A "Theme Noir" by David Raksin
David Raksin (b. 1912) Laura Theme New Philharmonia; David Raksin, cond. BMG/RCA 1490
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Rossini asks "Who was that masked man?"
Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868) William Tell Overture Philharmonia Orchestra; Carlo Maria Giulini, cond. EMI 69042 Dimitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) Symphony No. 15 in A, Op. 141 London Philharmonic; Mariss Jansons, cond. EMI 56591
Gluck and Glass in the Underworld
Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787) Dance of the Blessed Spirits, fr Orphée Academy of Ancient Music; Christopher Hogwood, cond. L'oiseau Lyre 410 553 Philip Glass (b.1937) Act 2 Interlude, fr Orphée Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra; Dennis Russell Davies, cond. Nonesuch 79496-2
Mozart in Salzburg, Dvořák in America
Wolfgang Mozart (1756-1791) Piano Concerto No. 9 in Eb, K. 271 Mitsuko Uchida, p; English Chamber Orchestra; Jeffrey Tate, cond. Philips 438 634 Antonin Dvořák (1841-1904) String Quintet in Eb, Op. 97 Smetana Quartet with Josef Suk, vla. Denon 72507
Bach at rest
J.S. Bach (1685-1750) St. Matthew Passion SW German Madrigal Chorus; Wolfgang Gönnenwein, cond. EMI Classics 79544 J.S. Bach (1685-1750) arr. Chris Brubeck Variations on Themes by Bach Joel Brown, guitar; London Symphony; Joel Revzen, cond. Koch International 7485
Ellington honored — finally!
Edward Kennedy ("Duke") Ellington (1899-1974) The Golden Broom and the Green Apple Duke Ellington, piano; Cincinnati Symphony; Erich Kunzel, cond. MCA 42318
Caruso sings Cohan
George M. Cohan (1878-1942) arr. Bennett Over There Cincinnati Pops; Erich Kunzel, cond. Telarc 80175 George M. Cohan (1878-1942) Over There Enrico Caruso, tenor (recorded July 11, 1918) RCA/BMG 60495
Berlioz gets hot
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) Symphonie funebre et triomphale London Symphony; Sir Colin Davis, cond. Philips 416 283
Lindberg by Weill, Hindemith and Waxman
Kurt Weill (1900-1950) Lindbergh's Flight Cologne Radio Orchestra; Hermann Scherchen, cond. Capriccio 60012 Franz Waxman (1906-1962) The Spirit of St. Louis studio orchestra; Franz Waxman, cond. BMG/RCA 2283
"Parsifal" in Bayreuth
Richard Wagner (1813-1883) Transformation Music, from Parsifal London Symphony; Sir Adrian Boult, cond. EMI Classics 62539
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.