Composers Datebook®

Leoncavallo's "La Boheme"

Synopsis

Music Played in Today's Program

Ruggero Leoncavallo (1857 – 1919) La Bohème Soloists; Bavarian Radio Chorus and Orchestra; Heinz Wallberg, cond. Orfeo 023 822

On This Day

Births

  • 1915 - American composer George Perle, in Bayonne, N.J.;

  • 1918 - Canadian composer Godfrey Ridout, in Toronto;

Deaths

  • 1667 - (on May 6 or 7) German composer and keyboard player Johann Jakob Froberger, age 50, in Hericourt, nearr Montbeliard , France;

Premieres

  • 1897 - Leoncavallo: opera "La Boheme" in Venice;

  • 1981 - Rautavaara: Double-bass Concerto ("Angel of Dusk"),in Helsinki, with bassist Olli Kosonen and the Finnish Radio Symphony, Leif Segerstam conducting;

  • 1985 - Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: "Concerto for Trumpet and Five Players," by the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble;

  • 1992 - Libby Larsen: Symphony No. 3 ("Lyric"), by the Albany Symphony (NY), Joel Revzen conducting;

  • 1999 - Magnus Lindberg: Cello Concerto, by the Orchestre de Paris, with Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting and Anssi Karttunen the soloist;

  • 1999 - Christopher Rouse: "Seeing" (Piano Concerto), at Avery Fisher Hall in New York, by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Slatkin, with Emanuel Ax the soloist;

Others

  • 1872 - Theodore Thomas conducts the first concert of the Cincinnati Music Festival ("May Festival"); His program includes Beethoven's Fifth, Handel's "Dettingen Te Deum," a Mozart aria, and a chorus from Haydn's "Creation."

Love the music?

Donate by phone
1-800-562-8440

Show your support by making a gift to YourClassical.

Each day, we’re here for you with thoughtful streams that set the tone for your day – not to mention the stories and programs that inspire you to new discovery and help you explore the music you love.

YourClassical is available for free, because we are listener-supported public media. Take a moment to make your gift today.

More Ways to Give

Your Donation

$5/month
$10/month
$15/month
$20/month
$

Latest Composers Datebook® Episodes

VIEW ALL EPISODES

Latest Composers Datebook® Episodes

YourClassical

Brahms up and down

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): ‘Academic Festival Overture’; New York Philharmonic; Kurt Masur, conductor; Teldec 77291 Johannes Brahms: ‘Tragic Overture’; Vienna Symphony; Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor; Philips 438 760

2:00
Get Composers Datebook in your inbox
YourClassical

Lutoslawski Christmas Carols

Witold Lutoslawski (1913-1994): ‘The Angels Came to the Shepherds’ and ‘Hey, We Look Forward Now’ (excerpts), from 20 Polish Christmas Carols; Polish Radio Chorus, Kraców; Polish National Radio Chorus and Symphony; Antoni Wit, conductor; Naxos 8.555994

2:00
YourClassical

Menotti's TV opera

Gian Carlo Menotti (1911-2007): ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors Suite’; The New Zealand Symphony; Andrew Schenck, conductor; Koch 7005

2:00
YourClassical

Mendelssohn cooks up some music

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847): Concert Piece No. 1; Sabine and Wolfgang Meyer, clarinet and basset horn; Wurtemberg Chamber Orchestra; Jorg Faerber, conductor; EMI 47233

2:00
YourClassical

Deems Taylor

Deems Taylor (1885-1966): ‘Through the Looking Glass’; Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, conductor; Delos 3099

2:00
YourClassical

Sheppard's 'Media Vita'

John Sheppard (1515-1558): ‘Media Vita’; Tallis Scholars; Peter Phillips, conductor; Gimell 16

2:00
YourClassical

Harbison's Great American Opera?

John Harbison (b. 1938): ‘Remembering Gatsby’; Minnesota Orchestra; Edo de Waart, conductor; Vol. 11, from ‘Minnesota Orchestra at 100’ special edition boxed CD set

2:00
YourClassical

Stravinsky's 'Symphony of Psalms'

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971): ‘Symphony of Psalms’; The Monteverdi Choir; London Symphony; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor; DG 436 789

2:00
YourClassical

Quincy Jones and 'The Color Purple'

Quincy Jones (1933-2024): ‘The Color Purple: Main Theme’; Itzhak Perlman, violin; Pittsburgh Symphony; John Williams, conductor; Sony 63005

2:00
VIEW ALL EPISODES

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.

About Composers Datebook®