Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

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Amram's Violin Concerto

David Amram (b. 1930) Violin Concerto Charles Castleman, violin; Manhattan Chamber Orchestra; Richard Auldon Clark, cond. Newport Classics 85601

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Graupner (and Haydn) in Boston

Franz Josef Haydn (1732 - 1808) Symphony No. 100 (Military) London Classical Players; Roger Norrington, cond. EMI 55192

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Copland at Yaddo

Aaron Copland (1900–1990) Piano Variations Stephen Hough, piano Hyperion 67005

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Herbert's "Earthquake"Benefit

Victor Herbert (1859–1924) Cello Concerto No. 1 Lynn Harrell, cello; St. Martin's Academy; Neville Marriner, cond. London 417 672

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Diamond's "Elegy"

David Diamond (b. 1915) Elegy in Memory of Maurice Ravel Orchestra of St. Luke's; John Adams, cond. Nonesuch 79249

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Nicholas Slonimsky, Date-Meister

Charles Ives (1874-1954) Three Places in New England San Francisco Symphony; Michael Tilson Thomas, cond. BMG 63703

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Tchaikovsky in New York

Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) Orchestral Suite No. 3 Detroit Symphony; Neeme Järvi, cond. Chandos 9419

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Prokofiev and Rochberg chamber premieres

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) String Quartet No. 1 St. Petersburg String Quartet Delos 3247 George Rochberg (1918-2005) Octet (A Grand Fantasia) New York Chamber Ensemble; Stephen Rogers Radcliffe, cond. New World 80462

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Tower's Violin Concerto

Joan Tower (b. 1938) Violin Concerto Elmar Oliveira, violin; Louisville Orchestra; Joseph Silverstein, cond. D'Note 1016

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Lauridsen's "Rose Songs"

Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943) Les Chansons des Roses L.A. Master Chorale; Paul Salamunovich, cond. RCM 19705

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.