Reminding you that all music was once new ™ • with host John Birge

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Episodes

YourClassical
Brahms and Berg on busman holidays?

In the summers of 1877 and 1878, Johannes Brahms composed his Second Symphony and Violin Concerto.

YourClassical
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.

YourClassical
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.

YourClassical
Leoni in San Francisco

Franco Leoni (1864 – 1937) L'Oracolo Tito Gobbi, baritone; National Philharmonic; Richard Bonynge, cond. London OSA-12107 (LP)

YourClassical
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.

YourClassical
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.

YourClassical
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.

YourClassical
Reinhold Gliere

Today we remember the Russian composer Reinhold Glière, who died in Moscow on today’s date in 1956.

YourClassical
Wagner in New York (and Philadelphia)

On today’s date in 1871, Theodore Thomas conducted the first American performance of “Kaiser March,” a brand-new work by Richard Wagner.

About

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.