A star-spangled bummer for Stravinsky?
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) The Star Spangled Banner (arrangement) London Symphony; Michael Tilson Thomas, cond. BMG/RCA 68865
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
"Blind Tom"
Thomas "Blind Tom" Wiggins (1849-1908) Battle of Manassas John Davis, p. Newport Classics 85660
Music for the birds by Dvořák and Rautavaara
Antonin Dvořák (1841-1904) String Quartet, Op. 96 (American) Vlach Quartet Naxos 8.553371 Einojuhani Rautavaara (b. 1928) Cantus Arcticus, Op. 61 Lahti Symphony; Osmo Vänskä BIS 1038
Hovhaness and the world's biggest vocal soloist
Alan Hovhaness (1911-2000) And God Created Great Whales Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, cond. Delos 3157
Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde"
Richard Wagner (1813-1883) Act II Prelude, from Tristan und Isolde Bayreuth Festival Orchestra; Karl Böhm Philips 434 425
Lincoln at the opera
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) Act II Prelude, from Un ballo in maschera La Scala Philharmonic; Riccardo Muti, cond. Sony 62373 Charles Gounod (1818-1893) Soldiers' Chorus, from Faust Paris Opera Chrous and Orch; Andre Cluytens, cond. EMI 63733
Morton Gould's "Spirituals"
Morton Gould (1913-1996) Spirituals for Strings I Musici de Montreal; Yuli Turovsky, cond. Chandos 9848
Mahler conducts American music in New York
Henry Hadley (1871-1937) The Culprit Fay, Op. 62 Ukraine Symphony; John McLaughlin Williams, cond. Naxos 559064
Safe passage for Rachmaninoff
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) Piano Concerto No. 1 in f#, Op. 1 Krystian Zimerman, piano; Boston Symphony Orchestra; Seiji Ozawa, cond. DG 4796868
Athletically-inclined music by Janacek and Torke
Leos Janácek (1854-1928) Sinfonietta Boston Symphony; Seiji Ozawa, cond. EMI 47837 Michael Torke (b. 1961) Javelin Atlanta Symphony; Yoel Levi, cond. Argo 452 101
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.