Two by Mozart
On today's date, Wolfgang Mozart completed two of his most famous works: on August 10th, 1787, the Serenade known as "Eine kleine Nachtmusik," and, on the same day exactly 10 years later, Mozart's Symphony No. 41 in C Major.
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Composer's Datebook - 20220810
2:00
Berlioz, Beatrice, and Benedict
A new comic opera by the French composer Hector Berlioz, titled “Beatrice and Benedict”
2:00
Chaminade in America
The French composer and concert pianist Cecile Chaminade was born in Paris on this date in 1857.
2:00
Mendelssohn gets wet and wild
On today’s date in 1829, the German composer Felix Mendelssohn and his friend, Karl Klingemann, were on the North Sea bound for Glasgow.
2:00
An opera debut for Britten and Bernstein
On today's date in 1946, Leonard Bernstein conducted the American premiere of Benjamin Britten's opera, "Peter Grimes," at the Tanglewood Festival in Lenox, Massachusetts.
2:00
Of Mountains and Messiaen
On today's date in 1978, the citizens of Parowan resolved to name a local mountain Mt. Messiaen in honor of the French composer, who had spent a month in Utah five years earlier while working on his symphonic suite titled "From the Canyons to the Stars."
2:00
David Raksin goes "noir"
Today marks the birthday of American composer David Raksin, born in 1912 in Philadelphia.
2:00
Rossini asks "Who was that masked man?"
Rossini’s “William Tell” was first heard in Paris on today’s date in 1829.
2:00
Gluck and Glass in the Underworld
On this day in 1774, in Paris, the first performance of the French version of the opera “Orpheus and Eurydice” by Christoph Willibald Gluck took place.
2:00
Dvorak's "American" Quintet
Dvorak’s “American” String Quartet was completed on today’s date in 1893 in Spillville, Iowa.
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.