Verdi passes on the pyramids
Giuseppe Verdi (1813 – 1901) Grand March, fr Aida New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, cond. Sony 48226
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Mozart, Salieri, and Beethoven in Vienna
Wolfgang Mozart (1756 – 1791) Piano Concerto No. 22 Mitsuko Uchida, piano; English Chamber Orchestra; Jeffrey Tate, cond. Philips 420 187 Wolfgang Mozart (1756 – 1791) Magic Flute Overture Zurich Opera House Orchestra;Nikolaus Harnoncourt, cond. Teldec 95523 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) Violin Concerto, Op. 61 Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin; New York Philharmonic;Kurt Masur, cond. DG 471 349
Lully and Vivaldi greet the season
Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632 – 1687) Isis Philippe Caillard Chorale and Orchestra Erato 20983 Antonio Vivaldi (1678 – 1741) Winter, fr The Four Seasons Enrico Onofrio, violin; Il Giardino Armonico Teldec 97671
Prokofiev's "Ode to Joe"
Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953) Lieutenant Kije Suite Chicago Symphony; Claudio Abbado, cond. DG 447 419 Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953) A toast! Op. 85 St. Petersburg Philharmonic Choir; New Philharmonia Orchestra; Alexander Titov, cond. Beaux 38
Mouret's "Masterpiece" theme
Jean-Joseph Mouret (1682 – 1738) Rondeau Wynton Marsalis, trumpet; English Chamber Orchestra; Anthony Newman, cond. SONY 66244
A Griffes premiere in Philadelphia
Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1884 – 1920) The White Peacock Dallas Symphony; Andrew Litton, cond. Dorian 90224
Bruckner thinks big
Anton Bruckner (1824 – 1896) Symphony No. 8 London Philharmonic; Klaus Tennstedt, cond. EMI 64849
Schubert's "Unfinished" business
Franz Schubert (1795 – 1828) arr. Brian Newbould Symphony No. 8 Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields; Sir Neville Marriner, cond. Philips 412 176
Reznicek joins the Mounties
Emil von Reznicek (1860 - 1945) Donna Diana Overture Symphony Nova Scotia; Georg Tintner, cond. CBC 5167
Thomas and the trombone
Augusta Read Thomas (b. 1964) Meditation Christian Lindberg, trombone; BBC National Orchestra of Wales; Grant Llewellyn, cond. BIS 788
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.