Offenbach puts a critic to work
Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) Orpheus in the Underworld English National Opera Orchestra and Chorus; Mark Elder, cond. MCA 6325

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

Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) Orpheus in the Underworld English National Opera Orchestra and Chorus; Mark Elder, cond. MCA 6325

Antonin Dvořák String Quartet No. 14 in Ab, Op. 105 Vlach Quartet Prague Naxos 8.553374

Rene Clausen (b. 1953) Mass for Double Choir Kansas City Chorale; Charles Bruffy, cond. Chandos 5105

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) Symphony No. 5 Chicago Symphony; Claudio Abbado, cond. DG 427 254 Jerome Moross (1913-1983) Symphony No. 1 London Symphony; JoAnn Falletta, cond. Koch 7188

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 25 Cyprien Katsaris, piano; Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra; Kurt Masur, cond Teldec 8.43681

Stephen Paulus (1949 - 2014) Five for the Flowers Near the River Cynthia Phelps, vla; Judith Gordon, p. Cala CACD-0510

Claude Debussy (1862-1918) La Mer New Philharmonia; Pierre Boulez, cond. Sony 68327

Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) Le bourgeois gentilhomme Comedy-Ballet Le Concert des Nations; Jordi Savall, cond. Alia Vox 9807

David Diamond (1915-2005) Symphony No. 2 Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, cond. Delos 3093

Victor Herbert (1859-1924) Columbus Suite Slovak Radio Symphony; Keith Brion, cond. Naxos 8.559027 James DeMars (b. 1952) Premonitions of Christopher Columbus Tos Ensemble with R. Carlos Nakai, Native American flute Canyon 7014
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.