Adagio for Saxophones

The saxophones start up again, golden notes shimmering on the air. In one note, their soulful voices break my heart.

As they begin slowly, the melancholic melody aching with every note. As Samuel Barber struggles to let go of his grief, the melody ascending and descending step by step, longing in every chord. He almost does it. The tune soars higher and higher, to the tops of the octave, touching stars. But at the last moment, he descends back down, knowing he can never let go. And so his final chord lingers, touching souls.

At the back, I cry. Beautiful.