"Big bang" symphony by Hovhaness?
Alan Hovhaness (1911 – 2000) Symphony No. 50 (Mount St. Helens) Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, cond. Delos 3137
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Bernstein's Philharmonic "stats"
Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990) Symphony No. 2 (The Age of Anxiety) Marc-Andre Hamelin, piano; Ulster Orchestra; Dmitry Sitkovetsky, cond. Hyperion 67170
Tower's "Concerto for Orchestra"
Joan Tower (b. 1938) Concerto for Orchestra Colorado Symphony; Marin Alsop, cond. Koch 7469
Thompson's Third
Randall Thompson (1899 – 1984) Symphony No. 3 New Zealand Symphony; Andrew Schenck, cond. Koch 7074
Rautavaara's Fifth
Einojuhani Rautavaara (1928 - 2016) Symphony No. 5 Leipzig Radio Symphony; Max Pommer, cond. BMG 62671
Beach at the opera
Amy Beach (1867 – 1944) Cabildo ensemble; Ransom Wilson Delos 3170
Reich and Korot tell tales
Steve Reich (b. 1936) Music for Large Ensemble Alarm Will Sound and Ossia; Alan Pierson, cond. Nonesuch 79546
Lloyd-Webber's long-lived "Cats"
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644 – 1704) Sonata violino solo representativa Il Giardino Armonico; Giovanni Antonini, cond. Teldec 21464 Andrew Lloyd Webber (b. 1948) Cats Overture Original Broadway Cast orchestra Geffen 22031
Torke's "Ecstatic Orange"
Michael Torke (b. 1961) Ecstatic Orange Baltimore Symphony; David Zinman, cond. Argo 433 071 Michael Torke (b. 1961) An American Abroad Royal Scottish Orchestra; Marin Alsop, cond. Naxos 8.559167
Copland at the movies
Aaron Copland (1900 – 1990) Our Town Suite Saint Louis Symphony; Leonard Slatkin, cond. BMG 61699
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.