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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Sondheim at the Forum?

Stephen Sondheim (b. 1930) A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum 1996 Broadway Cast Angel 52223

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Salieri leaves, Seidl arrives

Wolfgang Mozart (1756 – 1791) Symphony No. 25 St. Martin's Academy; Sir Neville Marriner, cond. Fantasy 104/105 Antonin Dvořák (1841 – 1904) Symphony No. 9 (From the New World) Vienna Philharmonic; Rafael Kubelik, cond. Decca 466 994 Antonio Salieri (1750 – 1825) "La Folia" Variations London Mozart Players; Matthias Bamert, cond. Chandos 9877

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Leoncavallo's "La Boheme"

Ruggero Leoncavallo (1857 – 1919) La Bohème Soloists; Bavarian Radio Chorus and Orchestra; Heinz Wallberg, cond. Orfeo 023 822

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Tchaikovsky at Carnegie Hall

Peter Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893) Coronation March Boston Pops; John Williams, cond. Philips 420 804 Orchestral Suite No. 3, Op. 55 New Philharmonia; Antal Dorati, cond. Philips 464 747

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Moog moods by Carlos and Voegeli

J.S. Bach (1685 –1750) arr. Carlos Fugue No. 7, fr WTC Book 1 Wendy Carlos, Moog synthesizer Sony 7194 Don Voegeli (1920 - 2009) All Things Considered theme (1974 version) Don Voegeli, Moog synthesizer NPR recording

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Purcell's "really big show"

Henry Purcell (1659 – 1695) The Fairy Queen Le Concert des Nations; Jordi Savall, cond. Auvidis 8583

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Leo Sowerby

Leo Sowerby (1895 – 1968) Classic Concerto David Mulbury, organ; Fairfield Orchestra; John Welsh, cond. Naxos 8.559028

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Zwilich anniversaries

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939) Symphony No. 1 Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra; John Nelson, cond. New World 336 Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939) Bass Trombone Concerto Charles Vernon, Bass Trombone; MSU Symphony; Leon Gregorian, cond. Koch 7487

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Irving Berlin

Irving Berlin (1888 – 1989) That Mesmerizing Mendelssohn Tune The Chrysanthemum Ragtime Band Omega 3011

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.