Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

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Libby Larsen outdoors

Libby Larsen (b. 1950) Deep Summer Music Colorado Symphony; Marin Alsop, cond. Koch 7520

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Strauss and Thomas in New York

Johann Strauss, Jr. (1825 – 1899) Blue Danube Waltz, Op. 314 Columbia Symphony; Bruno Walter, cond. Sony 64467

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Scandalous Gershwin?

George Gershwin (1898 - 1937) Scandal Walk, from Scandals of 1920 George Gershwin, piano roll Nonesuch 79287

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Tower's musical "islands"

Joan Tower (b. 1938) Island Rhythms Louisville Orchestra; Lawrence Leighton Smith, cond. Louisville 6 Joan Tower (b. 1938) Island Prelude Peter Bowman, oboe; Saint Louis Symphony; Leonard Slatkin, cond. Nonesuch 79245

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Robert Xavier Rodriguez

Robert Xavier Rodriguez (b. 1946) Frida and Tango Suites Voices of Change; Robert Xavier Rodriguez, cond CRI 824

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George Templeton Strong, Jr.

George Templeton Strong (1856 - 1948) Evening Dance, fr Suite No. 2 Moscow Symphony; Adriano, cond. Naxos 8.559078

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Zwilich's Piano Concerto

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939) Piano Concerto Joseph Kalichstein, piano; Florida State Orchestra; Michael Stern, Koch 7537

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Telemann makes the record

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681 - 1767) Violin Concerto in A (The Frog) Pavlo Beznosiuk, violin; New London Consort; Philip Pickett, cond. London 455 621

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Vaughan Williams's Fifth

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958) Symphony No. 5 London Philharmonic; Bernard Haitink, cond. EMI 55487

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William Grant Still's rain delayed premiere

William Grant Still (18975 - 1978) And They Lynched Him on a Tree Plymouth Music Series Singers; Leigh Morris Chorale; Philip Brunelle, cond. Collins Classics 14542

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.