Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

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

YourClassical

Tabloid Paganini?

Niccolo Paganini (1782 - 1840) Caprice No. 10 James Ehnes, violin Telarc 80398

YourClassical

Sir Thomas Beecham

Handel (1685 – 1757) arr. Beecham Love in Bath Ballet Suite Royal Philharmonic; Sir Thomas Beecham, cond. EMI 63374

YourClassical

Daniel Pinkham

Daniel Pinkham (1923 - 2006) Serenades Maurice Murphy, trumpet; London Symphony; James Sedares, cond. Koch International 7179

YourClassical

Beethoven's Op. 127

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) String Quartet in Eb, Op. 127 LaSalle Quartet DG 453 768

YourClassical

Barber sings Barber

Samuel Barber (1910 - 1981) Dover Beach Samuel Barber, baritone; Curtis String Quartet Pearl 0049

YourClassical

Symphonic Rouse

Christopher Rouse (b. 1949) Symphony No. 2 Houston Symphony; Christoph Eschenbach, cond. Telarc 80452

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Richard Strauss, hero

Richard Strauss (1864 - 1949) Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life), Op. 40 Minnesota Orchestra; Eiji Oue, cond. Reference 83

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Biblical Handel (and Lloyd-Webber)

George Frederic Handel (1685 - 1757) Joseph and His Brethren Choir of New College, Oxford; The King's Consort; Robert King, cond. Hyperion 67171 Andrew Lloyd Webber (b. 1948) Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Original Canadian Cast Recording Polygram 314 517 266

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Timely Menotti

Gian Carlo Menotti (b. 1911) The Consul Soloists and the Spoleto Festival Orchestra; Richard Hickox, cond. Chandos 9706

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Pizzetti in New York

Ildebrando Pizzetti (1880 - 1968) Rondo Veneziano BBC Scottish Symphony; Osmo Vänskä, cond. Hyperion 67084

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.