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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Hindemith's "Kammermusik" No. 4

Paul Hindemith (1895 – 1963) Kammermusik No. 4 Konstanty Kulka, violin; Concergebouw Orchestra; Riccardo Chailly, cond. London 433 816

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Eisler before the House

Hanns Eisler (1898 – 1962) Deutsche Sinfonie, Op. 50 Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra; Lothar Zagrosek, cond. London 448 389

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Vincenzo Bellini

Vincenzo Bellini (1801 – 1835) Sinfonia, fr Il Pirata German Opera Orchestra, Berlin; Marcello Viotti, cond. Berlin Classics 11152

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Leonardo Balada

Leonardo Balada (b. 1933) Concierto Magico Eliot Fisk, guitar; Barcelona and Catalonia National Orch.;Jose Serebrier, cond Naxos 8.555039

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Stravinsky back in the USSR

Igor Stravinsky (1882 – 1971) Orpheus Ballet Orpheus Chamber Orchestra DG 459 644 Traditional (arr. Stravinsky) Song of the Volga Boat Men Philharmonia Orchestra; Robert Craft, cond. Koch 7504

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Tchaikovsky in Paris

Igor Stravinsky (1882 – 1971) The Firebird (1919 revision) Minnesota Orchestra; Eiji Oue, cond. Reference 70 Peter Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893) Valse-Scherzo Gil Shaham, violin; Russian National Orchestra; Mikhail Pletnev, cond. DG 457 064

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Brahms and the clarinet

Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897) Clarinet Sonata, Op. 120, no. 2 Michael Collins, clarinet; Mikhail Pletnev, piano Virgin 91076

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Thomson's "portrait" Concerto

Virgil Thomson (1896 – 1989) Flute Concerto Mary Stolper, flute; Czech National Symphony; Paul Freeman, cond. Cedille 046

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Wagner gets a Ride in New York

Richard Wagner (1813 – 1883) Ride of the Valkyries, fr Die Walkuere Berlin Philharmonic; Claudio Abbado, cond. DG 471 627

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Barber at the Met

Samuel Barber (1910 – 1981) Anthony and Cleopatra Spoleto Festival soloists and orchestra; Christian Badea, cond New World 322

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.