Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

YourClassical

Bolcom's "Five Fold Five"

William Bolcom (b. 1938) Five Fold Five Detroit Chamber Winds; William Bolcom, piano Koch 7395

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Mahler's tangled Tenth

Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911) arr. Cooke Symphony No. 10 Berlin Philharmonic; Sir Simon Rattle, cond. EMI 56972

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Beethoven unveiled

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Congratulations Minuet Berlin Philharmonic; Herbert von Karajan, cond. DG 453 713

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Rachmaninoff's "Monna Vanna"

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 - 1943) arr. Igor Buketoff Monna Vanna soloists; Iceland Symphony; Igor Buketoff, cond. Chandos 8987

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MacMillan at the Proms

James MacMillan (b. 1959) Veni, veni, Emmanuel Evelyn Glennie, percussion; Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Jukka-Pekka Saraste, BMG/Catalyst 61916

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Beatrice and Benedict and Berlioz

Hector Berlioz (1803 - 1869) Beatrice and Benedict Overture Dresden State Orchestra; Sir Colin Davis, cond. BMG 68790

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YourClassical

Julian Orbon

Julián Orbón (1925 - 1991) Concerto Grosso Latinoamericano Quartet; Simon Bolivar Symphony; Eduardo Mata, cond. Dorian 90178

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A dream situation for Mendelssohn

Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847) A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra; Kurt Masur, cond. Teldec 46323

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Bach gives notice

J. S. Bach (1685 - 1750) Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center; David Shifrin, cond. Delos 3185

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.