1. Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings"

Hauntingly lyrical and quietly passionate, Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings" is an unforgettable piece that has received constant attention since its composition in 1936. Lachrymose yet tinged with hope, the piece speaks to the complex nature of the Saturn-Neptune complex: that often in the darkest hours of life, there is redemption or grace. Not only was Barber born with a wide square (or ninety degree alignment) between Saturn and Neptune, but Saturn and Neptune formed an opposition over Barber's Sun during the Adagio's composition in 1936—a once-in-a-lifetime transit (see chart). Beyond merely the synchronicity of the Saturn-Neptune complex in Barber's life, the Adagio seems to resonate with the Saturn-Neptune archetypal complex because it is so evocative of the planetary combination. Called America's official piece of mourning, the Adagio was performed for the funerals of both Franklin Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, presidents who died during significant alignments involving Saturn and Neptune. The composition has also enjoyed significant exposure in cinema, notably in the movie "The Elephant Man," which was released under a Saturn square aspect to Neptune. Listen to a sample here .

2. The Cure, "Disintegration"

Called the "Popes of Mope," The rock band The Cure was no stranger to dark, melancholic and brooding music. However, "Disintegration," often considered the band's masterpiece, was a strong collection of songs that expressed new levels of existential despair, bleakness, and disillusionment. The enduring quality of "Disintegration" is due to its ability to give poetic and intense expression to the more desolate and inconsolable elements of experience without degrading into a maelstrom of nihilism. The recording was released in 1989, under a potent and rare conjunction between Saturn and Neptune. The spirit of the times saw several musical releases that mirrored the tenor of the times and the expression of the Saturn-Neptune conjunction, music that spoke of teen angst and collective depression. However, "Disintegration" is arguably the classic of the era. Wordsmith and songwriter Robert Smith received Saturn and Neptune transiting his natal Saturn, thus correlating with the overwhelmingly despairing and tragic nature of the album. (see chart). Listen to a sample of "Fascination Street" from the album, "Disintegration".

3. Ordinary People

In a year that featured extraordinary films—"Raging Bull," "Coalminer's Daughter," and "The Elephant Man"—it was Robert Redford's quiet psychological drama about healing after a painful family death that walked away with the Oscar for best picture. Redford's directorial debut effectively captured one the most challenging areas of human experience to depict onscreen, that of psychospiritual development and growth. The movie is intensely psychological, as each character in the family explores his or her own motivations and complexities. Moved along by the beauty of "Pachabel's Canon," punctuated by scenes of suburbia in autumn, and grounded in deep, moving performances, "Ordinary People" is a powerful, profound film that has stood the test of time. Filmed and released under the Saturn square Neptune alignment of 1979 and 1980, the film captures the quiet, introspective power of the planetary combination. The trailer is available for viewing here

4. Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot"

Samuel Beckett's tragicomedy in two acts, "Waiting for Godot" is considered a masterpiece in modern, existentialist theater. Set against a minimalist backdrop with sparse, humorous dialogue, "Waiting for Godot" appears to be about nothing of any singular importance. However, most commentators suggest that "Godot" is Beckett's deep response to the human condition: an insignificant, petty affair that means nothing and has little hope for progress, salvation, or redemption. "Godot" presents the theatergoer with a barren desert of being where no escape or solace is provided. When observed from this vantage point, "Godot" is a thought-provoking yet unsettling remark on human existence, a play in which the naked vulnerability and absurdity of the human condition is mirrored uncomfortably back to the viewer. The irony concerning existentialist plays like "Godot" is that the theater is often a place to escape the "deafening silence" of the human predicament, yet Beckett's intentionally boring minimalism heightens this sensation, leaving the audience as disturbed and alienated as when they arrived. As "Godot" deals with the existential themes inherent with the Saturn-Neptune dilemma, it premiered under a tight Saturn-Neptune conjunction that opposed Beckett's Sun (see chart).