Leoncavallo's "La Boheme"
Ruggero Leoncavallo (1857 – 1919) La Bohème Soloists; Bavarian Radio Chorus and Orchestra; Heinz Wallberg, cond. Orfeo 023 822
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Tchaikovsky at Carnegie Hall
Peter Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893) Coronation March Boston Pops; John Williams, cond. Philips 420 804 Orchestral Suite No. 3, Op. 55 New Philharmonia; Antal Dorati, cond. Philips 464 747
Vaughan Williams' "London Symphony"
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 – 1958) A London Symphony (Symphony No. 2) London Symphony; Richard Hickox, cond. Chanos 9902
Moog moods by Carlos and Voegeli
J.S. Bach (1685 –1750) arr. Carlos Fugue No. 7, fr WTC Book 1 Wendy Carlos, Moog synthesizer Sony 7194 Don Voegeli (1920 - 2009) All Things Considered theme (1974 version) Don Voegeli, Moog synthesizer NPR recording
Purcell's "really big show"
Henry Purcell (1659 – 1695) The Fairy Queen Le Concert des Nations; Jordi Savall, cond. Auvidis 8583
Leo Sowerby
Leo Sowerby (1895 – 1968) Classic Concerto David Mulbury, organ; Fairfield Orchestra; John Welsh, cond. Naxos 8.559028
Zwilich anniversaries
Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939) Symphony No. 1 Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra; John Nelson, cond. New World 336 Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939) Bass Trombone Concerto Charles Vernon, Bass Trombone; MSU Symphony; Leon Gregorian, cond. Koch 7487
Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin (1888 – 1989) That Mesmerizing Mendelssohn Tune The Chrysanthemum Ragtime Band Omega 3011
Meyerbeer's "African Maid"
Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791 – 1864) O paradis, from L'Africaine Ben Heppner, tenor; London Symphony; Myung-Whun Chung, cond. DG 471 372
Stravinsky goes dancing
Igor Stravinsky (1882 – 1971) Apollon musagète Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; Riccardo Chailly, cond. London 448 142 Igor Stravinsky (1882 – 1971) Jeu de Cartes Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; Neeme Järvi, cond. Chandos 9014
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.