Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

YourClassical

Bright Sheng's "Flute Moon"

Bright Sheng (b. 1955) Flute Moon Sharon Bezaly, flute; Singapore Symphony; Lan Shui, cond. BIS 1122

YourClassical

Adolphe's "Tyrannosaurus Sue"

Bruce Adolphe (b. 1955) Tyrannosaurus Sue "A Cretaceous Concerto" Chicago Chamber Musicians Pollyrhythm Productions 30001

YourClassical

Beethoven in New York

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) Symphony No. 9 (Choral) Berlin Philharmonic; Claudio Abbado, cond. DG 471 491

YourClassical

Saint-Saens and "Babe" at the organ

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 – 1921) Symphony No. 3 (Organ) Matthias Eisenberg, organ; Toulouse Capitole Orchestra; Michel Plasson, cond. EMI 56362

YourClassical
YourClassical

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

YourClassical
YourClassical

Thompson's Third

Randall Thompson (1899 – 1984) Symphony No. 3 New Zealand Symphony; Andrew Schenck, cond. Koch 7074

YourClassical

Rautavaara's Fifth

Einojuhani Rautavaara (1928 - 2016) Symphony No. 5 Leipzig Radio Symphony; Max Pommer, cond. BMG 62671

YourClassical

Beach at the opera

Amy Beach (1867 – 1944) Cabildo ensemble; Ransom Wilson Delos 3170

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.