Copland's fanfare for America's "Greatest Generation?"
Aaron Copland (1900 - 1990) Fanfare for the Common Man San Francisco Symphony; Michael Tilson Thomas, cond. RCA/BMG 63888
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Mendelssohn dusts off an old classic
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) St. Matthew Passion Netherlands Bach Society; Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra; Ton Koopman, cond.
Mozart says "Call me Amadé"
Wolfgang Mozart (1756-1791) Piano Concerto No. 21 in C, K. 467 Alfred Brendel, piano; Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Sir Neville Marriner, cond. Philips 412 856
Mahler's musical love-letter?
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) Symphony No. 5 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; Riccardo Chailly, cond. London 458 860
Bolcom's Bicentennial send-up
William Bolcom (b. 1938) Piano Concerto William Bolcom, piano; Rochester Philharmonic; Sydney Hodkinson, cond. Vox Box 7509
A hostess with the most-est nabs Ravel AND Gershwin
George Gershwin (1898-1937) Rhapsody in Blue Alicia Zizzo, piano Carlton 66005
Sleep on it, Giuseppe
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) La Traviata Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Sir Georg Solti, cond. London 448 119
MacDowell and the fickle finger of fame
Edward MacDowell (1860-1908) Piano Concerto No. 2 in d André Watts, piano; Dallas Symphony; Andrew Litton, cond. Telarc 80429
Happy Birthday, Antonio Vivaldi
Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741) The Four Seasons Enrico Onofri, violin; Il Giardino Armonico; Giovanni Antonini, cond. Teldec 97671
"Please don't have Carmen die at the end, I pray you . . ."
Georges Bizet (1838-1875) Carmen Suite Orchestre de la Bastille; Myung-Whun Chung, cond. DG 431 778
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.