Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Benjamin Britten (1913-1976): ‘Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra’; London Symphony; Benjamin Britten, conductor; London/Decca CD 417 509 John Williams (b. 1932): ‘Star Wars’ Main Title; London Symphony; John Williams, conductor; RSO CD 6641-679 (and other CD reissues)
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Maurice Ravel (1875-1937): ‘Daphnis et Chloe’; London Symphony; Pierre Monteux, conductor; London 425 956
Benjamin Britten (1913-1976): ‘Sea Interludes’ from ‘Peter Grimes’; London Symphony; André Previn, conductor; EMI 72658
George Frederic Handel (1685-1759): ‘Aria’ from ‘Alessandro’; Lisa Saffer, soprano; Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra; Nicholas McGegan, conductor; Harmonia Mundi 90.7036
Daniel Pinkham (1923-2006): ‘Three Latin Motets’; Aaron Engebreth, baritone; Heinrich Christensen, organ; Florestan FRP-1003
George Whitefield Chadwick (1854-1931): ‘Aphrodite’; Brno State Philharmonic; Jose Serebrier, conductor; Reference 74 Esa-Pekka Salonen (b. 1958): ‘Five Images after Sappho’; Dawn Upshaw, soprano; London Sinfonietta; Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor; Sony 89158
Gottfried Finger (ca. 1655-6-buried 31 August 1730): ‘Sonatae pro Diversis Instrumentis’; Echo du Danube; Accent CD 24264
Sebastian Currier (b. 1959): ‘Time Machines’; Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin; New York Philharmonic; Alan Gilbert, conductor (recorded live June 2, 2011); DG 477 9359
Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939): ‘Symbolon’; New York Philharmonic; Zubin Mehta, conductor; New World CD
Host John Birge presents a daily snapshot of composers past and present, with timely information, intriguing musical events and appropriate, accessible music related to each.
He has been hosting, producing and performing classical music for more than 25 years. Since 1997, he has been hosting on Minnesota Public Radio's Classical Music Service. He played French horn for the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra and performed with them on their centennial tour of Europe in 1995. He was trained at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music and Interlochen Arts Academy.
