Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

YourClassical

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

YourClassical

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

YourClassical

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

YourClassical

Berlioz gets hot

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) Symphonie funebre et triomphale London Symphony; Sir Colin Davis, cond. Philips 416 283

YourClassical

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

YourClassical

"Parsifal" in Bayreuth

Richard Wagner (1813-1883) Transformation Music, from Parsifal London Symphony; Sir Adrian Boult, cond. EMI Classics 62539

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Copland and Kernis on the air

Aaron Copland (1900-1990) Music for Radio (Saga of the Prairies) Pacific Symphony; Keith Clark, cond. Albany TROY- 064 Aaron Jay Kernis (b. 1960) Still Movement with Hymn Pamela Frank, violin; Paul Neubauer, viola; Carter Brey, cello; Christopher O'Riley, piano. Argo 448 174

YourClassical

Barber in Salzburg

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Fidelio Overture Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra; Kurt Masur, cond. Philips 438 706 Samuel Barber (1910-1981) Symphony No. 1, Op. 9 Baltimore Symphony; David Zinman, cond. Argo 436 288

YourClassical

A West-Coast premiere for Still

William Grant Still (1895-1978) Symphony No. 1 (Afro-American) Detroit Symphony; Neeme Järvi, cond. Chandos 9154

YourClassical

Falla and Sierra

Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) The Three-cornered Hat Ballet Suisse Romande Orchestra; Ernest Ansermet, cond. London 414 039 Roberto Sierra (b. 1953) Eros Jeani Foster, flute; Stefanie Jacob, piano Fleur de son Classics 57950

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.