Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

Composers Datebook - 20231114

YourClassical

The Beeb

John Adams (b. 1947) Violin Concerto; Tamsin Waley-Cohen, violin; BBC Symphony; Andrew Litton, cond. Signum 468

2:00
YourClassical

Roman and the Danza

Dan Román (b. 1974) Retrospectos; Beth Ringel, vcl; Alex Maynegre, p. Innova 904

2:00
YourClassical

Tchaikovsky and Brahms in New York

Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897) Tragic Overture; Chicago Symphony; Daniel Barenboim, cond. Erato 95192 Peter Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893) Piano Concerto No. 2; Barry Douglas, piano; Philharmonia Orchestra; Leonard Slatkin, cond. RCA/BMG 61633

2:00
YourClassical

The indomitable Ethel Smyth

Ethyl Smyth (1858 - 1944) The Wreckers; Soloists and BBC Philharmonic; Odaline de la Martinez, cond. Conifer 51250

2:00
YourClassical

Ennio Morricone

Ennio Morricone (1928 - 2020) Gabriel’s Oboe, fr “The Mission”; Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia; Ennio Morricone, cond. Sony 57872

2:00
YourClassical

Takemitsu and Tanaka

Toru Takemitsu (1930 - 1996) November Steps; Katsuya Yokoyama, shakuhachi; Kunshi Isuruta, biwa; Concertgebouw Orchestra; Bernard Haitink, cond. Philips 426 667 Karen Tanaka (b. 1961) Night Bird; Claude Delangle, saxophone BIS 890

2:00
YourClassical

Schumann and Zaimont

Clara Schumman (1819 – 1896) Four Polonaises; Josef de Beenhouwer, piano CPO 999 758 Judith Lang Zaimont (b. 1945) September, fr Calendar Collection; Judith Lang Zaimont, piano Four Tay 4001

2:00
YourClassical

Varese and Zappa

Edgar Varèse (1883 - 1965) Ionisation; New York Philharmonic; Pierre Boulez, cond. Sony 45844 Frank Zappa (1940 – 1993) Dog Breath Variations; Cincinnati Conservatory Wind Symphony; Eugene Corporon, cond. Mark 1116

2:00
YourClassical

Florence Price

Florence Price (1887 – 1953) Symphony No. 3; Women’s Philharmonic; Apo Hsu, cond. Koch 7518-2

2:00
YourClassical

Sondheim in the woods

Stephen Sondheim (b. 1930) Into the Woods; original Broadway cast members RCA 60752

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.