Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

YourClassical

Bolcom's Bicentennial send-up

William Bolcom (b. 1938) Piano Concerto William Bolcom, piano; Rochester Philharmonic; Sydney Hodkinson, cond. Vox Box 7509

YourClassical
YourClassical

Sleep on it, Giuseppe

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) La Traviata Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Sir Georg Solti, cond. London 448 119

YourClassical
YourClassical

Happy Birthday, Antonio Vivaldi

Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741) The Four Seasons Enrico Onofri, violin; Il Giardino Armonico; Giovanni Antonini, cond. Teldec 97671

YourClassical
YourClassical

Fritz (Delius) in Florida

Frederick Delius (1862-1934) Florida Suite Welsh National Opera Orchestra; Sir Charles Mackerras, cond. Argo 430 206

YourClassical
YourClassical

Tsontakis tackles TSE

George Tsontakis (b. 1951) Four Symphonic Quartets Monte Carlo Philharmonic; James DePreist, cond. Koch International 7384

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Timely music by Beethoven and Leroy Anderson

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Symphony No. 8 in F, Op. 93 Berlin Philharmonic; Herbert von Karajan, cond. DG 429 036 Leroy Anderson (1908-1975) The Syncopated Clock St. Louis Symphony; Leonard Slatkin, cond. BMG/RCA 68048

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.