Sibelius passes
Jean Sibelius (1865-1957): ‘Alla Marcia’ from ‘Karelia Suite’; Finnish Radio Symphony; Jukka-Pekka Saraste, conductor; (RCA 7765)
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Composers Datebook - Sept. 20, 2025
2:00
'On the Transmigration of Souls'
John Adams (b. 1947): ‘On the Transmigration of Souls’; New York Philharmonic; Lorin Maazel, conductor; Nonesuch CD 79816
2:00
Prokofiev and Leifs agree: 'There's no place like home!'
Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953): Piano Concerto No. 3; Martha Argerich, piano; Montréal Symphony; Charles Dutoit, conductor; EMI Classics 56654 Jón Leifs (1899-1968): ‘Saga Symphony’; Iceland Symphony; Osmo Vänskä, conductor; BIS 730
2:00
Ellington's 'Money Jungle'
Duke Ellington (1899-1974), Charles Mingus (1922-1979) and Max Roach (1924-2007): ‘Money Jungle’; Blue Note 31461
2:00
A concerto by Sally Beamish
Sally Beamish (b. 1956): ‘The Imagined Sound of Sun on Stone’; John Harle, saxophone; Swedish Chamber Orchestra; Ola Rudner, conductor; BIS 1161
2:00
Henry Brant's 'Northern Lights'
Henry Brant (1913-2008): ‘Northern Lights Over the Twin Cities’; Combined musical forces of Macalester College; with six conductors, including Henry Brant; Innova CD 408
2:00
New 'Variations on a Theme by Purcell'
Colin Matthews (b. 1946): ‘Bright Cecilia: Variations on a Theme by Purcell’; (BBC Philharmonic; Gianandrea Noseda, conductor; BBC Music Vol. 11, no. 3
2:00
Bernstein meets Wharton
Elmer Bernstein (1922-2004): ‘Farewell Dinner’ from ‘The Age of Innocence’; Studio Orchestra; Elmer Bernstein, conductor; EMI Classics 57451
2:00
Reisenberg and Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791): Piano Concerto No. 26 (‘Coronation’); Nadia Reisenberg; WOR studio orchestra; Alfred Wallenstein, conductor; (recorded March 19, 1940); IPA of Maryland Reisenberg Mozart Piano Concertos CD 13
2:00
Leroy Anderson in the studio
Leroy Anderson (1908–1975): ‘Jazz Pizzicato’ and ‘The Waltzing Cat’; Decca studio orchestra; Leroy Anderson, conductor; MCA 9815
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.