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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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

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Lalo Schifrin

Lalo Schifrin (b. 1932) Hommage a Ravel Eaken Piano Trio Naxos 8.559062 Lalo Schifrin (b. 1932) Theme fr Mission Impossible studio orchestra BBC Records 763

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Mendelssohn and Richard Rodgers make LP history

Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847) Violin Concerto in e Nathan Milstein, violin; New York Philharmonic; Bruno Walter, cond. Sony 64459 Rodgers and Hammerstein South Pacific Ezio Pinza and Mary Martin; orchestra; Lehman Engel, cond. Sony 53327

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An Antheil premiere (or two)

George Antheil (1900 - 1959) Ballet Mécanique The New Palais Royale Ensemble; Maurice Peress, cond. MusicMasters 67094

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Operatic chillers by Weber and Anthony Davis

Carl Maria von Weber (1786 - 1826) Der Freischütz Overture Dresden State Orchestra; Sir Colin Davis, cond. Philips 438 497 Anthony Davis (b. 1951) Tania American Music Theater Festival soloists Koch 7467

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Bach is back

J.S. Bach (1685 - 1750) Harpsichord Concerto in A, S. 1055 Ton Koopman, harpsichord; Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra Erato 45646

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The diverting Mr. Persichetti

Vincent Persichetti (1915 - 1987) Divertimento North Texas Wind Symphony; Eugene Migliaro Corporon, cond. Klavier 11124

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.