"Pay no attention to Beethoven (if you can)"
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Symphony No. 9 in d (Choral) Wiener Singverein; Berlin Philharmonic; Herbert von Karajan, cond. DG 453 701
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Composers Datebook for May 7, 2011
1:59
Rautavaara's "Angels"
Einojuhani Rautavaara (1928 - 2016) Angel of Dusk Olli Kosonen, double bass; Finnish Radio Symphony; Leif Segerstam, cond. Finlandia 009
1:59
Britten in America
Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976) Paul Bunyan Overture English Chamber Orchestra; Philip Brunelle, cond. Virgin 45093 Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976) Sea Interludes, fr Peter Grimes, Op 33a BBC Symphony; Andrew Davis, cond. Teldec 73126
1:59
Virgil Thomson reviews Elliott Carter
Elliott Carter (1908 - 2012) String Quartet No. 1 The Composers Quartet Nonesuch 71249
1:59
Bloch's "Greatest Hit"
Ernest Bloch (1880 - 1959) Schelomo Mischa Maisky, cello; Israel Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, cond. DG 427 347
1:59
Higdon's "Splendid Wood"
Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962) Splendid Wood New England Conservatory Percussion Ensemble Naxos 8.559683
1:59
Mozart and Gershwin go pop?
W.A. Mozart (1756 - 1791): Marriage of Figaro Wind Suite Amadeus Ensemble; Julius Rudel, cond. MusicMasters 67118 George Gershwin (1899 - 1937): Catfish Row Suite, fr Porgy and Bess Chicago Symphony; James Levine, cond. DG 445 768
1:59
Zwilich anniversaries
Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939) Symphony No. 1 Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra; John Nelson, cond. New World 336 Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939) Bass Trombone Concerto Charles Vernon, Bass Trombone; MSU Symphony; Leon Gregorian, cond. Koch 7487
1:59
Happy Birthday, Irving Berlin (Russian calendar style!)
Irving Berlin (1888 – 1989) That Mesmerizing Mendelssohn Tune The Chrysanthemum Ragtime Band Omega 3011
1:59
Meyerbeer's "African Maid"
Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791 – 1864) O paradis, from L'Africaine Ben Heppner, tenor; London Symphony; Myung-Whun Chung, cond. DG 471 372
1:59
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.