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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Adams rolls into the new century

John Adams (b. 1947) Century Rolls Emanuel Ax, piano; Cleveland Orchestra; Christoph von Dohnányi, cond. Nonesuch 79607

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Barber at Lincoln Center

Samuel Barber (1910 – 1981) Piano Concerto, Op. 38 John Browning, piano; Saint Louis Symphony; Leonard Slatkin, cond. RCA/BMG 60732

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Cadman's Trio

Charles Wakefield Cadman (1881 – 1946) Piano Trio, Op. 56and From the Land of the Sky-Blue Water

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Bernstein gets a "Presidential" title

Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990) arr. Bright Sheng Arias and Barcarolles Jane Bunnell, mezzo-soprano; Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, cond. Delos 3078

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Beeson at the opera

Jack Beeson (1921 - 2010) Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines Kansas City Lyric Opera and Philharmonic; Russell Patterson, cond. RCA ARL2-1727 (LP)

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Previn and North meet Tennessee Williams

André Previn (b. 1929) A Streetcar Named Desire Renée Fleming, soprano; San Francisco Opera Orchestra; André Previn, cond. DG 459 366 Alex North (1910 – 1991) A Streetcar Named Desire filmscore London Symphony; Eric Stern, cond. Nonesuch 79446

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Elgar's Fifth

Edward Elgar (1857 – 1934) Pomp and Circumstance March No. 5 Royal Philharmonic; André Previn, cond. Philips 454 250

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Hildegard von Bingen, 12th century "New Ager?"

Hildegard von Bingen (1098 – 1179) Instrumental Piece Sequentia BMG/Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 77353 Hildegard von Bingen (1098 – 1179) Benedicamus Domino Anonymous 4 Harmonia Mundi 907200

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Shostakovich on Broadway?

Vincent Youmans (1898 - 1946) No, No Nanette Overture Broadway cast album Columbia 30563

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.