Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

YourClassical

Bartok in Minneapolis

Béla Bartók (1881-1945) Viola Concerto (completed by Tibor Serly) Hong-Mei Xiao, viola; Budapest Philharmonic; Janos Kovacs, cond. Naxos 8.554183

YourClassical
YourClassical

Massenet (and Laurie Anderson)

Jules Massenet (1842-1912) O souverain, o juge, o pere, from Le Cid Ben Heppner, tenor; Munich Radio Orchestra; Roberto Abbado, cond. RCA/BMG 62504

YourClassical

New York City "firsts" by Rossini and Cole Porter

Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868) selections from The Barber of Seville Academy of St. Martin in the Fields; Neville Marriner, cond. Philips 412 266 Cole Porter (1891-1964) Gay Divorce Overture London Sinfonietta; John McGlinn, cond. EMI 68589

YourClassical

Rachmaninoff and Hanson get romantic

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) Piano Concerto No. 3 in d, Op. 30 Martha Argerich, piano; Berlin Radio Symphony; Riccardo Chailly, cond. Philips 446 673 Howard Hanson (1896-1981) Symphony No. 2, Op. 30 (Romantic) RCA Symphony; Charles Gerhardt, cond. Chesky 112

YourClassical

Spacey music by Strauss and Ligeti

Richard Strauss (1864-1949) Also Sprach Zarathustra Chicago Symphony; Fritz Reiner, cond. RCA/BMG 60833 György Ligeti (1923-2006) Atmospheres Hollywood Bowl Orchestra; John Mauceri, cond. Philips 446 403

YourClassical
YourClassical
YourClassical
YourClassical

Colorful music by Scriabin and Torke

Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915) Etude in F#, Op. 42, no. 4 Piers Lane, piano Hyperion 66607 Michael Torke (b. 1961) Bright Blue Music Baltimore Symphony; David Zinman, cond.

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.