Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

Composers Datebook for February 2, 2018

YourClassical

Dvorak's Eighth

Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904) Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88 Berlin Philharmonic; Rafael Kubelik, cond. DG 447 412

1:59
YourClassical

The Tales of Offenbach?

Jacques Offenbach (1819 - 1880) Tales of Hoffmann Suite Detroit Symphony; Paul Paray, cond. Mercury 434 332

1:59
YourClassical

Maslanka for winds

David Maslanka (1943 - 2017) Wind Quintet No. 2 Manhattan Wind Quintet Albany 246

1:59
YourClassical

Larsen's symphonies

Libby Larsen (b. 1950) Symphony: Water Music Minnesota Orchestra; Sir Neville Marriner, cond. Nonesuch 79147 Libby Larsen (b. 1950) Solo Symphony Colorado Symphony; Marin Alsop, cond. Koch 7520

1:59
YourClassical

Mozart at his happiest?

Wolfgang Mozart (1756 – 1791) Idomeneo Overture Bavarian Radio Symphony; Sir Colin Davis, cond. Philips 422 537

1:58
YourClassical

Handel vs. Swift

George Frederic Handel (1685 – 1757) Messiah Oregon Bach Festival; Helmuth Rilling, cond. Hännsler 98.198

1:59
YourClassical

Schoenfield on MTV

Paul Schoenfield (b. 1947) Four Music Videos Weiss-Kaplan-Newman Trio Bridge 9407

1:59
YourClassical

Argento in Italy

Dominick Argento (b. 1927) Variations for Orchestra (The Mask of Night) Plymouth Music Series Orchestra; Philip Brunelle, cond. Virgin 91184

1:59
YourClassical

Post-traumatic Strauss?

Richard Strauss (1864 – 1949) Metamorphosen Vienna Philharmonic; Simon Rattle, cond. EMI 56580

1:59
YourClassical

Tavener's "The Whale"

John Tavener (1944 - 2013) The Whale London Sinfonietta and Chorus; David Atherton, cond. Capitol 98497

1:59

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.