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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Bruckner's New York debut

Anton Bruckner (1824–1896) Symphony No. 3 in d BBC Scottish Symphony; Osmo Vänskä, cond. Hyperion 67200

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Jose Serebrier

Jose Serebrier (b. 1938) Symphony No. 3 Toulouse National Chamber Orchestra; Jose Serebrier, cond Naxos 8.559183

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Messiaen in Boston

Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992) Turangalila Symphony Concertgebouw Orchestra; Riccardo Chailly, cond. London 436 626

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Picker picks a plot

Tobias Picker (b. 1954) Therese Raquin Dallas Opera Orchestra; Graeme Jenkins, cond. Chandos 9659

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Leo Ornstein, "Wild Man"

Leo Ornstein (1892? – 2002) Wild Men's Dance and Piano Sonata No. 7 Janice Weber, piano Naxos 8.559104

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Griffes for pleasure

Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1884 - 1920) The Pleasure Dome of Kubla Khan Boston Symphony; Seiji Ozawa, cond. New World 273

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Korngold writes a symphony

Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897 – 1957) Symphony, Op. 40 Philadelphia Orchestra; Franz Welser-Most, cond. EMI 56169

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A belated Schumann premiere

Robert Schumann (1810 – 1856) Violin Concerto in D Minor Gidon Kremer, violin; Philharmonia Orchestra; Riccardo Muti, cond. EMI 69334

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Bach's "wake up" call?

J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750) Cantata No. 140 (Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme) Bach Ensemble; Helmuth Rilling, cond. Laudate 98.857

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.