’s existing blanket license typically covers this.
Can the arrangement be customized for my ensemble?
Absolutely. Paul Lorenz Music offers bespoke customization services — a capability unique in the industry. Whether you need alternative voicings, transpositions, or adjustments to accommodate your specific roster, we can tailor this arrangement to your exact requirements. Contact us directly to discuss your needs.
What is your refund policy?
Due to the digital nature of our products, we cannot offer refunds once the download has been accessed. We encourage you to review the score preview carefully and contact us with any questions before purchasing.