1968 Proms
Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904): Cello Concerto; Mstislav Rostropovich, cello; USSR State Symphony; Yevgeny Svetlanov, conductor; BBC Legends CD 4110 (recorded live August 21, 1968 at the BBC Proms)
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Composers Datebook - Aug. 21, 2025
2:00
A famous — and a not-quite-as-famous — overture
Arthur Bliss (1891-1975): ‘Edinburgh Overture’; City of Birmingham Symphony; Vernon Handley, conductor; EMI Classics 69388 Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893): ‘1812 Overture’; Kirov Orchestra; Valery Gergiev, conductor; Phillips 442 011
2:00
Bernstein's air-conditioned urban jungle
Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990): ‘Prologue’ from ‘West Side Story’; orchestra and chorus; Leonard Bernstein, conductor; DG 415 255
2:00
Salieri slandered?
Wolfgang Mozart (1756-1791): Symphony No. 25; Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Neville Marriner, conductor; Fantasy 900 1791 Antonio Salieri (1750-1825): ‘La Locandiera Overture’; London Mozart Players; Matthias Bamert, conductor; Chandos 9877
2:00
Atterberg's '$10,000' Symphony
Franz Schubert (1797-1828): Symphony No. 8 (‘Unfinished’); Chamber Orchestra of Europe; Claudio Abbado, conductor; DG 423 655 Kurt Atterberg (1887-1974): Symphony No. 6 (‘Dollar Symphony’); Norrköping Symphony; Jun’ichi Hirokami, conductor; Bis 553
2:00
The king is dead
Michael Daugherty (b. 1954): ‘Dead Elvis’; Charles Ullery, bassoon; London Sinfonietta; David Zinman, conductor; Argo 458 145
2:00
A Mass for Machaut
Guillaume de Machaut (c. 1300-1377): ‘Messe de Nostre Dame’
2:00
Bolcom's 'Five Fold Five'
William Bolcom (b. 1938): ‘Five Fold Five’; Detroit Chamber Winds; William Bolcom, piano Koch 7395
2:00
Martinu in California
Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1959): ‘Sinfonietta ‘La Jolla’’; Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra; Christopher Hogwood, conductor; London 433 660
2:00
'Twilight Butterfly' by Thomas
Augusta Read Thomas (b. 1964): ‘Twilight Butterfly’; Yvonne Redman, soprano; Julie Gunn, piano; Nimbus 6306
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.