Schubert seeks a publisher
Franz Schubert (1795 - 1828) String Quartet in G, D. 887 Emerson String Quartet DG 459 151
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Paderewski's legacy
Ignac Jan Paderewski (1860-1941) Legend No. 1 Waldemar Malicki, piano Adda 581186
Passing time with Henry VIII and Richard Rodgers
Henry VIII Pastime with Good Company Muscia Antigua de Albequerque Dorian 93175 Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) arr. Bennett March of the Siamese Children, fr The King and I Cincinnati Pops; Erich Kunzel, cond. Telarc 80278
Beethoven symphonies and 20th century politics
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Symphony No. 5 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; René Leibowitz, cond. Chesky 17 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Symphony No. 9 in D minor Multi-national orchestra and chorus; Leonard Bernstein, cond. DG 445 486
Music for the whirly-birds by Stockhausen and Wagner
Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928 - 2007) Helicopter Quartet Arditti String Quartet Montaigne 782097 Richard Wagner (1813-1883) Ride of the Valkyries, from Die Walküre Berlin Philharmonic; Herbert von Karajan, cond. DG 457 496 or 469 256
Stravinsky meets Debussy
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) The Firebird Ballet Russian National Orchestra; Mikhail Pletnev, cond. DG 453 434
Havergal Brian writes one for the record books
Havergal Brian (1876-1972) Symphony No. 1 (Gothic) CSR Symphony and Slovak Philharmonic; Ondrej Lenard, cond. Marco Polo 8.223280/81
Robert Ward's modern concerto in romantic style
Robert Ward (b. 1917) Piano Concerto Marjorie Mitchell, p; Stuttgart Radio Symphony; William Strickland, cond. Bay Cities 1001
Roy Whelden's new music for an old instrument
Roy Whelden (b. 1950) Prelude and Divisions on She's So Heavy Roy Whelden, viola da gamba New Albion 59 Carl Friedrich Abel (1723-1787) Gamba Quartet American Baroque New Albion 59
The sounds of summer by Barber and Wagner
Samuel Barber (1910 - 1981) Summer Music, Op. 31 Reykjavik Wind Quintet Chandos 9174 Richard Wagner (1813 - 1881) Act I Prelude, fr Die Meistersinger SWR Radio Symphony; Roger Norrington, cond. Hänssler Classics 93000
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.