Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): Symphony No. 8; Berlin Philharmonic; Herbert von Karajan, conductor; DG 429 036 Leroy Anderson (1908-1975): ‘The Syncopated Clock’; St. Louis Symphony; Leonard Slatkin, conductor; BMG/RCA 68048
Georges Bizet (1823-1892): Symphony No. 1; ORTF Orchestra; Jean Martinon, conductor; DG 437 371 Roy Harris (1899-1979): Symphony No. 5; Louisville Orchestra; Robert Whitney, conductor; Albany 012
W.S. Gilbert (1836-1911) & Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900): ‘A Wand’ring Minstrel I,’ from ‘The Mikado’; D’Oyly Carte Opera Company; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Royston Nash, conductor; London/Decca 425190
John Adams (b. 1947): ‘The Wound Dresser’; Sanford Sylvan, baritone; Orchestra of St. Luke’s; John Adams, conductor; Nonesuch 79218
Julia Perry (1924-1979): Violin Concerto; Curtis J. Stewart, violin; Experiential Orchestra; James Blachly, conductor; Bright Shiny Things 200
Charles Ives (1874-1954): Symphony No. 2 New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, conductor; DG 429 220
Claude Debussy (1862-1918): ‘Pelléas et Mélisande Symphonie Suite’ (arr. Marius Constant); Orchestre National de Lyon; Jun Märkl, conductor; Naxos 8.570993
John Harbison (b. 1938): ‘Olympic Dances’; New England Conservatory Wind Ensemble; Dr. Frank Battisti, conductor; Albany 340
Ethel Smyth (1858-1944): ‘The Prison’; Dashon Burton, bass-baritone; Experimental Orchestra and Chorus; James Blachly, conductor; Chandos 5279
Gian Carlo Menotti (1911-2007): Excerpt from ‘The Telephone’; New York Chamber Ensemble; Stephen Rogers Radcliffe, conductor; Albany 173
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.
