Toscanini and Vivaldi
Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741): Concerto Grosso in d, Op. 3, no. 11 NBC Symphony; Arturo Toscanini, conductor. (r. Dec. 25, 1937)
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Composer's Datebook - Dec. 25, 2022
2:00
Safe passage for Rachmaninoff
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) Piano Concerto No. 1 in f#, Op. 1 Krystian Zimerman, piano; Boston Symphony Orchestra; Seiji Ozawa, conductor. DG 4796868
2:00
Humperdinck's "Into the Woods?"
Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) Hansel and Gretel Suite Royal Philharmonic; Rudolf Kempe, conductor. EMI 68736
2:00
A Beethoven marathon in Vienna
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Symphony No. 5 Concertgebouw Orchestra; Bernard Haitink, conductor. Philips 442 076 Samuel Barber (1910-1981) Chorale Prelude on Silent Night Jeremy Fisell, organ GMCD 7145
2:00
Diamond's First
David Diamond (1915-2005) Symphony No. 1 Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, conductor. Delos 3119
2:00
Mozart in Salzburg, Bloch in America
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Violin Concerto No. 5 Jean-Jacques Kantorow, violin; Netherlands Chamber Orchestra; Leopold Hager, cond. Denon 7504 Ernest Bloch (1880-1959) America: An Epic Rhapsody Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, cond. Delos 3135
2:00
Wendy Carlos "synthesizes" Purcell and Bach
Henry Purcell (arr. Wendy Carlos) Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary Wendy Carlos, synthesizers Eastside Digital 81362 J.S. Bach (arr. Wendy Carlos) Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 Wendy Carlos, synthesizers CBS/Sony 42309
2:00
Contrasting premieres by Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich
Peter Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) The Nutcracker Ballet, Op. 71 Kirov Orchestra; Valery Gergiev, cond. Philips 462 114 Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) Symphony No. 13, Op. 113 (Babi Yar) Nicola Ghiuselev, bass; Choral Arts Society of Washington; National Symphony; Mstislav Rostropovich, cond. Erato 85529
2:00
"Leif" Insurance for Schubert?
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Symphony No. 9 Berlin Philharmonic; Karl Böhm, conductor. DG 419 318 Jón Leifs (1899-1968) Fine I, Op. 55 and Fine II, Op. 56 Iceland Symphony; Petri Sakari, conductor. Chandos 9433
2:00
On Beethoven, Saint-Saens, and fossil-hunting
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) Variations on a theme of Beethoven Philippe Corre and Edouard Exerjean, pianos Pierre Verany 790041 Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) Fossils, from Carnival of the Animals Martha Argerich, Nelson Freire, pianos; Markus Steckeler, xylophone; ensemble Philips 446557
2:00
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.