Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

YourClassical

Haydn arrives in England

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) Symphony No. 92 in G (Oxford) Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra; Adam Fischer, cond. Nimbus 5269

YourClassical

Antheil's "Joyous" Symphony

George Antheil (1900-1959) Symphony No. 5 (Joyous) Frankfurt Radio Symphony; Hugh Wolff, cond. CPO 999 706

YourClassical

A Lehar premiere in Vienna

Franz Lehár (1870-1948) The Merry Widow excerpts Budapest Philharmonic; Janos Sandor, cond. Laserlight 15046

YourClassical

Handel writes home from Dublin

George Frederic Handel (1685-1757) Sinfonia, from Messiah Atlanta Symphony; Robert Shaw, cond. Telarc 80103

YourClassical

Bernstein does the town

Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) On the Town excerpts New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, cond. CBS/Sony 39448

YourClassical

Airs and poems by Kernis and Chausson

Ernest Chausson (1855-1899) Poème, Op. 25 Isaac Stern, violin; Orchestre de Paris; Daniel Barenboim, cond. CBS/Sony 64501 Aaron Jay Kernis (b. 1960) Air for Violin Minnesota Orchestra; David Zinman, cond. Argo 460 226

YourClassical

Sibelius' $400 finale

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) Tapiola, Op. 112 Helsinki Philharmonic; Paavo Berglund, cond. EMI 68646

YourClassical

Bach in Leipzig, Bernstein in Berlin

J.S. Bach (1685-1750) Jauchzet frohlocket, from Christmas Oratorio Munich Bach Soloists and Chorus; Karl Richter, cond. Archiv 413 625 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Symphony No. 9 (Choral) Members of Bavarian Radio Symphony, Dresden State Orchestra, Kirov Theatre Orchestra, London Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and Orchestre de Paris; Leonard Bernstein, cond. DG 429 861

YourClassical

"Fryed" Santa?

William Henry Fry (1813-1864) Santa Claus (A Christmas Symphony) Royal Scottish National Orchestra; Tony Rowe, cond. Naxos 559057

YourClassical

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.