Berio's "Sinfonia" in New York
Luciano Berio (1925-2003) Sinfonia New Swingle Singers; French National Orchestra; Pierre Boulez, cond. Erato 88151
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Lloyd Webber at the Opera
Andrew Lloyd Webber (b. 1948) The Phantom of the Opera Royal Philharmonic Pops; Paul Gemignani, cond. MCA 6230
Ligeti's "out there" Violin Concerto
György Ligeti (1923-2006) Violin Concerto Saschko Gavrilov, violin; Ensemble InterContemporain; Pierre Boulez, cond. DG 439 808
Jake Heggie's opera "Dead Man Walking"
Jake Heggie (b. 1961) Dead Man Walking San Francisco Opera; Patrick Summers, cond. Erato 86238
Music for the movies
Felix Arndt (1889 – 1918) An Operatic Nightmare (Desecration Rag No. 2) Paragon Ragtime Orchestra; Rick Benjamin, cond. Newport Classics 60039 Erich Wolfgang von Korngold (1897 – 1957) The Prince and the Pauper filmscore National Philharmonic; Charles Gerhardt, cond. RCA/BMG 0185
Grove and Sullivan "discover" Schubert
Franz Schubert (1797 – 1828) Rosamunde Incidental Music Chamber Music Orchestra of Europe; Claudio Abbado, cond. DG 431 655
Copland's "Appalachian Spring" Suite
Aaron Copland (1900 – 1990) Appalachian Spring Suite New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, cond. Sony Classical 63082
Corigliano starts at the beginning
John Corigliano (b. 1938) Creations Sir Ian McKellen, narrator; I Fiamminghi; Rudolf Werthen, cond. Telarc 80421
Steven Heitzeg's "Nobel Symphony"
Steve Heitzeg (b. 1959) "Nobel Symphony" The Gustavus Orchestra; Warren Friesen, cond. Gustavus Adolphus 60171-10022
Sousa joins the Marines
John Philip Sousa (1854 - 1932) Sound Off U.S. Marine Band; Col. John R. Bourgeois, cond. USMC 6728
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.