Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

Composers Datebook for August 6, 2013

YourClassical
1:59
YourClassical

Of Mountains and Messiaen

Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) Bryce Canyon and the Red-Orange Rocks, fr From the Canyons to the Stars London Sinfonietta; Esa-Pekka Salonen, cond CBS/Sony 44762

1:59
YourClassical

David Raksin goes "noir"

David Raksin (b. 1912) Laura Theme New Philharmonia; David Raksin, cond. BMG/RCA 1490

1:59
YourClassical

Rossini asks "Who was that masked man?"

Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868) William Tell Overture Philharmonia Orchestra; Carlo Maria Giulini, cond. EMI 69042 Dimitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) Symphony No. 15 in A, Op. 141 London Philharmonic; Mariss Jansons, cond. EMI 56591

1:59
YourClassical

Gluck and Glass in the Underworld

Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787) Dance of the Blessed Spirits, fr Orphée Academy of Ancient Music; Christopher Hogwood, cond. L'oiseau Lyre 410 553 Philip Glass (b.1937) Act 2 Interlude, fr Orphée Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra; Dennis Russell Davies, cond. Nonesuch 79496-2

1:59
YourClassical

Jerome Moross

Jerome Moross (1913 - 1983) Variations on a Waltz and Main Title, fr The Big Country

1:59
YourClassical

Bach at rest

J.S. Bach (1685-1750) St. Matthew Passion SW German Madrigal Chorus; Wolfgang Gönnenwein, cond. EMI Classics 79544 J.S. Bach (1685-1750) arr. Chris Brubeck Variations on Themes by Bach Joel Brown, guitar; London Symphony; Joel Revzen, cond. Koch International 7485

1:59
YourClassical

Ellington honored -- finally!

Edward Kennedy ("Duke") Ellington (1899-1974) The Golden Broom and the Green Apple Duke Ellington, piano; Cincinnati Symphony; Erich Kunzel, cond. MCA 42318

1:59
YourClassical

Caruso sings Cohan

George M. Cohan (1878-1942) arr. Bennett Over There Cincinnati Pops; Erich Kunzel, cond. Telarc 80175 George M. Cohan (1878-1942) Over There Enrico Caruso, tenor (recorded July 11, 1918) RCA/BMG 60495

1:59
YourClassical

Berlioz gets hot

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) Symphonie funebre et triomphale London Symphony; Sir Colin Davis, cond. Philips 416 283

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.