Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

YourClassical

Ceremonial Beethoven and Schuman

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Consecration of the House Overture Berlin Philharmonic; Bernhard Klee, cond. DG 453 713 Willliam Schuman (1910-1992) To Thee Old Cause New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, cond. Sony 63088

YourClassical
YourClassical
YourClassical

Salieri gets comp tickets

Wolfgang Mozart (1756-1791) excerpts, from The Magic Flute soloists; Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra; Otto Klemperer, cond. EMI Classics 55173

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Holst (and Colin Matthews) in outer space

Gustav Holst The Planets Montréal Symphony; Charles Dutoit, cond. London 460 606 Colin Matthews (b. 1946) Pluto Hallé Orchestra; Mark Elder, cond. Hyperion 67270

YourClassical

Wedding presents from Franck and Lutoslawski

César Franck (1822-1890) Violin Sonata in A Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin; Lambert Orkis, piano DG 445 826 Witold Lutoslawski (1913-1994) Partita Krzysztof Bakowski, violin; Polish National Radio Orchestra; Antoni Wit, cond. Naxos 8.553202

YourClassical

In Memoriam: Schubert and Oldham

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Piano Sonata in Bb, D. 960 Alfred Brendel, piano Philips 456 573 Kevin Oldham (1960-1993) Concerto for Piano, Op. 14 Ian Hobson, piano; Kansas City Symphony; Bill McGlaughlin, cond. BMG.Catalyst 61979

YourClassical

Weill's "September Song"

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) September Song (arr. Morton Gould) Hollywood Bowl Orchestra; John Mauceri, cond. Philips 446 404

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Shostakovich's 60th

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) Symphony No. 1, Op 10 St. Petersburg Philharmonic; Yuri Temikanov, cond. BMG 68844 Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) Cello concerto No. 2. Op 126 Msistislav Rostropovich, cello; Boston Symphony; Seiji Ozawa, cond. DG 437 952

YourClassical

Bach and Hoover "double their pleasure, double their fun"

J.S. Bach (1685-1750) Double Concerto in d, S. 1043 Vladimir Spivakov, Arkady Futer, violins; Moscow Virtuosi; Vladimir Spivakov, cond. RCA 7991 Katherine Hoover (1937 - 2018) Double Concerto David Perry, Suzanne Beia, violins; Wisconsin Philomusic; Vartan Manoogian, cond. Parnasus 96019

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.