撒姆爾．巴伯(Samuel Osborne Barber II, 1910¬ -1981)是二十世紀美國音樂的代表作曲家，一生創作的曲種多樣化，從獨唱(奏)曲、合唱曲、芭蕾、管弦樂曲到歌劇都有。而在這求新求變的實驗音樂洪流中，秉持著調性、調式音樂與浪漫精神，以文學素養與情感表達為出發點，使他的樂曲得以廣受歡迎。
曾就讀寇帝斯音樂院的巴伯，1939年受邀回母校指導牧歌團，創作出多首精彩的合唱曲，其中無伴奏合唱組曲《輪迴》(Reincarnation. Op. 16) ，以分別代表愛、失去與渴望的三首愛爾蘭文學創作，搭配音樂上的精巧設計與新浪漫音樂風格，至今仍是認識美國合唱音樂的經典之作，除了在美國經常上演，更被錄製成許多有聲版本。
因家族中的音樂背景：母親是業餘鋼琴家、與他關係密切的阿姨是紐約大都會歌劇院女低音、姨丈是藝術歌曲作曲家，使他自幼即受音樂薰陶。成年後巴伯進入寇蒂斯音樂院修習作曲、聲樂及鋼琴。他對文學熱愛並廣泛涉略，運用許多當代作家的詩詞譜寫音樂，而他的人聲作品數量即占總作品量的一半。
四聲部無伴奏組曲《輪迴》包含三首樂曲，取自愛爾蘭詩人詹姆斯．史蒂芬斯(James Stephens, 1882-1950)的同名詩集《輪迴》，創作出對傳奇女神崇拜的〈瑪莉．海恩斯〉、對反叛領袖殉道的哀歌〈安東尼．歐．達利〉，及描繪夢境中對情感渴望的〈庫林〉。
　　本論文共分為五個部分，第一章「緒論」探討研究動機、研究範圍與內容、及研究方法與文獻；第二章「背景探究」分為四節，分別論述巴伯生平、音樂風格與合唱作品
簡介、作詞家生平與《輪迴》的創作背景；第三章「歌曲分析」分為三節，分別論述三首樂曲的創作手法；第四章「音樂詮釋」分為三節，給予三首樂曲的排練注意事項與教學建議。第五章為「結論」。附錄一為巴伯出版的合唱作品一覽表。

Samuel Barber is an important American composer in the twentieth century whose compositional output includes extensive category: solo works, chorale, ballet music, orchestral pieces and operas. Despite of being in a time of experimentalism, he still maintains his music style of the tonality and Romanticism, and many of them are inspired by literary influences.
Barber grew up in a family of musicians, and himself studied composition, piano and voice in the Curtis Institute of Music. He is particularly fond of literary works; half of the output is related to literary influences, and he applied many lyrics to his vocal compositions.
The four-voice a cappella Reincarnation op.16 was composed between 1937- 40, published in 1942, and two of them premiered by the Madrigal Chorus at the Curtis Institute of Music. It comprises of three distinctive pieces, and the lyrics are derived from Irish poet James Stephens' poems with the same title "Reincarnation." The first piece worships the goddess Mary Hynes, the second one mourns the death of Anthony O' Daly, and the third "The Coolin." describes the desire in dreamland.
This thesis contains five parts: the first part serves as an introduction; the second part discusses the backgrounds of the composer, the poet, and the particular piece. The third part analyzes the choral work by its different movements. The fourth part offers the author's interpretation as well as the suggestions for teaching the music. The final part concluded
the thesis. One appendix is a list of Barber’s published chorus works.

【中文書目】
林福裕。《兒童發聲與合唱指導》。 台北：樂韻，1985。

張大勝。《合唱指揮研究》。台北：全音，1978。

康美鳳。《人聲的奧祕：如何擁有美妙健康的嗓音》。台北：世界文物，2001。

楊沛仁。《音樂史與欣賞》。台北：美樂，2001。

劉沛。《美國音樂教育概況》。上海：上海教育，1998。.

Conable, Barbara. 《歌唱家的氣息維他命》(The Structures and Movement of Breathing: A Primer for Choirs and Choruses)。裘尚芬 譯。桃園：原笙，2005。

Griffiths, Paul.《現代音樂史：從德步西到布雷玆》(History of Modern Music from Debussy
to Boulez)。林勝儀 譯。台北 : 全音，1987。

Malcolm, Bradbury.《文學地圖》(The Atlas of Literature)。趙閔文 譯。台北：知書房，2007。

Schonberg, Harold C.《現代樂派》(The lives of great composers)。陳琳琳 譯。台北：
　萬象，1993。

【西文書目】
Demaree, Robert W. and Don V Moses. The Complete Conductor. Englewood Cliffs:
　Prentice-Hall, 1995.

Dickinson, Peter. A century tribute: Samuel Barber Remembered. New York: University
of Rochester Press, 2010.

Heyman, B. Barbara. Samuel Barber: The composer and his music. New York: Oxford
University Press, 1992.

Maureen O’Rourke Murphy, Mackillop, James. An Irish Literature Reader:Prose, Drama.
New York: Syracuse University Press, 2006.

McFate, Patricia. The Writings of James Stephens:Variation on a Theme of Love. New York:
St. Martin’s, 1979.

Stephen, Smith W. The Naked Voice: A Wholistic Approach to Singing. New York: Oxford
University Press, 2007.

Strimple, Nick.Choral music in the twentieth century. Portland: Amadeus Press, 2005

Ulrich, Homer. A survey of choral music. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973.

Wentzel, Wayne C. Samuel Barber: A Guide To Research. New York: Routledge, 2001.

【學術論文】
Berg, Michael W. A discussion of the Choral Music of Samuel Barber. Masterial dissertation, Baylor University, 2008.

Castleberry, David H. The choral music of Samuel Barber:A conductor’s guide.
　Doctoral dissertation, The University of Texas at Austin, 1992.

Skoog, William M. The late choral music of Howard Hanson and Samuel Barber.
Doctoral dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 1992.

【研討會】

施正鋒。〈北愛爾蘭的語言政策〉。《各國語言政策研討會》。台北：行政院客家委員
會，2002。

楊鴻年。〈論合唱音準問題〉。《合唱藝術研討會》。台北：文建會，1994。

【期刊】
潘宇文。〈歌聲培訓的基本常識與暖身活動〉。《國教天地》No. 148 (2002)：86-93。

【節目單】
〈漫遊聲林〉。台北：台北室內，2013。

【樂譜】
Samuel Barber. Complete Choral Music. New York: G.Schirmer, 2011.

【有聲資料】
American chorale music. Kansas City Chorale. Nimbus NI5449. Compact Disc. 1998.

American journey. New Amsterdam Singers. Albany TROY108. Compact Disc. 1997.

American Treasures. Susquehanna Chorale. Mark Records 7275-MCD. Compact Disc. 2011.

Barber Agnus Dei-American Collection. Sixteen. Coro COR16031.Compact Disc. 1992.

Barber’s collected choral works. Esoterics. Terpsichore Records TER1110. Compact Disc.
2012.

Choral music of twentieth century Americans. UCLA Madrigal Singers. Cambria
CAMCD-1068. Compact Disc. 2009.

Reincarnation. The Princeton Singers. Ethereal ER-121. Compact Disc. 1999.

Reincarnation. Dale Warland Singers. Gothic G-49239. Compact Disc. 2007.

Samuel Barber: Choral and Organ Works. Cambridge University Chamber Choir. Guild
GMCD7145. Compact Disc. 1998.

Samuel Barber choral music. Choir of Ormond College. Naxos 8.559053. Compact Disc.
2006.

Shenandoah -An American Chorister. Los Angeles Chamber Singers. Klavier
KCD-11052. Compact Disc. 2007.

Samuel Barber: An American Romantic. Conspirare. Harmonia Mundi HMU807522.
Compact Disc. 2011.

【網站】
University of Iowa. ”Phonetics: The sounds of American English”. Available from 　
　http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english/frameset.html . Accessed 20 April
2014.

姚和順。〈聲樂教學學術論壇研討會：揭開頭腔共鳴的神秘面紗〉。http://red073　　
　.redmedia.com.tw/front/bin/ptdetail. phtml?Part=2010-5-2&Category=102013. 2009
；摘錄於7 June 2014。

教育部數位教學資源入口網。〈音樂基礎訓練〉。http://content.edu.tw/senior/music/tn_
nn/eartraining/et01010102.htm. 2012；摘錄於7 June 2014。

雙語詞彙、學術名詞暨辭書資訊網。〈新浪漫主義〉。http://terms.naer.ed u.tw/
detail/1294166/.2012；摘錄於28 June 2014。