Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"
On this date in 1723, church-goers in Leipzig were presented with Bach’s “Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben.”
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Composer's Datebook - July 2, 2022
2:00
Brahms and Berg on busman holidays?
In the summers of 1877 and 1878, Johannes Brahms composed his Second Symphony and Violin Concerto.
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Anton Arensky
Under the old Julian calendar in use in Czarist Russia, on today’s date in 1861, the Romantic composer Anton Arensky was born in Novgorod.
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A modern Monteverdi premiere
Monteverdi’s “The Coronation of Poppea” had its first full professional staging at the Glyndebourne Festival in England on today’s date in 1962.
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Leoni in San Francisco
Franco Leoni (1864 – 1937) L'Oracolo Tito Gobbi, baritone; National Philharmonic; Richard Bonynge, cond. London OSA-12107 (LP)
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Schoenberg for Winds
Arnold Schoenberg’s “Theme and Variations” was given its first performance on today’s date in 1946 by the Goldman Band.
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Mahler's Ninth
Gustav Mahler’s Ninth Symphony was premiered on this date in 1912.
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Mendelssohn's Second
On June 25th, 1840, there would be a gala concert in Leipzig’s St. Thomas Church featuring the church choir and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra performing a new symphony by Felix Mendelssohn.
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Harry Partch and Terry Riley
June 24, 1901, is the birth date of Harry Partch, an Oakland native. Another Californian, born on this date in 1935, is Colfax native Terry Riley.
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Reinhold Gliere
Today we remember the Russian composer Reinhold Glière, who died in Moscow on today’s date in 1956.
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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.