Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

Composers Datebook for October 12, 2008

YourClassical

Zwilich celebrates

Ellen Taafe Zwilich (b. 1939) Celebration Indianapolis Symphony; John Nelson , cond. New World 336

1:59
YourClassical

Prokofiev's Sixth and Seventh

Sergei Prokofiev (1891 – 1953) Symphony No. 6 National Symphony; Leonard Slatkin, cond. RCA/BMG 68801 Symphony No. 7 French National Orchestra; Mstislav Rostropovich, cond. Erato 75322

1:59
YourClassical

Berio's "Sinfonia" in New York

Luciano Berio (1925-2003) Sinfonia New Swingle Singers; French National Orchestra; Pierre Boulez, cond. Erato 88151

1:59
YourClassical

Lloyd Webber at the Opera

Andrew Lloyd Webber (b. 1948) The Phantom of the Opera Royal Philharmonic Pops; Paul Gemignani, cond. MCA 6230

1:59
YourClassical

Ligeti's "out there" Violin Concerto

György Ligeti (1923-2006) Violin Concerto Saschko Gavrilov, violin; Ensemble InterContemporain; Pierre Boulez, cond. DG 439 808

1:59
YourClassical
1:59
YourClassical

Music for the movies

Felix Arndt (1889 – 1918) An Operatic Nightmare (Desecration Rag No. 2) Paragon Ragtime Orchestra; Rick Benjamin, cond. Newport Classics 60039 Erich Wolfgang von Korngold (1897 – 1957) The Prince and the Pauper filmscore National Philharmonic; Charles Gerhardt, cond. RCA/BMG 0185

1:59
YourClassical
1:59
YourClassical
1:59
YourClassical
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.