Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge

Composers Datebook - May 28, 2024

YourClassical

Josiah Flagg, Music Man?

John Greenwood: ‘The Hessian Camp’; First Michigan Colonial Fife and Drum Corps; Private release G.F. Handel (1685-1757): ‘Water Music’; English Concert; Trevor Pinnock, conductor; DG 439 147

2:00
YourClassical

New Looney Tunes

Joshua Moshier (b. 1986): Excerpts from ‘Buzzard School,’ and ‘TNT Trouble’; Studio orchestra; Joshua Moshier, conductor; From ‘Looney Tunes Cartoons Original Soundtrack: Music by Joshua Moshier and Carl Johnson’ digital album Carl Stalling (1891-1972): ‘The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down’ (arr. Carl Johnson); Studio orchestra; Carl Johnson, conductor; From ‘Looney Tunes Cartoons Original Soundtrack: Music by Joshua Moshier and Carl Johnson’ digital album

2:00
YourClassical
2:00
YourClassical

Delibes plays with dolls?

Leo Delibes (1836-1891): ‘Coppelia’; Lyons Opera Orchestra; Kent Nagano, conductor; Erato 91730

2:00
YourClassical

Thorvaldsdottir's 'Aiōn'

Anna Thorvaldsdottir (b. 1977): ‘Aiōn’; Iceland Symphony Orchestra; Eva Ollikainen, conductor; innova 810 (original release) and Sono Luminus 92268

2:00
YourClassical

Da Ponte (and Mozart) in New York

Wolfgang Mozart (1756-1791) arr. Triebensee: ‘Don Giovanni Suite’; Amadeus Ensemble; Julius Rudel, conductor; MusicMasters 67118

2:00
YourClassical

Alvin Singleton's "PraiseMaker"

Alvin Singleton (b. 1940): ‘PraiseMaker’; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus; Robert Spano; Telarc 32630

2:00
YourClassical

Adolphe's 'Tyrannosaurus Sue'

Bruce Adolphe (b. 1955): ‘Tyrannosaurus Sue: A Cretaceous Concerto’; Chicago Chamber Musicians; Pollyrhythm Productions 30001

2:00
YourClassical

Beethoven in New York

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): Symphony No. 9 (‘Choral’); Berlin Philharmonic; Claudio Abbado, conductor; DG 471 491

2:00
YourClassical

Saint-Saens and 'Babe' at the organ

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921): Symphony No. 3 (‘Organ’); Peter Hurford, organ; Montreal Symphony Orchestra; Charles Dutoit, conductor; London/Decca 410201

2:00

About Composers Datebook®

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.