A birthday Beatle
Lennon and McCartney (arr. Toru Takemitsu) Here, There and Everywhere John Williams, guitar Sony 66704
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Composer's Datebook - Oct. 9, 2022
2:00
Sharon Isbin and John Corigliano
John Corigliano (b. 1938) Troubadours Sharon Isbin, guitar; St. Paul Chamber Orchestra; Hugh Wolff, cond. Virgin 55083
2:00
Music and politics with Rimsky-Korsakov and John Adams
On today’s date in 1909, “The Golden Cockerel,” the last opera of the Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, had its premiere in Moscow.
2:00
Brahms and Rzewski for amateurs
The first performance of the “Liebeslieder” for piano four-hands by Johannes Brahms took place on today’s date in 1869.
2:00
Timely Argento and Takemitsu
It was on this day in 1972 that “A Ring of Time” by American composer Dominick Argento was premiered by the Minnesota Orchestra in Minneapolis.
2:00
How to win friends and influence Shostakovich
On today’s date in 1959, Mstislav Rostropovich gave the premiere performance of a cello concerto by Dmitri Shostakovich.
2:00
Ceremonial Beethoven and Schuman
If you had arrived early for the gala reopening celebration of Vienna’s Josephstadt Theater on today’s date in 1822, you might have heard the theater orchestra frantically rehearing a new overture by Beethoven.
2:00
Joan Tower's "Made in America"
Joan Tower’s “Made in America” received its first performance by the Glen Falls Symphony Orchestra in New York State on today’s date in 2005.
2:00
Flagg-waving in Colonial Boston?
On today’s date in 1768, two regiments of British redcoats marched into colonial Boston accompanied by martial music provided by their regimental wind band. It was that city’s introduction to the exotic sound of massed oboes, bassoons, and French horns.
2:00
The Twilight Zone
On today’s date in 1960, the second season of “The Twilight Zone,” — the legendary TV series created by Mr. Serling — began airing on CBS.
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.