Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Patrick Doyle (b. 1953): ‘The Thistle and the Rose’; Marie McLaughlin, soprano Patrick Gowers (1936-2014): Suite for Violin; Jose Luis Garcia, violin David Matthews (b. 1943): ‘Romanza’; Mstislav Rostropovich, cello; English Chamber Orchestra; Raymond Leppard, conductor All three pieces on EMI 54164
Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939): Horn Concert; David Jolley, horn; MSU Symphony Orchestra; Leon Gregorian, conductor; Koch 7487
Morton Gould (1913-1996): ‘Pavanne,’ from ‘American Symphonette No. 2’; St. Louis Symphony; Leonard Slatkin, conductor; RCA 60778
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847): Symphony No. 3 (‘Scottish’); London Symphony; Peter Maag, conductor; London 466 990
Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904): String Quartet No. 10; Takacs Quartet; London 466 197
György Ligeti (1923-2006): ‘Mysteries of the Macabre,’ from ‘Le Grand Macabre’; Sibylle Ehlert, soprano; Philharmonia Orchestra; Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor; Sony 62311
Bernard Herrmann (1911-1975): Symphony No. 1; National Philharmonic; Bernard Herrmann, conductor; Unicorn-Kanchana 2063
Franz Xaver Mozart (1791-1844): Piano Concerto No. 1; Klaus Hellwig, piano; Cologne Radio Symphony; Roland Bader, conductor; Koch-Schwann 311004
Duke Ellington (1899-1974) (arr. Peress): ‘New World A-Comin’’; Sir Roland Hanna, piano; American Composers Orchestra; Maurice Peress, conductor; MusicMasters 7011
Richard Strauss (1864-1949): ‘Friedenstag’; Bavarian Radio Symphony; Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor; EMI 56850
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.
