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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Handel celebrates peace

George Frederic Handel (1685 - 1757) Utrecht Te Deum St Paul's Cathedral Choir; The Parley of Instruments; John Scott, cond. Hyperion 67009

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Louis Armstrong and American music

Louis Armstrong (1901 - 1971) Skip the Gutter Louis Armstrong and the Hot Five Columbia 44422 I'm in the Barrel arr. David Jolley Windscape Arabesque 6732

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Piazzolla passes

Astor Piazzolla (1921 - 1992) Tres minutos con la realidad Nestor Marconi, bandoneon; Yo Yo Ma, cello; ensemble Sony Classical 63122

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Ruth Crawford Seeger

Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901 - 1953) Rissolty Rossolty Schoenberg Ensemble; Oliver Knussen, cond. DG 449 925

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Vivaldi and the Pieta

Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741) Concerto in G, Op. 3, no. 3 Les Violons du Roy; Bernard Labadie, cond. Dorian 90255

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The sounds of summer by Barber and Wagner

Samuel Barber (1910 - 1981) Summer Music, Op. 31 Reykjavik Wind Quintet Chandos 9174 Richard Wagner (1813 - 1881) Act I Prelude, fr Die Meistersinger SWR Radio Symphony; Roger Norrington, cond. Hänssler Classics 93000

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Mendelssohn and Tavener consort with royals

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Symphony No. 3 (Scottish) Chamber Orchestra of Europe; Nikolaus Harnoncour, cond. Teldec 72308 John Tavener (b. 1944) Fall and Resurrection City of London Sinfonia; Richard Hickox, cond. Chandos 9800

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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.