Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
J.S. Bach (1685-1750) St. Matthew Passion SW German Madrigal Chorus; Wolfgang Gönnenwein, cond. EMI Classics 79544 J.S. Bach (1685-1750) arr. Chris Brubeck Variations on Themes by Bach Joel Brown, guitar; London Symphony; Joel Revzen, cond. Koch International 7485
On today’s date in 1965, the New York Philharmonic gave the premiere performance of an orchestral work by Duke Ellington, titled “The Golden Broom and the Golden Apples.”
On today’s date in 1918, the great Italian tenor Enrico Caruso performed George M. Cohan’s “Over There” for an audience of 10,000 at an open-air concert in Ocean Grove, N.J.
On today’s date in 1840, Hector Berlioz conducted 210 musicians under a broiling noonday sun as they slowly progressed to the Place de Bastille.
It was on this day in 1929 that the first performance was given of a radio cantata – not on the radio, oddly enough, but in a concert hall in Baden-Baden, Germany.
On today’s date in 1882, the eminent German conductor Hermann Levi led the first performance of Richard Wagner’s new opera, “Parsifal.”
On today’s date in 1937, one of Copland’s less familiar works had its premiere performance – on the radio.
Paul Hindemith’s “Concert Piece for Wind Orchestra” premiered on today’s date in 1926, at the Donaueschingen Music Festival.
On today’s date in 1940, the “Standing Room Only” signs went up early as a crowd of 23,000 stormed the Hollywood Bowl to hear the great Paul Robeson perform.
Manuel de Falla’s ballet “The Three-Cornered Hat” received its premiere performance at the Alhambra Theatre in London on today’s date in 1919.
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.
