Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

YourClassical

MacMillan at the Proms

James MacMillan (b. 1959) Veni, veni, Emmanuel Evelyn Glennie, percussion; Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Jukka-Pekka Saraste, BMG/Catalyst 61916

YourClassical

Beatrice and Benedict and Berlioz

Hector Berlioz (1803 - 1869) Beatrice and Benedict Overture Dresden State Orchestra; Sir Colin Davis, cond. BMG 68790

YourClassical
YourClassical

Julian Orbon

Julián Orbón (1925 - 1991) Concerto Grosso Latinoamericano Quartet; Simon Bolivar Symphony; Eduardo Mata, cond. Dorian 90178

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A dream situation for Mendelssohn

Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847) A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra; Kurt Masur, cond. Teldec 46323

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Bach gives notice

J. S. Bach (1685 - 1750) Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center; David Shifrin, cond. Delos 3185

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Mozart gets married

Wolfgang Mozart (1756 - 1791) Mass in c Kathleen Battle, soprano; Vienna Philharmonic; James Levine, cond. DG 423 664

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Bennett and Sousa at Bat

John Philip Sousa (1854 - 1932) The National Game Royal Artillery Band; Keith Brion, cond. Naxos 8. 559092

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Music for the Queen Mum

Patrick Doyle (b. 1953) The Thistle and the Rose Marie McLaughlin, soprano Patrick Gowers (b. 1936) Suite for Violin Jose Luis Garcia, violin David Matthews (b. 1943) Romanza Mstislav Rostropovich, cello; English Chamber Orchestra; Raymond Leppard, cond all three pieces on EMI 54164

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Zwilich's Horn Concerto

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939) Horn Concerto David Jolley, horn; MSU Symphony Orchestra; Leon Gregorian, cond. Koch 7487

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.