Puccini victorious
Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924): ‘Nessun dorma,’ from ‘Turandot’; Academy of St Martin in the Fields; Neville Marriner, conductor; EMI 49552
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Composers Datebook - April 25, 2024
2:00
Seasonal music by Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809): ‘Ländler,’ from ‘The Seasons’; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields; Neville Marriner, conductor; Philips 438715
2:00
Meeting deadlines: Tchaikovsky and Zaimont
Peter Tchaikovsky (1840-1893): ‘May,’ from ‘The Seasons’; Lang Lang, piano; Sony 11758 Judith Lang Zaimont (b. 1945): ‘The May Fly,’ from ‘Calendar Collection’; Nanette Kaplan Solomon, piano; Leonarda 334
2:00
Morton Gould rewrites history
Morton Gould (1913-1996): ‘Fall River Legend’; New Zealand Symphony Orchestra; James Sedares, conductor; Koch 7181
2:00
Bernstein and the birds
Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990): ‘On the Town: Three Dance Episodes’; New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, conductor; Sony 42263
2:00
Rimsky-Korsakov joins the Navy (and sees the world)
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908): Prelude (‘A Hymn to Nature’), from ‘The Invisible City of Kitezh’; Scottish National Orchestra, Neeme Järvi, conductor; Chandos 8327
2:00
Violin Concerto No. 2 by George Tsontakis
George Tsontakis (b. 1951): Violin Concerto No. 2; Stephen Copes, violin; Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra; Douglas Boyd, conductor; Koch International 7592
2:00
Bernstein's 'Fancy Free'
Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990): ‘Fancy Free’ Ballet; New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, conductor; Sony 63085
2:00
Hugo Wolf and the Wagner-Brahms Wars
Hugo Wolf (1860-1903): ‘Italian Serenade’ (‘I Solisti Italiani’); Denon 9150
2:00
Meyerbeer and Lloyd Webber: "On Ice"
Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791-1864): ‘The Prophet: Ballet of the Skaters’; Galop; Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, Michal Nesterowicz, conductor; Naxos 573076 Andrew Lloyd Webber (b. 1948): ‘Starlight Express Suite’; Cincinnati Pops; Erich Kunzel, conductor; Telarc 80405
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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.