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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Ruth Crawford Seeger

Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901 – 1953) String Quartet Schoenberg Ensemble DG 449 925

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Tchaikovsky and Brahms in New York

Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897) Tragic Overture Chicago Symphony; Daniel Barenboim, cond. Erato 95192 Peter Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893) Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 44 Barry Douglas, piano; Philharmonia Orchestra; Leonard Slatkin, cond. RCA/BMG 61633

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The indomitable Dame Ethel

Ethyl Smyth (1858 - 1944) The Wreckers Soloists and BBC Philharmonic; Odaline de la Martinez , cond. Conifer 51250

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Takemitsu and Tanaka

Toru Takemitsu (1930 - 1996) November Steps Katsuya Yokoyama, shakuhachi; Kunshi Isuruta, biwa; Concertgebouw Orchestra; Bernard Haitink, cond. Philips 426 667 Karen Tanaka (b. 1961) Night Bird Claude Delangle, saxophone BIS 890

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Schumann and Zaimont

Clara Schumman (1819 – 1896) Four Polonaises, Op. 1 Josef de Beenhouwer, piano CPO 999 758 Judith Lang Zaimont (b. 1945) September, fr Calendar Collection Judith Lang Zaimont, piano Four Tay 4001

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Varese and Zappa

Edgar Varèse (1883 - 1965) Ionisation New York Philharmonic; Pierre Boulez, cond. Sony 45844 Frank Zappa (1940 – 1993) Dog Breath Variations Cincinnati Conservatory Wind Symphony; Eugene Corporon, cond. Mark 1116

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Janacek and Daughtery read the funnies

Leos Janáček (1854 – 1928) The Cunning Little Vixen Suite Czech Philharmonic; Vaclav Neumann, cond. Praga 250 100 Michael Daugherty (b. 1954) Metropolis Symphony Baltimore Symphony; David Zinman, cond. Argo 452 103

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Sondheim in the Woods

Stephen Sondheim (b. 1930) Into the Woods Original Broadway cast members RCA 60752

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Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge

Igor Stravinsky (1882 – 1971) Apollo Ballet Stockholm Chamber Orchestra; Esa-Pekka Salonen, cond. Sony Classical 46667

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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.