Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

YourClassical

Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde"

Richard Wagner (1813-1883) Act II Prelude, from Tristan und Isolde Bayreuth Festival Orchestra; Karl Böhm Philips 434 425

YourClassical

Mahler and Salonen on busman holidays

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) Symphony No. 3 Los Angeles Phil.; Esa Pekka Salonen, cond. Sony Classical 60250 Esa Pekka Salonen (b. 1958) Mimo II Bengt Rosengren, ob; Swedish Radio Symphony; Esa Pekka Salonen, cond. Daphne 1002

YourClassical

Orff's "Carmina Burana"

Carl Orff (1895 - 1982) Carmina Burana Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus; Donald Runnicles, cond. Telarc 80575

YourClassical

Musical landscapes by Vaughan Williams and Crumb

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) A Pastoral Symphony (No. 3) London Symphony; André Previn BMG 60583 George Crumb (b. 1929) A Haunted Landscape New York Philharmonic; Arthur Weisberg, cond. New World 326

YourClassical

Shaw on Mozart and Loewe on Shaw

Wolfgang Mozart (1770 - 1791) Don Giovanni Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Sir Charles Mackerras, cond. Telarc 80442 Frederick Loewe (1904 - 1988) My Fair Lady New York City Opera Orchestra; Paul Gemignani, cond. MusicMasters 67099

YourClassical

Beyond Grieg: Geirr Tveitt

Geirr Tveitt (1908-1981) Piano Concerto No. 1 Havard Gimse, piano; Royal Scottish National Orchestra; Bjarte Engeset, cond. Naxos 8.555077

YourClassical

Ocean — and urban — music by Sibelius and Danielpour

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) The Oceanides Finnish Radio Symphony; Jukka-Pekka Saraste, cond. RCA/BMG 60401 Richard Danielpour (b. 1956) Urban Dances Philharmonia Orchestra; Zdenek Macal, cond. Sony Classical 60779

YourClassical

Jazz classics by Bolcom and Mingus

William Bolcom (b. 1938) Violin Concerto Sergiu Luca, violin; American Composers Orchestra; Dennis Russell Davies, cond. Argo 433 077 Charles Mingus (1922-1979)/arr. Schuller: Noon Night, from Epitaph jazz ensemble; Gunther Schuller, cond. Sony/Columbia 45428

YourClassical

Manuel Rosenthal's hits and Mrs.

Jacques Offenbach (1819 - 1880) arr. Manuel Rosenthal (1904-2003) Gaîté Parisienne Monte Carlo Philharmonic; Manuel Rosenthal, cond. Naxos 8.554005

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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.