Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

YourClassical

Thomson's Hymn Tune Symphony

Virgil Thomson (1896 - 1989) Symphony on a Hymn Tune Monadnock Festival Orchestra; James Bolle, cond. Albany 017

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Respighi in New York

Ottorino Resphigi (1879 — 1936) Roman Festivals Philadelphia Orchestra; Riccardo Muti, cond. Angel/EMI 47316

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Tchaikovsky's twisted tutu

Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky (1840 — 1893) Swan Lake Ballet Suite Chicago Symphony; Sir Georg Solti, cond. London 425 516

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Haydn and Asia Symphonies

Franz Josef Haydn (1732 — 1808) Symphony No. 99 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; Sir Colin Davis, cond. Philips 442 614 Daniel Asia (b. 1953) Symphony No. 4 New Zealand Symphony; James Sedares, cond. Summit 256

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Hanson's Fifth

Howard Hanson (1896 — 1981) Symphony No. 5 (Sinfonia Sacra) Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, cond. Delos 3130

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Carter times Three

Elliot Carter (1908 - 2012) Symphony for Three Orchestras New York Philharmonic; Pierre Boulez, cond. Sony 68334

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Varèse and Larsen solos

Edgard Varèse (1883 - 1965) Density 21.5 Eugenia Zukerman, flute Delos 3184 Libby Larsen (b. 1950) Aubade Eugenia Zukerman, flute Delos 3184

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Miaskovsky and Brooks for band

Nikolai Miaskovsky (1881 - 1950) Symphony No. 19 USSR Ministry of Defence Band; Nikolai Mikailov, cond. Olympia 105 Jeffrey Brooks Dreadnought University of Minnesota Symphonic Wind Ensemble; Craig Kirchhoff, cond. innova 517

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Goldschmidt's bitter "Valentine"

Berthold Goldschmidt (1903 — 1996) Der gewaltige Hahnrei German Symphony Orchestra, Berlin; Lothar Zagrosek, cond. London 440 850

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Toch in Neverland

Ernst Toch (1887 — 1964) Peter Pan (A Fairy Tale for Orchestra) NDR Symphony, Hamburg; Leon Botstein, cond. New World 80609

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.