Puccini speaks!
Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924) Madame Butterfly Suite Rome Symphony; Domenico Savino, cond. MCA 9834-A the 1912 recording of the voice of Puccini Grammofono 2000 #AB-78779
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Krenek spielt auf?
Ernst Krenek (1900 — 1991) Jonny spielt auf Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra; Lothar Zagrosek, cond. London 436 631
Handel (and Beethoven) with horns
George Frederic Handel (1685 — 1759) Water Music Suite in F The King's Consort; Robert King, cond. Hyperion 66967 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 — 1827) Horn Sonata, Op. 17 Anthony Halstead, horn; Robert Levin, fortepiano London 455 994
Harrison's Symphony "on" G
Lou Harrison (1917 — 2003) Symphony on G Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Gerhard Samuel, cond. CRI 715
Zwilich times Three
Ellen Taafe Zwilich (b. 1939) Triple Concerto Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio; Florida State University; Michael Stern, cond. Koch 7537
Rossini's first big hit
Mauro Giuliani (1781 — 1829) Tancredi Variations, Op. 87 Ricardo Gallén, guitar Naxos 8.555284
Schoenberg hissed
Arnold Schoenberg (1874 — 1951) String Quartet No 1, Op 7 Kolisch Quartet Music and Arts 1056
A Hovhaness premiere
Alan Hovhaness (1911 - 2000) Lousadzak Keith Jarrett, piano; American Composers Orchestra; Dennis Russell Davies, cond. MusicMasters 60204
Palestrina by Palestrina (and Pfiztner)
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525 — 1594) Pope Marcellus Mass Voices of Ascension; Dennis Keane, cond. Delos 3210 Hans Pfitzner (1869 — 1949) Palestrina Berlin State Orchestra; Otmar Suitner, cond. Berlin Classics 1001
Kreisler in the style of Kreisler
Fritz Kreisler (1875 — 1962) Violin Concerto (in the style of Vivaldi) Gil Shaham, violin; Orpheus Chamber Orchestra DG 439933
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.