Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
J.S. Bach (1685-1750) Jauchzet frohlocket, from Christmas Oratorio Munich Bach Soloists and Chorus; Karl Richter, cond. Archiv 413 625 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Symphony No. 9 (Choral) Members of Bavarian Radio Symphony, Dresden State Orchestra, Kirov Theatre Orchestra, London Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and Orchestre de Paris; Leonard Bernstein, cond. DG 429 861
William Henry Fry (1813-1864) Santa Claus (A Christmas Symphony) Royal Scottish National Orchestra; Tony Rowe, cond. Naxos 559057
Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) Hansel and Gretel Suite Royal Philharmonic; Rudolf Kempe, cond. EMI 68736
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Symphony No. 5 Concertgebouw Orchestra; Bernard Haitink, cond. Philips 442 076 Samuel Barber (1910-1981) Chorale Prelude on Silent Night Jeremy Fisell, organ GMCD 7145
Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951) String Quartet No. 2, Op. 10 Borealis Ensemble Victoria 19088 J.S.Bach (arr Schoenberg) Chorale Prelude Adorn thyself, O my Soul Houston Symphony; Christoph Eschenbach, cond. RCA 68658
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Violin Concerto No. 5 Jean-Jacques Kantorow, violin; Netherlands Chamber Orchestra; Leopold Hager, cond. Denon 7504 Ernest Bloch (1880-1959) America: An Epic Rhapsody Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, cond. Delos 3135
Henry Purcell (arr. Wendy Carlos) Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary Wendy Carlos, synthesizers Eastside Digital 81362 J.S. Bach (arr. Wendy Carlos) Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 Wendy Carlos, synthesizers CBS/Sony 42309
Peter Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) The Nutcracker Ballet, Op. 71 Kirov Orchestra; Valery Gergiev, cond. Philips 462 114 Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) Symphony No. 13, Op. 113 (Babi Yar) Nicola Ghiuselev, bass; Choral Arts Society of Washington; National Symphony; Mstislav Rostropovich, cond. Erato 85529
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Symphony No. 9 Berlin Philharmonic; Karl Böhm, cond. DG 419 318 Jón Leifs (1899-1968) Fine I, Op. 55 and Fine II, Op. 56 Iceland Symphony; Petri Sakari, cond. Chandos 9433
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) Variations on a theme of Beethoven Philippe Corre and Edouard Exerjean, pianos Pierre Verany 790041 Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) Fossils, from Carnival of the Animals Martha Argerich, Nelson Freire, pianos; Markus Steckeler, xylophone; ensemble Philips 446557
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.
